The Agenda
Registration and Breakfast
Opening Address
Keynote Speech
by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies
Fireside Chat – The PurpoSE Agenda
between Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Mr Gautam Banerjee, Senior Managing Director and Chairman Blackstone Singapore and Chairman, raiSE Board
Panel 1 – The InterSEction: Impact as a Strategy
Mr Adam Ng, Director of Community Stewardship, Temasek International
Ms Fang Eu-Lin, Partner, Sustainability & Climate Change Practice Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Ms Ong Ai Hua, Head of Government Affairs & Policy (APAC), Johnson & Johnson
Moderated by Mr Lien Choong Luen, General Manager, Gojek, Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, and Board Member, raiSE
According to a 2021 survey by PwC, value creation continues to be the top reason why enterprises engage in ESG activity. This drives the key message that profit, and purpose are no longer seen as conflicting, especially over the long run. Companies understand that doing good in today’s socially conscious society takes up more effort and resources, but they also translate to strong business performance.
This panel dissects what it means to embed purpose in the strategic core of the business, extending beyond CSR initiatives. Speakers discuss how they establish themselves as a purpose-driven company and ensure their relevance in a society where shareholders are no longer the sole stakeholders.
Key Takeaways
- Discover the spectrum of corporate purpose and find out why businesses are staying committed to impact
- A comprehensive view on how to incorporate purpose as a strategy instead of purpose as marketing, and how it governs leadership and decision-making in different aspects of the organisation
Panel 2 – Changing MindSEts: Insights from Impact Investors
Mr Chik Wai Chiew, CEO & Executive Director, Heritas Capital Management
Ms Claire Wong, Head, DBS Foundation
Mr James Tan, Managing Partner, Quest Ventures
Moderated by Mr Sin Boon Ann, Consultant, Drew & Napier and Board Member, raiSE
Based on a study conducted by INSEAD and Quest Ventures published in 2020, the impact investing space in Singapore is nascent and social enterprises (SEs) continue to battle a high-risk perception. There is a lack of adequate demonstrated success stories and many find it costly to conduct due diligence on small investments in early-stage SEs.
In this panel, impact investors from a corporate, a venture capitalist (VC) and a venture philanthropist fund share about their investment philosophy and what constitutes impact to them in the absence of a universal framework. They will also share how they select their investments (i.e. financial-first or impact-first) and how they achieve their expected financial returns.
Key Takeaways
- Gain insights into how different types of funders select investments that best fit their purpose
- Learn about their investment philosophy and expected risk and return in supporting scalable social innovations
- Discuss challenges and what can be done to enlarge the evidence base for impact investing
raiSE’s Sharing
by Mr Alfie Othman, Chief Executive Officer, raiSE
Lunch and Networking
(Subject to prevailing guidelines)
