Charis Cheng is a human capital leader with over 25 years of experience across the aviation, industrial and energy sectors in the Asia Pacific region. She is concurrently holding the role of SVP and Head of Human Capital, Singapore and Gateway APAC at SATS Ltd., Singapore’s leading provider of gateway services and food solutions for the aviation industry.
In her role, Charis drives strategic people initiatives, culture building and talent development to support SATS’ multi-market operations and growth ambitions. She also spearheads enterprise-wide workforce transformation efforts encompassing job redesign, workforce planning, skills development and organisational effectiveness. A strong advocate for workforce sustainability, she has championed initiatives to redesign frontline operational roles and leverage technology, automation and AI to augment work, enhance productivity and create sustainable career pathways for employees. Through close collaboration with industry partners, unions, government agencies and educational institutions, she is passionate about building a future-ready workforce equipped to thrive in a rapidly evolving aviation landscape.
Before joining SATS in 2023, Charis held senior regional leadership roles at Johnson Controls, a global leader in smart building solutions. As Vice President, Human Resources, Asia Pacific, she partnered with business leaders to drive organisational effectiveness, talent strategies and HR transformation programmes across diverse markets.
Earlier in her career, Charis spent over 15 years with Shell, where she progressed through multiple leadership positions in human resources. Her roles included Global Head of Learning for Integrated Gas and Upstream Joint Ventures, Vice President, Human Resources, Learning & Organisational Effectiveness for Integrated Gas, and Head of HR for major refining and petrochemical sites in Singapore. She also led global talent initiatives, employee and industrial relations, and workforce capability-building programmes.
She currently serves as a Tripartite Mediation Advisor appointed by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), a member of the Business and Services Academic Advisory Committee at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), a member of the Human Capital Action Committee at the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), and a member of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council.
Charis holds a Commerce degree from the University of New South Wales and has completed executive leadership programmes at The Wharton School and Singapore Management University (SMU). 

Eko Ongsono is the General Manager, Human Resources at Murata Electronics Singapore (MES), where he partners with business leaders to develop people strategies that support organisational capability, workforce transformation, and sustainable business growth. Eko has built his career over more than two decades with Murata Electronics. Before assuming
his current HR leadership role in 2021, he spent 17 years in manufacturing operations, supply chain management, logistics, and regional business management, gaining extensive
multicultural experience across Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. His career included assignments at Murata’s global headquarters in Kyoto as well as leading Thai Murata Trading as
Director and General Manager. These experiences provided him with a strong understanding of business operations and the challenges faced by leaders and employees across different
functions.

His operational background continues to shape his approach to Human Resources, enabling him to connect business priorities with people strategies and position HR as a strategic business
partner in organisational transformation. Having experienced the business from multiple perspectives, he believes people strategies are most effective when they are closely aligned with operational realities and long-term business objectives.

Since taking on the HR leadership role, Eko has worked closely with the Managing Director and leadership team to strengthen HR’s contribution to business performance. Together with the HR
team, he has supported Murata’s HR transformation by strengthening HR business partnering, leadership development, talent management, organisational capability, employee engagement,
succession planning, and HR digitalisation to better align people strategies with business priorities.

In addition to his responsibilities in Singapore, Eko collaborates with colleagues across ASEAN and Japan on initiatives involving talent management, workforce mobility, leadership
development, organisational capability, and HR governance. He also works with government agencies, educational institutions, professional bodies, and industry partners to support
workforce transformation, HR innovation, internship programmes, and capability development. He values these collaborations as opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from fellow practitioners, and contribute to the continued advancement of the HR profession.

Eko holds a Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) from Singapore Management University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering. He is also a Chartered Accountant of Singapore (CA Singapore) and an IHRP Senior Professional (IHRP-SP). His multidisciplinary background in engineering, business, accounting, and Human Resources enables him to approach workforce transformation from both operational and strategic perspectives.

Eko’s professional interests focus on helping organisations build future-ready workforces through strategic HR and business transformation. His areas of expertise include strategic HR business partnering, organisational development, workforce transformation, job redesign, leadership development, talent management, succession planning, employee engagement, HR digitalisation, people analytics, industrial relations, and regional HR collaboration. He is particularly interested in translating business priorities into practical people strategies that strengthen organisational capability, enhance employee experience, and prepare organisations for future challenges. He believes effective workforce transformation requires close collaboration between business leaders, HR professionals, employees, educational institutions, government agencies, and industry partners.

