WELCOME ADDRESS

Mr Lennon Tan
President
Singapore Manufacturing Federation

Mr Lennon Tan
President, Singapore Manufacturing Federation
Group Chairman, ADERA Global Group
Lennon Tan is an esteemed entrepreneur and leader known for his commitment to innovation and business excellence. Starting out as an engineer in the Petrochemical industry, Lennon continued honing his skills for a decade at American multinational corporation 3M, gaining invaluable experience.
In 2001, Lennon made a pivotal decision to pursue entrepreneurship, acquiring a small smart card manufacturing business in China. Through strategic vision and technological innovation, he leveraged advancements in technology and transformed the manufacturing outfit into one of the top 10 global smartcard producers in the world. Subsequently, he expanded the company's capabilities to lead in fields such as artificial intelligence, biometric authentication, automation, fintech, and data analytics, supporting major sectors ranging from banks, insurance, government, healthcare, telecommunications, and transport worldwide. Lennon's achievements have earned him widespread recognition, including the prestigious ASEAN Teochew Entrepreneur Award, and the esteemed EY Entrepreneur of the Year title in Financial Technology Enablement from global professional services firm Ernst & Young in 2017. Additionally, the Group was recognized for its excellence, receiving the ASEAN Business Award Overall Winner for Priority Integration Sector (ICT) in 2018.
Lennon's commitment to excellence extends beyond his corporate endeavors. He is actively involved in Singapore's business community, holding positions in organizations like the Teochew Entrepreneurs Club and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations. In 2024, Mr. Tan assumed the role of Vice President at the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), and Council Member at Singapore Business Federation (SBF), furthering his commitment to regional economic development. As President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation and Group Chairman of ADERA Global Group, he continues to drive innovation and collaboration in the manufacturing sector.
Lennon Tan's journey underscores the importance of perseverance and strategic leadership in achieving business success.
KEYNOTE AND EXPERT SHARING

Mr Nigel Lee
ISO General Manager
Lenovo Singapore

Mr Alan Choong
Founder
Prawnaholics

Dr Chua Beng Wah
Coordinating Director
Tech Biz - Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), A*STAR

Ms Tan Swee Yen
CEO
CoNEX Healthcare

Mr Nigel Lee
ISO General Manager, Lenovo Singapore
He has more than 30 years of experience in the technology industry. He held various local and regional business leadership and partner development roles in multinational IT companies including Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu and Dell. Prior to joining Lenovo, Nigel was the General Manager at Brother International Singapore Pte Ltd. He has a proven track record of solid and sustainable business results. Nigel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Indiana University in USA. He is a father of grown-up triplets; he enjoys running and participates in marathons around the region.

Mr Alan Choong
Founder, Prawnaholics and Lou Yau Kee
Founder of Prawnaholic and Lou Yau Kee. Alan used to be a chef in hotels and restaurants, venturing out to be a hawker in Singapore (2018), and later expanded his business to New York in 2022. As a entreprenuer and chef in nature, he looks into food menus design, product research and design, business expansion, and providing leadership and coaching roles for his staff to achieve a sustaiable business model. He was featured by many of the local food bloggers and interviewed by media such as Lianhe Zaobao Lifestyle, Shin Min, New York Times and Eater NY.

Dr Chua Beng Wah
Coordinating Director, Tech Biz - Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), A*STAR
Dr Chua Beng Wah is the Coordinating Director for Tech Biz at the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute under A*STAR. With extensive experience in engineering, technology management, and strategic industry engagement, he plays a key role in driving innovation, translational research, and advanced manufacturing initiatives. He has led projects in advanced manufacturing processes and developed techniques like liquid forging for high-performance components. He fosters partnerships between A*STAR and industry partners to facilitate technology transfer and collaborative research. His work supports SMEs and enterprises in upgrading capabilities and accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

Ms Tan Swee Yen
CEO, CoNEX Healthcare
Swee Yen is the CEO of CoNEX Healthcare – a healthcare technology company focused on enhancing patient safety and nursing productivity using AI. With more than 15 years of managing large-scale communications and sensor technologies in the defence industry, as well as policy work as a public officer, Swee Yen is well-versed in navigating challenging environments, particularly in the healthcare sector. Today, she manages a growing team of more than 15 engineers, in addition to building long-lasting strategic partnerships with clients with co-development projects.
PLENARY SESSION WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Mr David Chia
Chairman
SME Centre@SMF
(Moderator)

Ms Audrey Yap
Vice President, Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Managing Director,
Yusarn Audrey LLC,
Deputy Chairman, SME Centre@SMF

Mr Mitchell Jiang
Vice President, Sales
RISIS

Ms Geraldine Ho
Head of Marketing
Shopee Singapore

Mr Ken Soh
CEO
Mdm Ling Bakery

Mr David Chia
Chairman, SME Centre@SMF
Regional Managing Director, Beckhoff Automation Southeast Asia
David Chia is the Chairman of SME Center @ SMF, and serves as council member on the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, heading the Smart Automation Industry Group. He is Regional Managing Director of Beckhoff Automation Southeast Asia, a Germany-based leader in Control and Automation Technology. From a single person start-up office 15 years ago, he went through similar experiences every SME owner would have on the growth journey – recruiting core members, finding business partners, ironing out business processes and stepping out from the home base. Having went through multiple failures and learning-by-doing, he is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration and doing his dissertation in International Business, Strategy and SME Growth.

