Two Gateways: Singapore, the Gulf, and Building in a Changing World - Reception
Join SMU IIE for a special panel discussion and networking reception with approximately 55 senior executives from Georgetown University McDonough School of Business’ Executive MBA (Dubai) programme, who will be visiting SMU as part of their first international residency in Asia.
The cohort brings together senior leaders from across the UAE and Gulf region, spanning government, sovereign and private investment, family conglomerates, financial institutions and major corporations. Organisations represented include Mubadala Investment Company, Alpha Dhabi Holding, UAE Ministry of Finance, Dubai Future Foundation, Al Fardan Group, Al Futtaim Group, Majid Al Futtaim, Crypto.com, Emirates NBD, Standard Chartered, e&, DEWA and Johnson & Johnson, among others.
About the panel
Two Gateways: Singapore, the Gulf, and Building in a Changing World explores how the Singapore and Gulf innovation ecosystems have developed, what each can learn from the other, and how changing geopolitical dynamics are influencing investment, entrepreneurship, talent and market expansion.
Moderated by Professor Gerard George, the conversation will bring together perspectives from government, investment, executive education and venture capital.
Speakers include:
Dr Flocy Joseph, Senior Deputy Director and Head of Commercial, SMU Executive Development — on talent, leadership development and why executives pursue an EMBA amid geopolitical change.
Mr Paul Santos, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Wavemaker Partners — on early-stage investing in Southeast Asia and how geopolitical shifts are affecting startups and venture portfolios.
Mr Tan Soon Kim, Deputy Managing Director, Enterprise Singapore (invited) — on Singapore’s innovation and enterprise ecosystem.
Mr Harvey Toor, former Chief Investment Officer of SMU and formerly with the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (invited) — on sovereign capital and investment perspectives across Singapore and the Gulf.
Networking reception
The panel will be followed by a networking reception bringing together the Georgetown EMBA cohort, SMU faculty, founders, investors, students and ecosystem partners.
Invited participants include founders from the Business Innovations Generator (BIG), SMU faculty-led ventures, and investors and ecosystem leaders from organisations including Quest Ventures, Antler, Qualgro, Tin Men Capital, Cocoon Capital, ST Engineering Ventures, Singtel, Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation.
A limited number of places have been reserved for SMU students and colleagues who are interested in entrepreneurship, venture capital, international business, the Middle East and cross-border innovation.
This is a unique opportunity to meet senior decision-makers from the Gulf, exchange perspectives on the Singapore and UAE ecosystems, and build connections across two increasingly important gateways for innovation and business.