Over the past few years, Eko has focused on helping Murata strengthen organisational capability through HR transformation, workforce development, leadership development, and job redesign. Working together with business leaders, he has supported the evolution of HR from an operational support function to a strategic business partner that contributes to business performance through stronger organisational capability, leadership, and workforce readiness. One of the initiatives he is particularly passionate about is workforce transformation. As manufacturing continues to evolve through digitalisation, automation, and changing workforce expectations, he has worked closely with business leaders to redesign roles, strengthen
workforce capability and create meaningful career development opportunities. Through this journey, he has come to believe that successful job redesign is not simply about changing job
scopes. Sustainable workforce transformation requires organisations to integrate job redesign with leadership development, capability building, organisational culture, employee engagement,
and continuous learning. This philosophy was reflected in Murata Electronics Singapore’s participation in the IHRP Job Redesign Launchpad, where multiple business units applied the Job Redesign Evaluation Tool (JRET). Following the programme, Murata was invited by IHRP and Workforce Singapore (WSG) to share its journey as an industry case study and participate in the Job Redesign Community of Practice (JRCoP). Beyond workforce transformation, Eko has supported initiatives involving leadership competency frameworks, coaching, succession planning, talent development, HR dashboards, workforce analytics, and integrated HR systems. He has also contributed to initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and workplace culture, supporting Murata Electronics Singapore’s continued recognition as one of Singapore’s Best Employers. During his tenure, the company has also been recognised in the Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI), reflecting its commitment to fostering employee development, meaningful workplace opportunities, and a positive employee experience. Through his involvement in regional HR initiatives across ASEAN, Eko continues to contribute to projects involving talent mobility, organisational capability, and HR governance while sharing practical experiences with HR practitioners and business leaders across the region. Looking ahead, Eko hopes to continue learning from fellow practitioners while sharing practical experiences in workforce transformation, organisational development, and job redesign. Through the Job Redesign Community of Practice, he looks forward to contributing to the exchange of ideas that strengthen organisations, develop people, and advance the HR profession in Singapore

From transforming the HR practice that makes “Mission First, People Always” come alive, and designing an award winning work campus, to commanding an Army Armoured Brigade, Gerard has done it all.
Gerard Koh is a thought leader, non-conformist and keen designer of people experiences. He is  a strategist and architect of change, and a builder of high-performing teams. With a knack for nurturing talent and a keen eye for spotting and unlocking potential, he brings over 30 years of expertise in senior leadership, organisation design, strategic workforce planning, culture change, and leadership development to the table.
Now at Singtel, Gerard’s expertise thrives in leading change at the Group level to propel their B.I.G (Belonging, Impact and Growth) People agenda, and to build organisation capability powered by HI X AI X CI (Human Intelligence X Artificial Intelligence X Culture Intelligence).
Gerard led the People and Culture team at NCS, Singtel’s professional IT services business, and delivered the transformative people strategy to support NCS’ growth to a global digital solutions partner.
Before Singtel, Gerard served as CHRO and Chief Corporate Officer at SMRT. There, he transformed HR practices into a progressive, force of change to support the new MRT lines, and deliver a world class transport service.
Gerard had fulfilling and adventure filled career in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he commanded an Armoured Brigade, was the Defence Attache to Laos, and was the Head of the National Service Department.
He volunteers at the Catholic Welfare Services on the HR Committee, and the Catholic Archdiocese HR Council. Laos beckoned and he answered the call to be the mission leader for a humanitarian medical and education mission to Laos under ACTS ( ‘A Call to Share’) Singapore.  He is also serves as a Director on Board of the Communicable Diseases Agency.

Gerard is certified as a HR Master Practitioner by Singapore’s Institute of HR Professionals (IHRP), and is an award winning HR leader.  And, oh yes, he makes the best scrambled eggs ever too. 

Jocelyn Chan is an accomplished Human Resources leader with over 25 years of experience across diversified business sectors, including retail, financial services, property development, hospitality, and travel. She has partnered business leaders to drive workforce transformation, leadership development, and organisational excellence in complex, multi-business environments.
Currently, she is the HR & Business Excellence Director of Aspial Corporation Limited, where she partners the leadership team on people strategy, organisation effectiveness, culture development, talent management, and employee experience initiatives across the Group’s regional businesses.
Jocelyn’s educational background combines business, leadership, and human resources. She holds a Master of Science in Advanced Leadership Practice from Edinburgh Napier University and a Master of Business from Nanyang Technological University.
Her areas of expertise include workforce transformation, job redesign, organisational effectiveness, leadership development, and change management. She has also contributed to the HR profession through appointments with the Ministry of Manpower’s National Integration Working Group for Workplaces, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management as a Tripartite Mediation Advisor, and the Singapore National Employers Federation Industrial Relations Panel.
Among her notable contributions, Jocelyn has led a wide range of workforce transformation, job redesign, and organisational change initiatives aimed at improving business performance, workforce productivity, and employee experience. Her work has included modernising people practices, driving HR digitalisation, strengthening organisational capabilities, supporting business integration and restructuring efforts, and helping organisations adapt to changing business and workforce needs. She has also played a key role in building leadership capability and transforming HR functions into strategic business partners that support sustainable growth and organisational effectiveness.
Known for her business acumen, strategic mindset, and ability to build strong stakeholder partnerships, Jocelyn is passionate about helping organisations navigate change, develop future-ready leaders, and create workplaces where employees and businesses can thrive together. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to balancing business performance with people development, making her a trusted advisor to senior leaders and a respected practitioner in the HR profession. 

