Nurturing Future Business Leaders

Over the next 10 weeks, the Young Business Ambassadors (YBAs) participants will embark on a business exchange programme in Singapore and Shanghai. They will work in a related organisation, and participate in a cultural immersion programme that allows them to rub shoulders with leaders and representatives in the public, private and social sectors in the host city. Through the programme, they will gain new business perspectives and insights and grow their professional and personal networks.

The YBA pairs participating in this year’s business exchange programme in Singapore and Shanghai are:

1. Mr Eo Xiang Jing (DBS Bank) and Mr Tian Liang (Shanghai Pudong Development Bank)
2. Mr Chew Kok Hong, Desmond (The Esplanade Co Ltd) and Ms Ke Fei (Shanghai Culture Square)
3. Ms Li Liying, Cheryl (M1 Limited) and Mr Zhang Fan (China Telecom Shanghai Branch)
4. Ms Pang Wei Ngee (SATS Limited) and Mr Xu Yanqing (Shanghai International Airport Services Company )
5. Ms Koh Rui Shan, Rebecca (Sentosa Leisure Management) and Ms Feng Yun (Fengxian District Development and Reform Commission)
6. Mr Shao Xudong (Policy Research Office of Fengxian District) will be attached to Resorts World Sentosa

They join SIF’s global network of Australian, Singaporeans and Chinese business professionals who have participated in the programme since 2000.

The growth and success of the Singapore-China YBA Programme is testament to the strong partnerships between SIF, the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Companies (SPAFFC), Shanghai Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), participating companies, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore and the Singapore Consul-General in Shanghai.

SIF, SPAFFC and SAFEA, together with YBA alumni, have also embarked on a book project to commemorate a decade of the YBA Programme’s run in 2014. The book is scheduled for launch in the third quarter of 2014, and is a compilation of insights gained and shared experiences of the Young Business Ambassadors.

The appointment ceremony capped two days of orientation activities for the YBAs where they met policy makers, community leaders and YBA alumni, and enjoyed learning about the head, heart and soul of Singapore.