The Power of Emerging Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Driving Business and Workforce Transformation
The NTUC Hospitality & Consumer Business Symposium 2024 provides a platform for professionals in the Hospitality & Consumer Business (HCB) sectors to come together, network, innovate, and learn from one another. Elevating the professionalism and knowledge within the sector, particularly in the use of technology and artificial intelligence, fostering an environment where industry players can collaborate and grow.
The Symposium will share more on NTUC’s Training and Placement Ecosystem, as well as the Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative to help business develop a transformative plan that is effective for business growth, drive business success by transforming and enhancing employees' hard and soft skills across various industries.
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Time |
Activities |
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9.30am |
Commencement of Programme |
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10.10am |
Keynote “Empowering Cross-border E-commerce with Generative AI” by Dr Zhang Kaifu, Group Vice President of Global e-Commerce& Head of AI Initiative, Alibaba International |
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10.40am |
Keynote "AI-First Nation: Transforming H&CB with AI" by Mr Laurence Liew, Director of AI Innovation, AI Singapore |
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11.00am |
Panel Discussion: AI and Beyond: Reimagining a Sustainable and Thriving Future Workforce
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11.30am |
Networking Break + Trade Floor + Clinic Consultation with e2i |
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12.00nn |
Breakout Tracks
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1.30pm |
End of Programme |
Regenerative Tourism Track
The Regenerative Tourism track will explore sustainable approaches to tourism that not only minimise environmental impact but also enhance local ecosystems and communities. Speakers will also share on how technology will shape the tourism landscape and how it can help with sustainability in this space.
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Innovative Retail Track
The Innovative Retail track will delve into emerging trends and transformative strategies shaping the future of retail.
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The Future of Food Services Track
The Future of Food Services track will explore innovative developments in the food services and food manufacturing sectors.
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HCB Workplace Safety & Health Track
NTUC's HCB Cluster aims to strengthen workforce safety through establishing a Community of Practice (CoP) focused on Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) for professionals in the HCB sector. Gain insights on industry trends and hear from industry stakeholders on best practices that will contribute to a safer work environment.
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Clinic Consultation powered by e2i
Understand if your company's transformational project is eligible to tap on the CTC Grant and other resources available under the NTUC's Training & Placement Ecosystem. Secure an appointment to meet with our friendly Training & Placement Ecosystem officers when you register for the event.
Kaifu Zhang is Vice President of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, in charge of the company’s AI business.
Kaifu joined Alibaba Group in 2017 and was since charged with managing Taobao’s operations to bring tangible benefits to small and medium-sized merchants on the platform. In 2022, he was appointed Alibaba Group’s Vice President with a focus on the global digital commerce segment.
Before joining the Alibaba family, Kaifu worked as an external consultant for various Alibaba business units from 2012 to 2017. He was an assistant professor of Marketing at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business from 2012 to 2014, and an assistant professor at the Tepper School of Business of Carnegie Mellon University from 2014 to 2017.
Kaifu won the 2011 Shankar-Spiegel Dissertation Award for his dissertation proposal on marketing. He has been invited to deliver speeches at multiple universities, including the Wharton School of Business, New York University, Duke University, Northwestern University, the University of Washington, and the University of California, Berkeley. His main research areas are two-sided markets and platform economics.
Kaifu holds a doctorate degree from INSEAD.
Laurence Liew is the driving force behind AI Singapore's impactful initiatives aimed at propelling AI adoption across industries and democratizing AI knowledge for everyone.
As Director of AI Innovation, he leads the 100 Experiments (100E) programme, fostering collaboration between AI researchers and industry partners to develop and deploy real-world AI solutions. He is also the architect of the acclaimed AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP), a unique talent development initiative equipping aspiring AI engineers with practical skills and industry experience.
Laurence's passion for making AI accessible to all is evident in his leadership of the LearnAI initiative. Through programmes like AI for Everyone (AI4E) and AI for Industry (AI4I), he has empowered countless individuals with foundational AI knowledge, demystifying the technology and fostering a more inclusive AI ecosystem.
His commitment to democratizing AI extends beyond Singapore's borders, as he co-chairs the Global Partnership on AI's (GPAI) project on Broad Adoption of AI by SMEs, leading international efforts to empower businesses of all sizes with the transformative power of AI.
Mr Felix Loh is the CEO of Gardens by the Bay. Mr Loh is concurrently a Board member of Workforce Singapore, as well as Co-chair of the Tripartite Cluster for the Landscape Industry and Tripartite Cluster for Waste Management. He is also a member of the International Visiting Committee of Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia, one of the foremost show gardens in America
Mr Loh, a horticulturist by training, joined the Gardens in 2014 as Chief Operating Officer. He has over 20 years of experience in parks management, horticulture and landscape industry development, and policy development.
A former National Parks Board scholar, Mr Loh had served in the Ministry of National Development in various capacities, overseeing infrastructure policies, human resource, finance and corporate development functions. In recognition of his dedicated service, Mr Loh was awarded The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2005, The Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2012, and The Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2024.
Mr. Andy Lim Tze Khong holds a pivotal position within the NTUC Central Committee, where he has served as Vice-President, now in his fourth term.
His responsibilities encompass strategic planning, policymaking, and executing decisions that uphold NTUC's overarching objectives. Notably, Mr. Lim oversees two critical committees: Audit, Risk & Governance, and the Hospitality & Consumer Business Cluster, demonstrating his adeptness in navigating complex organizational landscapes. Furthermore, his contributions extend to membership on other committees, including International Relations, Membership, and the Engineering, Marine & Manufacturing Cluster.
Beyond his commitments to the NTUC, Mr. Lim assumes the role of Secretary-General at The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU), a prominent affiliate representing commerce and service sector employees. With a tenure spanning over two decades since 2000, Mr. Lim's leadership within SMMWU underscores his unwavering dedication to advocating for the rights and welfare of workers.
Educationally, Mr. Lim holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business Management, a testament to his academic prowess and commitment to professional development. His role as Director-General at SMMWU reflects his proficiency in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the union, ensuring its continued efficacy in serving its members' interests.
In summary, Mr. Andy Lim Tze Khong's multifaceted roles within both the NTUC Central Committee and The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union exemplify his exemplary leadership, strategic acumen, and unwavering commitment to advancing the interests of workers within Singapore's labor landscape.
Lawrence is the CEO of CHAGEE Singapore, and is responsible for the country’s business expansion and establishment as SEA’s regional hub.
Lawrence is a versatile veteran, with over 17 years of experience across multiple renowned brands in the F&B, technology, consulting, and financial service industries. Prior to CHAGEE, he headed foodpanda Singapore, spearheading a two-year turnaround plan of a USD$250 million revenue business.
Lawrence’s career highlights include his appointment as Director of GrabFood and GrabKitchen Indonesia. In his role, he developed a 12-month strategic plan that significantly increased market share in food delivery across Indonesia cities. Lawrence also held the position of Head of Strategic Planning at Pizza Hut, Australia. There, he developed and implemented a comprehensive brand and business turnaround plan, enhancing Pizza Hut Australia's strategic plan, operations, digital and technology capabilities.
Lawrence was recently recognised as one of the Top 50 E-commence and Retail Leaders by Seamless Asia in 2023.
Wee Lee was appointed the Group Chief Digital Officer of DFI Retail Group (Jardine Group) in September 2023. He is responsible for the Group's efforts in driving the growth of Digital businesses.
Prior to joining DFI, Wee Lee held various senior management roles with Lazada Group, serving in both regional and country business roles across corporate development, innovation and general business management. As the CEO of Lazada Singapore, he led both the Lazada marketplace and Singapore's leading online grocery Redmart, transforming the business towards growth and sustainability.
Wee Lee also held other leadership roles in two Singapore-listed Engineering and Technology companies, leading strategy, corporate development and business operation roles spanning multiple geographies. He led and incubated the growth of emerging new businesses across energy, infrastructure, robotics, automotives and AI-linked domains. Wee Lee started his private sector career as a management consultant with McKinsey and Company across Asia Pacific.
Wee Lee has lived and worked in more than 10 countries. He received his Bachelor's in Economics (Summa Cum Laude), and graduated as a Merrill Presidential Scholar. He also completed his Masters in Statistics at Harvard University.
Quan Yao leads Retail and Digital Consumer research for Southeast Asia in his role at Euromonitor. Quan Yao advises clients on the industries’ competitive landscape, emerging trends & outlook through his briefings on Passport, external publications, and client and conference engagements. He is the author of Euromonitor’s “Top 10 Fastest Growing Retailers in Asia Pacific (2023)” piece, and his commentary been featured on prominent trade publications such as Tech in Asia and Singapore Business Review.
Dr James Mok has more than 16 years of experience in business consulting. As an accredited Singapore Certified Management Consultant, James works with local companies in the upgrading of their capabilities with the support of government grants. As a business owner of several companies including more than 5 years of hands-on F&B experience in one of Singapore’s well-known group, James understands the challenges facing companies in their capability development and critical success factors in venturing overseas. In that respect, over the last 8 years, he has helped many well-known F&B companies in and out of Singapore in their development of business strategy, franchising, and licensing systems as well as internationalisation.
David is currently with NTUC LearningHub and previously served as the Convenor for Global ISO Survey Workgroup on eCommerce Transaction Standards (2020-2023). As a digital transformation expert, David is known for delivering high-energy presentations that inspire audiences to rethink the evolving retail landscape. With experience as a Fortune 500 executive in Asia Pacific, David has a proven track record of driving innovative business growth. He holds MBA from the University of Louisville and a distinction in curriculum development from IAL.