Jaclyn is a seasoned HR Professional with close to 30 years of experience in the full spectrum of Human Resources at both Singapore and the regional level. She has led major strategic changes in the various organizations that she has worked for and possesses rich experience in managing large-scale organizational change projects at local, regional, and national levels. She is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for Certisgroup, a leading outsourced services partner those designs, builds, and operates multi-disciplinary smart security and integrated services. As CHRO of Certis Group, covering 25,000 global employees, she steers the global human resources strategy, aligning it with our corporate vision to drive excellence, innovation, and growth across our diverse operations. Her role involves fostering a high-performance culture that values diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning, ensuring Certis remains at the forefront of the security industry.
In Jaclyn’s previous role as Chief Human Resources Officer for the Singapore University of Technology and Design, she worked with the board, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), senior academic leadership, and the Ministry of Education, to set up the initial strategic roadmap, talent strategy, as well as the human resource frameworks and structure needed to build the fourth public university. In recognition of her contributions to education, she was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) by the President of Singapore. She also received the Covid Resilience Medal in 2023, as well as the Skills Future Fellowship in 2024. She was recently named Visier’s Top 50 HR Global leaders in 2026.  Jaclyn is also a published book author, having written two books, titled “Accelerating Organizational Culture Change (Emerald Publishing), and “Managing People, Data and Culture in the Modern Organization” (Penguin Random House). Her latest book talks about how successful companies interweave People, Data and Culture to build resilient organizations that can withstand rapid changes brought about by digital transformation, geopolitical tensions and pandemics. Whilst technology is profoundly changing today’s workplaces, what will differentiate tomorrow’s leading organizations from the competition will be their organizational culture and people.
Jaclyn has spoken in more than 300 local and international conferences and is also an Adjunct Faculty with the Singapore University of Technology and Design. She has taught and upskilled more than 5000 HR professionals in the areas of HR Analytics, Change Management, and digital transformation.  

Jedrick Tan is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Fei Siong Group (FSG), one of Singapore’s leading multi-brand F&B operators, and concurrently Chief Executive Officer of Popeyes PLK Singapore, the local franchisee of the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand. In these dual roles, he sits at the intersection of enterprise-wide strategic transformation and hands-on operational leadership within one of Singapore’s most dynamic food and beverage groups.
Professional Background
As the Chief Strategy Officer in Fei Siong Group, Jed co-leads the group’s strategic direction across its portfolio of more than 12 in-house brands – including Encik Tan, Malaysia Boleh, Nam Kee Pau, and EAT, spanning over 177 outlets in Singapore, with growing regional operations in Malaysia and Indonesia. His remit covers corporate strategy, regional expansion and franchise/ brand development.
Concurrently, Jedrick has served as CEO of Popeyes PLK Singapore since June 2022, responsible for the brand’s full commercial and operational performance locally. His leadership spans franchise relationship management with Restaurant Brands International (RBI), operational excellence, new market entry planning and franchise agreement negotiations.
Prior to his current roles, Jedrick built a career bridging private-sector strategy and public-sector policy. He worked at Workforce Singapore (WSG) since 2012, closely involved in workforce transformation and manpower policy initiatives supporting Singapore’s economic restructuring agenda. As part of this tenure, he completed a secondment stint as Director, SkillsFuture for Enterprise Programme to the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) from June 2018 to May 2020, working at the interface between government workforce policy and employer needs, an experience that continues to shape his interest in organisational design and job redesign at the enterprise level.
Educational Background
Jedrick obtained an MBA at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), with international segments at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and Tsinghua University. This ongoing investment in executive education reflects his view that senior leaders must keep pace with evolving frameworks in strategy and organisational transformation, particularly relevant to an F&B sector undergoing rapid structural change.
Areas of Expertise and Interest
Jedrick’s expertise spans corporate strategy and IPO readiness, multi-brand F&B operations, international franchise development, and workforce and organisational transformation. He has deep, practitioner-level experience navigating manpower-intensive retail and F&B environments, sectors where job redesign is a daily operational necessity, given persistent manpower constraints, rising wage costs, and the imperative to make frontline roles more productive and attractive to a changing local workforce.
He is particularly interested in how technology adoption, process redesign, and skills upgrading can be combined to reshape frontline and operational roles in F&B, improving both business productivity and the quality of jobs in an industry historically viewed as low-skill and high-turnover.
Notable Transformation and Job Redesign Initiatives
During his time at Workforce Singapore and through his SNEF secondment, Jedrick was directly engaged in initiatives supporting enterprise-level job redesign and workforce transformation, working with employers to translate national manpower policy into practical changes on the ground, restructuring job scopes, skills requirements, and career pathways to improve both productivity and worker outcomes.
In his current roles, Jedrick has continued applying this lens to Fei Siong Group and Popeyes Singapore. At Popeyes, he has overseen operational redesign tied to the brand’s food preparation format, a Singapore-specific adaptation of the standard global process, requiring rethinking kitchen workflows, training protocols, and frontline job design to maintain product consistency while managing labour efficiency. Across Fei Siong Group, he is currently driving a group-wide Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programme, reshaping how frontline and marketing roles engage with customer data and loyalty initiatives across the group’s 12 brands.
Jedrick has also led job- and role-design considerations within FSG’s regional expansion, including entry into Indonesia (via Encik Tan and the Pao Pao brand, under Indonesia’s GR 35/2024 franchise framework) and an ongoing evaluation other market entries. Each requiring reimagined organisational structures, local hiring models, and job scopes suited to new regulatory and labour contexts. In parallel, his work on FSG’s growth journey has involved shaping the group’s human capital narrative for institutional investors, including its approach to manpower productivity and workforce sustainability.
Through this combination of policy-level experience and hands-on operating leadership, Jedrick brings a grounded, cross-sector perspective to conversations on job redesign, shaped by having sat on both sides of the table, as a policymaker shaping national frameworks and as an operator responsible for implementing workforce transformation within a large, fast-growing F&B enterprise.

