SINGAPORE: Singapore must actively promote its strengths and shape its own international image, or risk being overlooked by investors and visitors, said Permanent Secretary for Energy, Trade and Industry Beh Swan Gin.
Dr Beh said the country cannot rely solely on its reputation for stability and reliability to attract businesses and talent, as competition among economies intensifies.
“Many countries and cities are competing aggressively for investments, for tourists,” he said.
“If we don't do this, we'll be forgotten. We'll be overlooked. Or worse, our competitors will paint our narrative instead of us being able to shape that ourselves. So, it's important that we go out and tell our story.”
Dr Beh was speaking on CNA's Singapore Tonight on Tuesday (Oct 20) about the need for Singapore's refreshed international branding campaign, ‘When You're Ready’.
Launched by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, now known as the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI), on Sep 22, the multi-year campaign seeks to strengthen global awareness of Singapore and reinforce its appeal as a destination for businesses, investments and talent.
Dr Beh said the campaign serves as a reminder that Singapore “remains open for business”, while highlighting the qualities that set the nation apart from competitors.
“The attributes that Singapore stands for: a country which can be trusted to deliver, a country where people – different races, different religions – live in harmony, a country that connects East and West,” he said.
“These help differentiate Singapore in the race for investments, in the race to attract tourists and visitors, and even to attract consumers to buy Singapore products.”
STABILITY AMID GLOBAL VOLATILITY
DBS CEO Tan Su Shan, who joined Dr Beh in the interview, agreed that Singapore must continue to reinvent itself to remain relevant to evolving international business needs.
But she stressed that branding must be backed by substance, with Singapore's reputation built on consistent delivery, transparency and integrity.
“Brand Singapore is underpinned by fundamentals of delivery and execution. That doesn't happen overnight – it’s built from decades of hard work (and) consistency,” she said.
Ms Tan added that these qualities have become even more valuable to businesses amid growing geopolitical tensions and economic volatility.
Recalling a recent trip to New York, she said tariff-related market turmoil had left businesses there grappling with uncertainty over investment decisions and long-term planning.
Singapore's predictable, stable environment hence offers an important advantage, especially as companies need to make substantial commitments in capital expenditure and manpower, Ms Tan said.
“Being open, rules-based, consistent and transparent – all those bode well for business,” she said.
“(In) a time of great volatility, multipolar fragmentation, when everything's been weaponised – be it trade, currency, chips, technology, AI – when it's so hard to predict things anymore, businesses want what the Singapore brand stands for.”
Beyond economic stability, Ms Tan said Singapore's commitment to developing its workforce also strengthens its long-term appeal.
She pointed to the country's approach to artificial intelligence, which prioritises training workers in a time of technological disruption.
“We are backing talent (and) we’re facing the AI challenges upon us. We're educating, reskilling and upskilling our labour force,” she said.
“I think that bodes well for longer-term sustainability, both for society so you don't get the youth dissonance that you're seeing globally today, and you get a workforce that's future-ready.”
DELIVERING UNDER PRESSURE
Meanwhile, Dr Beh said Singapore's ability to respond effectively to crises is another important part of its international reputation.
Referring to the transboundary haze affecting the region, including during the recent Formula One Singapore Grand Prix and major business events, he said international visitors were already familiar with the recurring problem and its causes.
What matters more, he said, is how Singapore responds.
“Bad things will happen. It’s how you respond that will ultimately determine whether it’s a positive or negative impact on your brand,” Dr Beh said.
He pointed to measures such as the distribution of N95 masks and the prompt issuance of health advisories for schools, workplaces and event organisers as examples of the country's ability to deliver under pressure.
"These are all hallmarks that remind people that Singapore can be trusted to deliver,” he said.
The ‘When You're Ready’ campaign is built around three attributes: trusted to deliver, globally central and better together.
Its first major activation, The Zero Parlour, was held in New York during Climate Week last month, bringing visitors together for conversations on climate challenges.
The campaign marks the start of a broader, multi-year effort to strengthen Singapore's international positioning and appeal to global businesses and talent.