The European Chamber of Commerce, Singapore is delighted to share that Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry, will be the Guest of Honour at the EuroCham Digital Economy Whitebook Launch Breakfast, joined by Her Excellency Iwona Piórko (Ambassador of the European Union to Singapore), and Mr Federico Donato (Past President of the European Chamber of Commerce).
The Minister will be present at the event to commemorate the Digital Economy Whitebook 2023, an initiative by EuroCham in response to the EU-Singapore Digital Partnership (EUSDP) signed in February 2023, underscoring digital collaboration between the European Union and Singapore. This partnership focuses on digital transformation, a key aspect of shifting towards a digital economy fueled by the internet, electronics, and data.
Singapore is a digitalisation pioneer in ASEAN, having engaged in digital initiatives with various regions, while the European Union is embarking on its own “Digital Decade.” EuroCham sees significant opportunities for businesses and acts as a bridge between businesses, governments, and communities. Throughout 2023, we have been diligently arranging a sequence of discussions and gatherings as part of our Digital Economy Programme.
About the Digital Economy Whitebook
This Whitebook showcases EuroCham’s dedication to supporting digital transformation. It compares Singapore’s existing Digital Partnership Agreements to understand their role in advancing digitalisation. The Whitebook also presents our 2023 Digital Economy Survey Report, gathering insights from 50+ respondents across sectors.
Based on survey results and research, the Whitebook offers recommendations for businesses and governments to drive digital economic transformation. Additionally, it features Company Profile Articles showcasing member companies’ digitalisation practices, especially in the Singapore context.
Symbolising an ongoing EU-Singapore dialogue, this Whitebook will guide digitalisation efforts for years to come.
08.30 am Registration
09.00 am Opening Remarks
09.15 am Whitebook Launch graced by the Minister for Trade and Industry
09.20 am Keynote Speech
09.30 am Fireside Chat with Minister Gan Kim Yong, moderated by Dr Lovneesh Chanana, Chair of the Digital Economy Committee
10.30 am Networking Breakfast
11.30 am End of Event
The organisers reserve the right to change the programme content without giving prior notification or any reasons thereof.
Guest of Honour
Mr Gan Kim Yong
Minister for Trade and Industry
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)
Mr Gan Kim Yong was appointed Minister for Trade and Industry on 15 May 2021. One of his key priorities at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) is to identify new opportunities for growth in support of Singapore’s continued economic development.
Prior to MTI, Mr Gan was Minister for Health from May 2011 to May 2021. Between January 2020 and May 2021, Mr Gan co-chaired the Multi-Ministry Taskforce, where he directed and coordinated Singapore’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also helmed the Ministerial Committee on Ageing to drive the formulation and implementation of ageing policies in Singapore, looking into matters such as active ageing, senior friendly infrastructure, and quality aged care.
Mr Gan was awarded the Overseas Merit Scholarship to read Engineering in Cambridge University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree (honours) in 1981. Mr Gan subsequently obtained his master’s degree in Engineering from Cambridge University in 1985.
Moderator
Dr Lovneesh Chanana
Senior Vice President and Regional Head for Government Affairs, Asia Pacific and Japan, SAP
Chair of the Digital Economy Committee, EuroCham
Dr Lovneesh Chanana leads the public policy, government programs and thought leadership engagements for SAP in Asia Pacific and Japan. A known thought leader in policy and program level application of technology, Dr. Lovneesh has been contributing to the development of technology policy landscape and leading many transformative government programs and projects. Working closely with industry bodies, where he leads and drives the digital economy agenda, Dr. Lovneesh has been contributing to knowledge sharing around technology developments and policies around cloud, SMEs, sustainability, artificial intelligence, workforce skilling, entrepreneurship and innovation. He has been instrumental in structuring and forging Government-industry partnerships to create a conducive digital ecosystem in many Asian countries. He has also been contributing to capacity building of Government officials and has designed and developed training programs in various areas related to technology programs in Government. He works passionately with academia and has been contributing to ensure industry readiness of youth and students through curriculum design and delivery.
Dr Chanana holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems Management with a research focus on Mobile Governance.