Ms. Justina Tan provides strategic leadership to transform organisational practices, drive sustainable outcomes, and deliver great employee experiences while enabling Changi Airport Group to achieve its business priorities. Her role encompasses overseeing diverse teams including Corporate, Marketing & Communications, Regulatory Affairs & Sustainability, Legal & Compliance, Design Management, the Innovation & People Teams.

She has more than 20 years of experience in the airport industry and has held senior positions in various airport business functions from international relations, airline marketing, airport retail and airport consultancy. In 2004, she was appointed to head the Human Resources function to drive HR transformation with a business focus and this started her journey in corporate transformation. She has a passion for organizational development, evident in her initiatives that have reshaped the company’s culture, corporate processes, talent management, leadership development, rewards, and employee engagement strategies to drive organizational performance. Justina is a firm believer of philanthropy, providing leadership guidance on CAG’s corporate social responsibility strategies. She has been part of the Changi Foundation Board from its inception, first as a Board Member, and now as Chairman.

Under her leadership, CAG has been recognised for its innovative practices and garnered acclaim as an employer of choice, winning multiple awards and accolades from the industry and Union partners alike. Changi

Foundation has also been acknowledged for the difference it has made to the community. In recognition of her achievements and contributions to the HR industry, Justina was conferred the professional certification by Institute of Human Resource Professionals as a Master Professional (IHRP-MP).

Kevin is the Chief Human Resources Officer of the United World College South East Asia, a mission-led international school widely recognised as a global leader in International Education.  He was also previously the Chief People Officer of the National University of Singapore, which has been consistently ranked the top three Universities in the Asia Pacific.
Prior to the Education sector, Kevin has worked in Global and APAC HR roles in Fortune 500 companies in industries as diverse as Medical Technology, Pharmaceutical, and Energy; and was based in Singapore, London, and Tokyo.  Earlier in his career, Kevin also worked with premium organisations in the Singapore Public Service.
Kevin began his HR career in Learning & Development and Talent Management, and continues to be passionate about developing leaders to help them achieve their potential.  This has led him to become a certified Executive Coach, where he has provided leadership coaching to Board Directors; and Business, Finance, Legal and HR leaders across the Asia Pacific and beyond.
Kevin also serves as the Chair of the Board HR Committee of a healthcare charity; and as a Board HR Committee member in a mental health charity.  He regularly speaks at HR Conferences in Singapore and Internationally, and has been a Judge for HR Awards. 

