Opening Remarks by Conference Chairman

Ho Kwon Ping
Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Holdings

'Anticipating A New World'
Dialogue with Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Patron, Singapore Summit
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies
Republic of Singapore

Moderator:
Ho Kwon Ping, Conference Chairman, Singapore Summit and Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Holdings

Plenary Session 1 – The Reboot: Global Trade and Business in the Face of Pandemics

COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of globalisation and global trade, disrupted multiple industries and impacted supply chain and manufacturing. As governments intervene in response to the virus, businesses are adjusting to the changing needs of customers and suppliers while navigating financial and operational challenges. Concurrently, the accelerated shift towards digitalisation is accompanied by an opportunity to build resilient business models and smart supply chains in the post-COVID world.

• How has the relationship between the state and the private sector changed as governments deepen their interventions in the economy in response to the crisis?
• Has COVID-19 pushed back globalisation or forced it to evolve in a different direction?
• To what extent will diversification vis-à-vis efficiency become key considerations in post-COVID supply chain configurations?  How can businesses capitalise on changing trade patterns and new forms of connectivity to build resilient global supply chains?

Panellists:
Ajay Banga, Chief Executive Officer, Mastercard

Dr Chen Deming, Former Minister of Commerce, People’s Republic of China and President, China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric

Moderator:
Nancy Hungerford, Anchor/Correspondent, CNBC

Plenary Session 2 – From Brown to Progressive Shades of Green: Has the Pandemic Advanced the Sustainability Agenda?

The transition to a global green economy remains critical in the wake of COVID-19. Several economies and corporations are now accelerating eco-conscious policies, technologies and business models. By contrast, many including those in the emerging world are focused on grappling with the immediate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and providing for their people.

• Does COVID-19 change the approach to and pace of development of the green economy?  How do we prevent climate change initiatives from being de-prioritised in light of the pandemic?
• What collaborations are needed to accelerate the flow of green investments and clean energy technologies into emerging markets?
• Will the COVID-19 crisis mark the reversal of urbanisation? How will stakeholders balance the economic, environmental, technological and societal dimensions of life in a post pandemic urban landscape?

Panellists:
Vijay Advani, Executive Chairman, Nuveen

Dr Ma Jun, Chairman, Green Finance Committee, China Society of Finance and Banking and Director, Center for Finance and Development, Tsinghua University

Feike Sijbesma, Honorary Chairman, Royal DSM and Special Corona Envoy for the Netherlands

Moderator:
Prof Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Singapore and Chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design

Plenary Session 3 – Can the Coronavirus Pandemic be a Catalyst for Inclusive Growth?

The coronavirus pandemic has unmasked longstanding and widespread social and economic inequalities on a global scale. Despite international and domestic efforts by policymakers and stakeholders to provide relief through stimulus packages and various forms of support, gaps, present in both developed and developing nations, have surfaced and reinforced unequal access to healthcare, employment and economic opportunities, with disproportionate impact on the lower income and marginalised, women and gig economy workers.

• Do current COVID-19 recovery measures go far enough to reorient towards a more equitable and inclusive society? What more needs to be done to alleviate the immediate impact of the lack of access to healthcare, jobs and social protection faced by vulnerable groups during the pandemic?
• What can industry leaders do to support strategies for sustainable development and drive change at scale? What is necessary for them to play a bigger role?
• Beyond COVID, what long-term strategies and structural changes are necessary to address the root causes of inequality and discrimination and foster inclusive growth?

Panellists:
Jean-Philippe Courtois, Executive Vice President and President, Global Sales, Marketing and Operations, Microsoft

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Company

Sir Jeremy Farrar OBE, Director, Wellcome Trust

Dr Judith Rodin, President Emerita, University of Pennsylvania and Past President, The Rockefeller Foundation

Moderator:
Geoff Cutmore, Anchor, CNBC

Debate – A Leaderless and Divided World will be the New Normal

The dislocations arising from the pandemic come amidst broader shifts in the global economic and political balance, and fragmenting leadership. The United States and China may both emerge weaker and constrained globally. Countries are increasingly left to fend for themselves. A leaderless and divided world will be the new normal.

Panellists:
Ian Bremmer, President, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media

Prof Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Prof Ngaire Woods, Dean, Blavatnik School of Government and Professor of Global Economic Governance, University of Oxford

Prof Yan Xuetong, Dean, Institute of International Relations, Tsinghua University

Moderator:
Dr Parag Khanna, Founder and Managing Partner, FutureMap

Plenary Session 4 – Digital Connectivity and Cross-border Flows in a Post-COVID World

As economies emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, companies face a digital future where access to new forms of cross-border linkages is critical. As businesses deploy technology to facilitate and maintain global trade flows, a conducive regulatory framework is needed to foster interoperability through the alignment of standards and systems to realise the potential of trade in the digital economy.

• Digitalisation was already a trend before the pandemic.  How have corporate digitalisation strategies changed as a result of COVID-19? How important is cross-border digital connectivity and what are the opportunities and challenges?
• What is the necessary infrastructure to facilitate cross-border digital connectivity and data flows while enhancing business resiliency and cybersecurity?
• How do digital economy agreements address the challenges facing the evolving global trade architecture? How can they spur collaboration in global trade in the face of rising digital protectionism?

Panellists:
Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry, Republic of Singapore

Fleur Pellerin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Korelya Capital

Jeremy Weir, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Trafigura Group

Moderator:
Nancy Hungerford, Anchor/Correspondent, CNBC

'Learning from COVID-19: Redefining the Future of Education'
Distinguished Guest Speaker
Nadiem Makarim
Minister of Education and Culture
Republic of Indonesia

Moderator:
Prof Danny Quah, Dean and Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore