From Singapore to the world: Homegrown leaders in emerging fields

Straits Times

5 days ago

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Three Singaporean leaders blaze trails in global MNCs, from chasing biopharma breakthroughs to redefining construction, and charging ahead with AI innovation. Their bold career leaps and relentless determination show how local talent can shine in global corporate leadership roles, fuelled by grit, collaboration, and a thirst for impact. The trio give a glimpse of what it is like to be part of new growth industries, in manufacturing and tradeable services, that Singapore has pivoted towards. These efforts have been led by the Economic Development Board (EDB), which is responsible for planning and rolling out economic and industrial development strategies, together with government agencies and industry partners, to achieve sustainable growth, vibrant businesses and good jobs.
Singaporeans are equipped to take unconventional paths, says Kajima's youngest leader
'If you are able to contribute meaningfully, there is room to thrive within global platforms,' says Luke Wu, managing director at The GEAR, Kajima.
When Luke Wu stepped into a leadership role in one of Japan's oldest and largest construction groups, he did not just take an unconventional path, he redefined what leadership at the firm looks like.
The 34-year-old is the youngest managing director at construction and engineering conglomerate Kajima, which is behind iconic buildings including Parkway Parade, OUB Centre and Resorts World Sentosa.
Four years after joining Kajima in 2021, he rose to oversee The GEAR company, a new business unit within Kajima – the group's first and only overseas research and development (R&D) facility, as well as the firm's regional headquarters.
Wu, who completed his law degree at the National University of Singapore, has always been drawn more to building ventures and ecosystems than to traditional legal practice.
'Early in my career, I worked across startups and innovation initiatives, where I saw how ideas could be turned into real-world impact. While moving into the built environment and a multinational corporation (MNC) like Kajima may seem unconventional, many of the skills I had developed proved highly transferable,' he says.
What was particularly compelling was that the group gave him the chance to tackle complex, long-term challenges that shape the world we live in.
He adds: 'Kajima, with its 180-year history, continues to evolve and was willing to back someone with an unconventional profile to lead a completely new function. That openness reflects how MNCs today are rethinking leadership and innovation.'
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Wu says in the process of building and leading innovation-centric functions in large organisations, he found that trust is foundational, translation or the ability to align perspectives and priorities is essential in implementation, and that long-term thinking matters.
'Real innovation does not happen on a quarterly timeline. It requires patience, consistency, and a clear sense of purpose. I was fortunate to be involved in the launch of The GEAR building, and the decision to set it up as a new function to build capabilities for Kajima and the region from the early days. The shift from physical infrastructure to innovation platform allowed me to bring my past experiences into something future-facing, rooted here in Singapore,' he notes.
Located in Changi Business Park, The GEAR is a smart building that houses the technology services business as well as the open innovation platform of the Kajima group.
Despite the journey being rewarding, it is not without prejudices.
One of the biggest hurdles for Wu was earning credibility, particularly as leadership is often associated with seniority.
'One key lesson is that credibility is earned through clarity, consistency, and contribution,' he says, adding that he also had to get comfortable with not having all the answers.
What also helped Wu was that he stayed curious, learnt quickly, and focused on the work and the people around.
He adds that it is vital to be able to work across cultural lines, balance global expectations with local execution, and build influence through trust rather than authority.
Singaporeans, he says, are often better equipped than they think for global roles.
This is because people here grow up in a diverse, fast-paced society that teaches them the ability to work across systems and cultures.
'I hope my experience shows that young Singaporeans don't need to wait for permission to lead or stick to predefined roles. If you are able to contribute meaningfully, there is room to thrive within global platforms.
'Your training might start in one area, but with curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to challenge assumptions, new paths can open up in unexpected ways.'
Grooming Singapore's new tech leaders starts with collaboration and mentorship at SAP
'My early international assignments... have profoundly influenced my approach to teamwork and collaboration,' says Manik Narayan Saha, managing director of SAP Labs in Singapore and Vietnam.
Much like how artificial intelligence (AI) improves continuously, Manik Narayan Saha is constantly learning to keep his ideas fresh. Such is his belief in upskilling that he has pursued numerous training programmes, including a Masters in applied finance in 2008, an executive education from INSEAD in 2016, and an executive programme from Stanford in 2023. And this motto has served him well in his 29-year career.
Now, Saha is on a mission – to help develop a vibrant AI community in Singapore. The managing director of SAP Labs in Singapore and Vietnam says it boils down to collaboration and mentorship. Nearly all of the German enterprise application and AI company's new hires at SAP Labs Singapore are from local universities – about 90 per cent are from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS).
'When we proposed setting up SAP's AI research and development (R&D) teams in Singapore in 2021, we used data on university and research rankings, and conversations with professors to back our pitch,' says the NTU alumnus.