Kung Teong Wah is the Cluster General Manager overseeing PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore, and PARKROYAL on Beach Road, two of Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s properties in Singapore. With a career in hospitality spanning more than three decades, Teong Wah has built a reputation as a dedicated advocate for labour relations, continuous upskilling, job redesign, business innovation and digital transformation within the hospitality industry. Through data-driven solutions, he enhances productivity and career growth, empowering his team to become future-ready and to deliver thoughtful, high-quality guest experiences.
Teong Wah began his hospitality career in 1990 as an Apprentice and Commis Chef at Westin Stamford and Westin Plaza Singapore, where he learned the fundamentals of kitchen operations. He steadily progressed through the culinary ranks: Junior Sous Chef at Raffles Hotel Singapore from 1991 to 1995, Executive Sous Chef at InterContinental Singapore from 1995 to 2001, and a stint on the pre-opening task force as Sous Chef for InterContinental Phnom Penh in 1997. By 2002, he had risen to Executive Chef at Holiday Inn Yalong Bay, Sanya, in the People’s Republic of China.
In 2004, Teong Wah made a deliberate transition from culinary operations into Food and Beverage management, taking on the role of F&B Manager at Holiday Inn Resort Batam, Indonesia, before being promoted to Director of Food and Beverage at Holiday Inn Melaka, Malaysia, in 2007. From 2008 to 2011 he led F&B operations at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, and in 2011 he joined the opening task force of InterContinental Hua Hin Resort as Director of F&B, while also serving on the F&B task force for IHG’s General Manager Conference from 2009 to 2014.
Seeking to broaden his operational expertise, Teong Wah moved into the Rooms Division as Executive Assistant Manager at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium from 2011 to 2014, before being appointed Hotel Manager at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre in 2014. In 2015, he was appointed General Manager of Holiday Inn Resort Batam, a role he held until 2017. Across his time with IHG Hotels & Resorts from 1995 to 2017, he held leadership positions spanning Food and Beverage, Rooms Division and General Management across China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia — a regional grounding that broadened his leadership perspective.
Teong Wah then joined Millennium Hotels and Resorts as Cluster General Manager of Copthorne King’s Hotel and M Hotel Singapore from 2017 to 2022, where he significantly enhanced the performance of multiple properties. In 2022, he took on the role of General Manager at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore, assuming leadership of the newly revitalised hotel and driving continued improvements in operations and guest experience.
In November 2023, Teong Wah was appointed General Manager of PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore, where he further strengthened the hotel’s position as a leader in sustainable hospitality, with the hotel earning recognition including a MICHELIN Key from the 2025 MICHELIN Guide — one of only seven hotels in Singapore to receive the distinction — and the World’s Leading Green City Hotel title at the World Travel Awards for the eighth consecutive year. In 2026, he assumed his current role as Cluster General Manager overseeing PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore, and PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore.
Teong Wah studied culinary arts at SHATEC from 1989 to 1991, gaining the technical knowledge and discipline that laid the foundation for his hospitality career. He has since continued to invest in his development. In August 2020, he completed the Advanced Certificate in Competitive Sales and Marketing and a programme in Sales and Marketing Operations, Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education, at Singapore Management University. More recently, he completed two executive programmes at Cornell University: the Professional Development Programme in Hospitality Administration and Management from May to June 2024, and the General Manager Programme in Hospitality Administration and Management from May to October 2024. These programmes sharpened his strategic and leadership capabilities and reinforced his belief that continuous learning is essential to staying effective as a leader in a fast-evolving industry.
Teong Wah is passionate about leveraging innovation and technology to enhance business performance, advance sustainability and support people development.
He uses data-driven systems, process automation and AI tools to enhance productivity and reduce manual, repetitive work, enabling his associates to focus on higher-value tasks and meaningful guest interactions that elevate the guest experience. This same approach carries through to environmental sustainability, where he supports smart solutions that optimise resource use, strengthen operational efficiency, and contribute to the hotel’s long-term sustainability goals.
On the people front, Teong Wah invests in his workforce by offering associates opportunities to reskill and take on new roles through the Career Conversion Programme. He also champions job redesign initiatives that support mature workers in transitioning away from physically demanding tasks towards more guest-focused responsibilities, while creating meaningful opportunities for associates with disabilities through roles that leverage their strengths and empower them to contribute with confidence and purpose.
Under the leadership of Teong Wah, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering has implemented a comprehensive workforce transformation strategy that integrates technology, job redesign and skills development to create higher-value roles while enhancing both guest experience and operational efficiency.
A key focus of this transformation has been the redesign of traditional hospitality roles through technology and capability development. The hotel created specialist roles centred on data analytics and operational efficiency, equipping employees with the tools to make data-driven decisions and deliver better service. AI has also been adopted across hotel operations, including guest call automation, horticultural operations management and hyper-personalised guest engagement, reducing manual workload and improving productivity. A unified communication platform further strengthened cross-functional collaboration and enabled faster operational response.
Within the Front Office, work redesign was rolled out to improve both employee well-being and service delivery. The hotel introduced standing stools that support up to 40% of body weight, helping to reduce fatigue among associates who spend long periods standing at the reception desk. This was complemented by a shift to a four-day work week, as well as digitalisation and automation initiatives that enhanced work-life balance without compromising service standards.
Beyond these efforts, the hotel has deployed a broad range of smart technologies, including Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV) luggage delivery, digital check-in kiosks, visitor management system, key management system, digital lockers, digital luggage tagging, real-time translation devices, housekeeping robots, robotic F&B solutions, RFID linen tracking and smart room technologies. These innovations have transformed traditional hospitality roles, enabling employees to take on higher-value, technology-enabled responsibilities.
By adopting the “People, Process, Technology, Data and Sustainability” transformation framework, the hotel continues to upskill employees while driving improvements in profitability and guest satisfaction.
Collectively, these initiatives have delivered measurable gains in operational productivity, career advancement opportunities, employee wages and guest experience, while earning recognition through multiple national workforce and tourism awards. According to Teong Wah, the technology transformation has driven an approximately 37% improvement in productivity, a 25% increase in profit margin and around 30% salary growth for employees through job redesign and skills enhancement. 

Randy Ang, General Manager of Metropolis Security Systems, has dedicated his career to redefining the modern security industry paradigm. With over twenty years of multifaceted experience, he has evolved from a seasoned operations practitioner into a transformational leader who bridges the divide between traditional security mandates and the future of tech-enabled workforce management. As General Manager, he steers the strategic direction of Metropolis, navigating the complex interplay between human capital and technological advancement. His leadership is defined by a relentless drive to move beyond conventional manpower models, advocating instead for an integrated, innovative ecosystem. Randy’s approach is not merely about implementing technology; it is about cultivating a culture of agility, lifelong learning, and deep respect for the security professionals who form the backbone of the organization.
Under Randy’s stewardship, Metropolis Security Systems has embarked on a pioneering transformation journey, consistently recognized for its excellence. He has been the driving force behind the integration of cutting-edge technologies into the company’s service delivery, including the implementation of virtual patrols and self-registration kiosks. These initiatives fundamentally alter the security landscape by replacing repetitive manual tasks with systems that allow officers to focus on high-impact duties requiring critical thinking and professional judgment. This shift not only improves client outcomes but also enhances job satisfaction by reducing the monotony of traditional administrative roles. Recognizing that such transformation is impossible without a skilled workforce, Randy also spearheaded the company’s efforts to earn the “Workplace Learning Organisation of Competence (Gold)” award at the 2025 National Workplace Learning Certification Award Ceremony. This achievement reflects his conviction that investing in human capital is the primary driver of organizational resilience. Randy’s commitment to an age-inclusive workplace has been lauded through the Tripartite Alliance Award, validating his belief that diverse workforces are a vital asset. By providing flexible work arrangements and tailored training programs, he ensures that Metropolis retains talent across all age brackets.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Randy is deeply invested in public service and community stewardship, holding several key appointments that reflect his dedication to societal progress. As the President of Xin Yuan Community Care, he provides strategic oversight to support vulnerable populations, ensuring impactful community assistance. In his capacity as a District Councillor of the North East Community Development Council (CDC), he actively contributes to grassroots development and local engagement initiatives. Furthermore, he nurtures the next generation of business leaders as an Exco Member of the NTU Alumni Alliance (Entrepreneurship), where he fosters innovation and mentorship. Through these diverse civic roles, Randy demonstrates that true leadership extends far beyond the boardroom, reflecting a steadfast commitment to building a more cohesive, inclusive, and empowered Singapore.

