Skills-First Enterprise Transformation in the AI Era
AI is changing how Singapore’s wholesale trade enterprises operate, make decisions and compete. But investing in technology is only one part of the equation. How can companies ensure their workforce has the skills and capabilities to keep pace?
Co-organised by the Institute for Adult Learning and Singapore Business Federation, this session brings together industry and enterprise perspectives on navigating workforce transformation in the AI era.
Discover how companies can use AI and data more effectively, identify emerging skills needs, align workforce development with business priorities and manage the people-related challenges that come with change. Participants will also hear practical lessons from a local enterprise’s transformation experience.
Designed for trade business leaders, HR professionals, operations managers and transformation leads, the session offers practical insights to help organisations improve productivity while preparing their workforce for what comes next.
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PROGRAMME
8.30 am – 9.00 am | Registration
9.00 am – 9.20 am
AI Is Not the Transformation. Workforce Capability Is.
Dr Tommie Chen
Director, Partnership and Market Development Division
Institute for Adult Learning
Explore how AI, digital trade ecosystems, productivity pressures and changing workforce expectations are reshaping Singapore’s wholesale trade sector. This opening session will examine why sustainable transformation requires organisations to strengthen workforce capability, redesign work and align people development with business outcomes.
9.20 am – 9.40 am
LearnAI: Cognitive Literacy vs Information Literacy
Mr Koo Seng Meng
Director, AI Talent and Ecosystem
AI Singapore
As AI evolves from a productivity tool into an active co-worker, workforce readiness can no longer be defined by technical proficiency alone. This session explores how information literacy, cognitive literacy, human agency and critical judgement can help employees become effective AI orchestrators rather than passive consumers of AI-generated outputs.
9.40 am – 10.00 am
The North Star Strategy: Using AI to Develop Your Business GPS
Mr Isaac Koh
Industry Solution Architect
Oracle NetSuite
Discover how organisations can move beyond lagging indicators and use AI to identify a predictive North Star metric. The session will show how a clear leading indicator can align functional KPIs, connect teams around a shared goal and turn enterprise data into better business decisions.
10.00 am – 10.30 am | Morning Break
10.30 am – 10.50 am
From People to Progress: The Evolution of HR
Ms Ang Shu Min
Head, Business Services
Lim Kee Food Manufacturing
Hear how Lim Kee Food Manufacturing evolved from a traditional, product-centric business into a forward-looking organisation focused on workforce transformation, people development and service excellence. The sharing will cover its journey from operational to strategic HR and its approach to strengthening people, processes, sustainability and technology adoption.
10.50 am – 11.10 am
Open Q&A with Speakers
Participants are invited to raise questions and hear directly from the speakers on AI adoption, workforce capability, business transformation and job redesign.
11.10 am – 11.30 am
AI Eats Tasks, Not Job Titles — So Diagnose at Task Level
Mr Andy Liu
Senior Manager
Alchemy Consultancy
AI is changing the mix of tasks within jobs rather than simply replacing entire roles. This session introduces a practical approach to breaking down roles into tasks and determining what should be automated, augmented or retained. Participants will learn how task-level analysis can guide job redesign, capability development and workforce redeployment.
11.30 am – 11.50 am
Market and Enterprise Insights
Mr Teo Soon Sin
Head, Jobs Skills Integrator Programme Office
Workforce Development Division
Singapore Business Federation
The session concludes with insights into market and enterprise developments, followed by the closing address.
11.50 am | Networking