Currently, Saha oversees a team of 600 in Singapore and Vietnam.
SAP has been in Singapore since 1989 and the office here is the organisation's first Asian subsidiary.
In Singapore, the Labs team has grown to 410, of which 250 are in the AI division and as a global AI centre of excellence, it is filing patents regularly, says Saha.
He notes that SAP's collaboration with EDB and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) not only helped accelerate the team's growth, but also aligned the company with Singapore's National AI Strategy 2.0 to foster a vibrant AI community.
For instance, SAP, NUS and EDB announced in 2024 an industrial Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) scheme to rope in about 10 PhD candidates in SAP research projects.
The company also encourages cross-border partnerships to expand staff skill sets.
'We believe that these comprehensive approaches, including research collaborations and recruiting graduates into AI roles, will contribute to a more capable and skilled AI workforce n Singapore,' Saha says, adding that some of these employees could be the next generation of tech leaders here.
Beyond that, Saha is a firm believer of international experience.
This, as competition for global roles has intensified partly due to remote working, a broadened talent pool, and higher demand for better paying roles.
Companies now favour candidates who can navigate complex global markets to drive innovation, so Singaporeans should be bold to embrace overseas opportunities, says Saha.
'My early international assignments to Dalian, China, and Seattle, United States, with port operator PSA Corporation, followed by my tenure as a trainee at US tech firm Sun Microsystems in 2005, and two years in Germany with SAP (2009-2010), have profoundly influenced my approach to teamwork and collaboration,' he notes.
The overseas stints provided him with significant insights and appreciation for a myriad of cultures, which is crucial for any leadership role within a global company.
Increasingly, having an international mentor or coach is valuable in handling the complexities of senior leadership roles, says Saha, who adds: 'This mindset, along with a commitment to continual learning, is instrumental in achieving success within global organisations.'
Connecting science to save lives in a biopharma career at MSD
'I have always taken a liking to biological and life sciences since my teenage years,' says Luisiawati Khalil, director in global clinical trial operations for Singapore and Malaysia, MSD Research Laboratories.
All it took was an optional course just before graduation to ignite Luisiawati Khalil's career in the biopharmaceutical field.
The 'Good Clinical Practice' course in 1994 at the University of Surrey, where she earned her degree in nutrition and dietetics, was a game-changer.
Further inspiration came in 2011 when she earned her Master of Public Health at the National University of Singapore.
'I attended it, and the entire contents just 'spoke to me',' she says, drawn by the fact that she can save lives through clinical work.
And this is at the heart of what good clinical practice is about – to provide care for patients through excellent teamwork, flawless clinical operations, and collaboration with Singapore's top institutions. It typically involves diagnosing, treating, managing medical conditions, assessing patients and evaluating treatment outcomes.
'I have always taken a liking to biological and life sciences since my teenage years,' says Luisiawati, whose interest was piqued by the idea that she too, could play a role in drug development that gives hope to patients.
That spark brought her to MSD, a global biopharmaceutical leader, where she has stayed for over 20 years and now serves as director in global clinical trial operations for Singapore and Malaysia within MSD Research Laboratories.
Luisiawati, now in her 50s, started at MSD as a clinical research associate and climbed the ranks over the years to lead trials in oncology, vaccines, and general medicine.
Her journey has been rewarding, but it has also been demanding.
Monitoring clinical trials in hospitals is hard work, but the challenges invigorate Luisiawati.
And there are plenty in this field – having to deliver under stress, to follow ethical and time-sensitive standards, to stay up-to-date with regulations, and policies in different jurisdictions that may not be as friendly for trials to be conducted.
What adds to the shine of the sector for her is the fact that Singapore has many key opinion leaders in selected therapeutic areas.
What this means is that the industry is vibrant and collaboration is plenty.
It then ensures that Singapore is competitive and comparable to international standards, says Luisiawati.
MSD, known as Merck & Co Inc in the United States and Canada, has been in Singapore for 30 years, employs over 1,800 people, and manufactures and supplies four of its top 10 global products from Singapore.
Multiple functions including research, manufacturing, and commercial operations are located in Singapore, with its Asia-Pacific headquarters.
The group has an extensive presence in Singapore and invested in expanding its operations, which include manufacturing facilities, an animal health site, a translational medicine research centre, and an information technology hub.
In Singapore, MSD has made investments in excess of US$2 billion for manufacturing assets since 1997 and over US$240 million in research since 2009.
So how can other Singaporeans excel in global MNCs like her?
'Go back to first principles,' says Luisiawati, who adds that people should remind themselves of what they are passionate about and good at.
Another tip – be comfortable with the uncomfortable, she says.
So what lesson has she learnt along the way that matters a great deal?
Ask and Luisiawati will say it is best summed up by MSD's founder, George Merck: 'We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.'
This, she says, 'is a tenet that gives me reason and purpose to wake up every day and do what I do'.