Mrs Sarah Tham is the Director (Finance & HR) at DLE M&E Pte Ltd (“DLE”), a Singapore-based Mechanical & Electrical engineering specialist contractor. She leads the organisation’s people, finance and workforce transformation agenda, overseeing workforce planning, talent development, employee engagement, job redesign, digitalisation and organisational culture for a workforce of over 300 employees across professional, technical, site-based and foreign workforce segments.  

A Chartered Accountant by training, holder of a Master of Business Administration from Singapore Management University and Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) trainer, Sarah brings a distinctive business-focused and people-centred perspective to workforce transformation, with almost two decades of leadership experience across finance, operations and human resources. Her career began in corporate restructuring and turnaround advisory with KPMG, where she managed complex stakeholder-driven restructuring engagements and developed a strong appreciation for organisational resilience, change management and sustainable business practices. She joined DLE in 2008 and progressively expanded her responsibilities from finance into strategic human capital leadership, enabling her to bridge business objectives with workforce outcomes and organisational sustainability. 

Today, Sarah is recognised for driving progressive and inclusive workforce practices within Singapore’s Built Environment sector. Her work spans workforce transformation, employee engagement, career health, workforce integration, digitalisation, retention strategies and culture building. She is particularly passionate about helping SMEs translate national workforce initiatives into practical, scalable and business-aligned solutions that improve both organisational performance and employee experience.  

A key part of Sarah’s broader workforce transformation work has been using job redesign as a practical way to strengthen roles, capabilities and organisational resilience. In an industry facing manpower shortages, higher client expectations and increasing regulatory demands, she saw the need to move beyond short-term manpower solutions. 

With the support of BDO Consultants, Sarah led DLE’s structured Job Redesign initiative for Project Managers and Project Engineers, shifting work away from manual coordination and administrative tasks towards higher-value responsibilities such as planning, analysis, risk management and stakeholder engagement. This was supported by practical digital tools and improved tracking processes, helping teams work in a more coordinated and efficient way. 

Beyond process changes, Sarah placed strong emphasis on capability building. Training roadmaps, coaching and development programmes were introduced to help employees adapt to redesigned roles, with Project Managers taking on more strategic and people leadership responsibilities, and Project Engineers building stronger analytical, reporting and coordination capabilities. 

The initiative helped improve productivity, reduce reporting turnaround time and increase the value of the redesigned roles. More importantly, it showed how SMEs can take a practical approach to workforce transformation by improving both business performance and employee development. This job redesign project also built on DLE’s broader foundation of progressive workforce practices and complemented the company’s ongoing transformation journey. 

Beyond job redesign, Sarah has played a key role in developing workforce strategies that address the realities of Singapore’s manpower-constrained Built Environment sector. She oversees initiatives spanning workforce planning, employee engagement, foreign workforce management, retention, career development, organisational culture and digitalisation. Her philosophy centres on ensuring that workforce practices are both people-centric and commercially sustainable.  

Since joining DLE in 2008, she has helped support the organisation’s growth from approximately 150 employees to 350 employees while contributing to significant business expansion over the same period. She strengthened organisational HR maturity and employee engagement through structured people development initiatives, leadership capability building and workforce transformation programmes. 

Sarah champions workforce integration by creating inclusive practices that support both local and foreign employees. Recognising the importance of workforce cohesion in a multicultural industry, she has implemented communication, engagement and development programmes designed to strengthen belonging, collaboration and long-term workforce sustainability. 

As DLE’s Data Protection Officer, she leads initiatives to strengthen digital governance, cybersecurity awareness and responsible technology adoption, recognising that digital transformation and workforce transformation must evolve hand in hand. 

These broader efforts have contributed to DLE’s recognition as a progressive employer and workforce-focused organisation. Over the years, DLE has received national recognition including the Tripartite Alliance Award for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices in 2023 and 2025, the Tripartite Alliance Leadership Award received by Sarah in 2023, the SkillsFuture Employer Award Gold in 2024, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Company of the Year Special Mention for Workforce Transformation in 2024, and the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) Company of Good (Champion of Good) recognition in 2026. 

Sarah actively contributes beyond her organisational responsibilities through industry workgroups, taskforces and professional communities. She served as a Workgroup Member of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Taskforce for Architectural and Engineering Consultants, contributing HR and SME perspectives to discussions on workforce capability development and sector transformation. In addition, she has contributed to Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) Playbook Validation Workshops, workforce transformation initiatives and the IHRP COVID-19 Taskforce 2.0, supporting the development of practical resources and solutions for employers. 

A regular speaker and panellist, Sarah has shared DLE’s workforce transformation journey at forums organised by the IHRP, BCA, Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL), Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), NVPC and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). Through these engagements, she advocates practical approaches to job redesign, employee development, career health and progressive employment practices, particularly for SMEs seeking to balance workforce needs with business realities. 

Her professional contributions have been featured through publications and platforms including Channel NewsAsia, Skills and Workforce Development Agency, IHRP, TAFEP and DBS, where she has shared experiences relating to workforce transformation, career health, workforce integration and progressive workplace practices. 

Beyond business and workforce transformation, Sarah is a strong advocate for purpose-driven leadership and community impact. She has developed several skills-based corporate social responsibility initiatives that leverage DLE’s engineering expertise to support vulnerable communities. These programmes focus on improving living conditions, creating learning opportunities and encouraging young people to explore engineering and technical careers.  

Through the IHRP Job Redesign Community of Practice, Sarah hopes to contribute practical perspectives from the SME and Built Environment sectors, particularly on how organisations can redesign work in resource-constrained environments while supporting employee growth and business sustainability. She also hopes to learn from fellow practitioners and support the wider adoption of job redesign as a meaningful and practical approach to workforce transformation in Singapore.

Mr Tan Kwang Cheak is the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Cancer Society.   

With over 25 years of experience across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, he began his career in the Singapore Administrative Service, holding leadership roles in the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Manpower and JTC Corporation. He also held senior roles in McDonald’s Singapore, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd and NTUC Fairprice Cooperative Ltd.   

Before joining the charity sector, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency for Integrated Care, an agency under the Singapore Ministry of Health, leading efforts to support aging-in-place, empower seniors and transform the care community.    

 He is a certified Master HR Professional under the Institute of HR Professionals and a Senior Accredited Director under the Singapore Institute of Directors.  

Tan Lih Woei, is a Director of Lih Ming Pte Ltd (formerly known as Lih Ming Construction Pte Ltd), one of Singapore’s more established underground utilities and civil engineering companies. With more than two decades of leadership experience, he has played a pivotal role in transforming a traditional construction business into a forward-looking enterprise recognised for its commitment to innovation, workforce development, operational excellence and sustainable business practices. Under his leadership, Lih Ming has continually embraced digitalisation, process innovation and human capital development to strengthen productivity while creating meaningful career opportunities within the built environment sector. 

Growing up in a family of contractors, Tan developed an early appreciation for infrastructure development and the impact that quality construction has on the nation’s growth. He co-founded Lih Ming Construction together with his brother in 2002. With experiences across several industries, they started building the company in full swing in 2005, from modest beginnings into a respected specialist contractor serving Singapore’s underground utilities and infrastructure sectors. Throughout this journey, he has remained guided by the belief that long-term success is built upon integrity, continuous learning, and investing in people as much as technology.  

As a Director, Tan oversees the strategic direction, organisational development and business transformation of Lih Ming. The company specialises in engineering procurement and construction management, underground gas/cables/utilities pipeline systems, civil engineering works, utility infrastructure, road reinstatement and related engineering services, supporting critical national infrastructure projects across Singapore. 

Over the years, he has championed the company’s evolution from a conventional construction contractor into a technology-enabled organisation with a strong emphasis on workforce capability, operational excellence and continuous improvement. He believes that transformation extends beyond adopting new technologies – it requires redesigning work, developing new competencies and creating an organisational culture that empowers employees to contribute ideas and embrace change. 

His leadership philosophy is firmly centred on balancing business performance with people development. He has consistently invested in employee training, leadership development, workplace safety, digital systems and organisational capability, recognising that sustainable competitive advantage comes from a skilled, engaged and adaptable workforce rather than from technology alone. This people-first philosophy has contributed to strong employee engagement, capability building and a culture of continuous learning and improvement throughout the organisation. 

Tan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science specialising in Construction Management from RMIT University, where he built a strong foundation in project management, construction methodologies and organisational leadership. 

Recognising that effective leadership requires lifelong learning, he further completed a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Finance from the National University of Singapore. His continued pursuit of professional development reflects his belief that business leaders must continually broaden their perspectives to navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment. 

Throughout his career, Tan has actively sought opportunities to deepen his knowledge in sustainability, business transformation, digitalisation, leadership and organisational development, enabling him to guide Lih Ming’s ongoing transformation while contributing to the wider construction industry’s evolution. 

Tan’s professional interests span the intersection of business strategy, workforce transformation and technological innovation within the built environment sector. His key areas of expertise include: 

– Workforce transformation and job redesign 

– Human capital development and leadership capability building 

– Organisational change management 

– Construction productivity improvement 

– Digital transformation and enterprise systems implementation 

– Process redesign and operational excellence 

– Workplace safety and performance management 

– Sustainable business practices and ESG integration 

– Innovation in construction technologies 

– Talent attraction and retention within the built environment sector 

He is particularly passionate about changing perceptions of the construction industry by demonstrating that construction careers can be technology-driven, highly skilled and professionally rewarding. He believes that attracting younger generations into the sector requires organisations to redesign jobs, modernise work processes and provide meaningful opportunities for continuous learning and career progression. 

One of Tan’s most significant contributions has been his leadership in workforce transformation through structured job redesign initiatives. 

Recognising the operational challenges faced by construction supervisor’s including inconsistent productivity, increasing overtime and varying levels of project management capability—he led the redesign of the Site Supervisor role within Lih Ming. Rather than focusing solely on technology adoption, the initiative fundamentally redefined the competencies, responsibilities and support systems required for the role. 

The redesigned position incorporated four critical competency domains: 

•  Enterprise systems utilisation for resource planning 

• Advanced project management capabilities 

• Leadership and people management 

• Communication and stakeholder engagement 

To ensure successful implementation, Tan championed an individualised capability development approach, providing supervisors with targeted training based on their respective learning needs. Clear performance indicators and standardised productivity benchmarks were established, enabling supervisors to better plan manpower deployment, monitor work progress and improve team performance. 

The initiative delivered measurable operational improvements. Through redesigned work processes and enhanced workforce capabilities, Lih Ming successfully standardised productivity expectations, enabling a six-person team to lay 24×36 metres of larger-diameter pipelines daily while reducing overtime requirements. Beyond productivity gains, the programme strengthened employee confidence, improved leadership capability among frontline supervisors and reinforced a culture of continuous learning.  

Beyond formal job redesign, Tan has continuously driven organisational transformation through digitalisation. Under his leadership, Lih Ming progressively evolved from manual processes to integrated digital systems for project planning, operational management and business administration. He has consistently viewed technology not as a replacement for people, but as an enabler that allows employees to perform higher-value work while improving collaboration, decision-making and customer outcomes. 

He has also been a strong advocate for embedding learning into daily work. Through structured competency development, leadership training and performance management initiatives, he has fostered an organisational culture where employees are encouraged to innovate, challenge existing practices and continuously improve the way work is performed. 

Tan believes that Singapore’s construction sector is entering a new era where competitiveness will increasingly depend on workforce capabilities rather than labour intensity. As technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, digital twins and data analytics become more prevalent, organisations must redesign jobs to equip employees with new competencies while preserving the human skills of leadership, communication and problem-solving. 

He hopes to contribute practical industry perspectives on workforce transformation within the construction sector while learning from fellow practitioners across different industries. He believes that effective job redesign requires close collaboration between business leaders, HR professionals, operational teams and employees, ensuring that transformation initiatives deliver value for both organisations and the workforce. 

Guided by his belief that organisations grow when their people grow, Tan continues to champion workplace innovation, capability development and sustainable business transformation. His aspiration is not only to build stronger organisations, but also to help shape a more resilient, future-ready workforce capable of supporting Singapore’s continued economic and infrastructure development. 

Jia Yan is Deputy Managing Director of Union Air Freight (S) Pte Ltd (UAF), a Singapore-based air freight forwarder established in 1985, specialising in air transport, warehousing and customs clearance, and recognised as a Top Agent by carriers including Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Etihad Airways, and many others. UAF is ISO 9001:2015 certified, and Jia Yan serves as its Management Representative overseeing the quality management system. 

She started her professional career at Citibank N.A. as a Management Associate, working across financial planning and analysis, as well as product management. She then moved into business model innovation and strategy, first as Managing Director of Best Aquatic Tropical Fish Farm Pte Ltd, where she grew revenue by 40% and led its eventual sale, before turning to inclusive business model design at Mars Inc. and Essilor International — leading projects across Kenya, the Philippines, Indonesia and China. This blend of financial rigour, operational leadership and business innovation now underpins her focus on digitalisation and workforce transformation at UAF. 

Jia Yan holds a double degree from Singapore Management University (SMU) — a Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours) and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Finance — graduating Summa Cum Laude. She was a recipient of the SMU Undergraduate Scholarship, the Deloitte Meritorious Award, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ DUO-Singapore Exchange Fellowship Award. 

Jia Yan’s interests sit at the intersection of business transformation, workforce development and quality/operational systems — helping traditional, process-heavy businesses modernise without losing sight of the people involved. She is fluent in English and Mandarin. 

One of the key transformation initiatives Jia Yan has led is a firm-wide digitalisation transformation at UAF, supported by the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG), aimed at redesigning work processes, enhancing workforce capabilities, and improving business resilience. Rather than implementing technology for its own sake, the transformation began with a comprehensive review of end-to-end workflows across customer service, operations, and finance to identify paper-based, repetitive, and manual processes that could be redesigned. The initiative introduced integrated digital workflows, electronic document management, automation of finance processes, and cloud-based systems, fundamentally changing how work was performed across the organisation. 

A strong focus of the transformation was workforce and job redesign. Low-value administrative work was systematically eliminated, repetitive tasks were automated, and roles were redesigned to enable employees to take on higher-value responsibilities requiring problem-solving, customer engagement, and cross-functional collaboration. The transformation was implemented through a phased change management approach, supported by employee engagement sessions, structured training, and mentoring, with younger employees helping mature workers build digital confidence.  

The initiative delivered measurable business and people outcomes, including manpower savings, improved processing speed and billing accuracy, enhanced customer service, and reduced operating costs. Beyond productivity gains, the redesigned work environment improved talent attraction and retention by creating more meaningful jobs, reducing administrative burden, and enabling greater workplace flexibility, including work-from-home arrangements. 

One component of this broader transformation—the redesign of the Billing Officer role—was featured by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) as a Job Redesign case study. The project demonstrated how digitalisation, combined with structured change management and workforce development, can transform traditionally manual roles into higher-value jobs while improving employee experience, operational performance, and organisational sustainability.