Ms Audrey Yap
Vice President, Singapore Manufacturing Federation
Managing Director, Yusarn Audrey LLC
Deputy Chairman, SME Centre@SMF
Audrey is a qualified lawyer, patent attorney and Managing Director of the regional law firm Yusarn Audrey LLC headquartered in Singapore. She specialises in developing robust intellectual property portfolios, intellectual property valuation, intellectual property financing, and commercial transactions. She is also a certified patent valuation analyst and TÜV SÜD Professional Singapore Certified Management Consultant, helping MNCs, SMEs and government agencies monetise intellectual property portfolios for global growth.
Audrey previously served on the board of Enterprise Singapore (a key agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry), and is a current board member of Singapore Food Agency under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. She is also a non-executive non-independent director in a SGX listed food manufacturing company.
She served as board member of Intellectual Property Office of Singapore from 2015 to 2022 helping design the IP Hub MasterPlan. Audrey is currently Chairman of Singapore Innovation and Productivity Institute Pte. Ltd., and is Vice President and elected Council Member of Singapore Manufacturing Federation.
Audrey was awarded "Partner of the Year" in 2022 by the Ministry of Law, Singapore for her outstanding services to the intellectual property sector. In May 2022, she was appointed to the joint China Council for the Promotion of International Trade / China Chamber of International Commerce Intellectual Property Committee.
As of 17 January 2024, she is a senior accredited director at the Singapore Institute of Directors. In April 2024, she was named as one of Singapore's Top 100 Lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal's A-List.

Mr Mitchell Jiang
Vice President, Sales, RISIS
Mitchell is an accomplished sales and business development leader with over 17 years of experience driving regional and international growth across the lifestyle, tech, and retail sectors. Currently serving as Vice President of Sales at RISIS Private Limited, he leads cross-functional operations spanning eCommerce, wholesale, corporate sales, and product development, playing a pivotal role in expanding market reach and boosting revenue.
His track record includes successful regional expansion across Asia-Pacific with Targus, franchise development with HTL and AUSSINO, and international business management at OSIM, where he secured new markets and improved global profitability. Mitchell brings a strategic, relationship-driven approach, having worked with key partners such as Samsung, HP, and Deloitte. With a strong foundation in leadership, product strategy, and market development, he thrives in multicultural, fast-paced environments.

Ms Geraldine Ho
Head of Marketing, Shopee Singapore
Geraldine is Head of Marketing at Shopee Singapore, where she oversees all marketing activities to reinforce Shopee as the leading e-commerce platform. She leads her teams to design and execute impactful marketing campaigns, enhancing the e-commerce experience for sellers and users on Shopee.
Geraldine joined Shopee in 2022. Prior to Shopee, Geraldine was Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University.

Mr Ken Soh
CEO, Mdm Ling Bakery
Driven by the belief that good business is about doing good while doing business, I co-founded Mdm Ling Bakery in December 2017 a simple yet profound mission: to spread joy through the universal language of great food.
Together with 2 other co-founders' (Hongyi and Evelyn) leadership, Mdm Ling Bakery has grown into a prominent Singaporean brand, known for its heartfelt bakes and thoughtful gift experiences. We are proud to be recognized as Made with Passion brand — a national endorsement from Singapore Tourism Board (supported by Enterprise SG) in celebrating homegrown Singapore brands that inspire with purpose and authenticity.
As a father to four wonderful children, I am deeply committed to building a legacy that champions family, community, and meaningful connections. Every product we create carries the spirit of togetherness, quality, and passion that I believe in both at home and at work. I am always looking forward to sharing my journey of entrepreneurship, partnership, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership at the event, and to inspiring others to pursue not just success, but significance.
FIRESIDE CHAT

Ms Jamie Lim
CEO, Scanteak, House of Teak (Singapore) Pte Ltd,
Regional Marketing Director, Hawaii Furnishing Pte Ltd, and
Vice President, Singapore Furniture Industries Council

Mr David Chia
Chairman, SME Centre@SMF (Moderator)
Bio information for David Chia goes here.
Add additional paragraphs as needed to provide comprehensive information about the speaker.

Ms Jamie Lim
CEO, Scanteak, House of Teak (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Regional Marketing Director, Hawaii Furnishing Pte Ltd
Vice President, Singapore Furniture Industries Council
Jamie graduated with a dual EMBA degree from UCLA-NUS. As CEO/Regional Marketing Director, Jamie spearheads Scanteak's regional branding initiatives, manages overseas franchises, and oversees Scanteak Singapore's business operations.
With her first job in Hollywood, Jamie made the switch from marketing films, to marketing the local furniture brand, Scanteak, in 2004. By 2006, the number of Scanteak showrooms had doubled across the region.
Under Jamie's influence, Scanteak has won several brand awards, such as the Promising Brand Award (2005), CitiBusiness – SPBA Regional Brand Award (2006, 2013), SuperBrands (2009), the Singapore Good Design Award (Singapore)(2015, 2019), the Good Design Award (Japan)(2015), the IPOS Award for Design Innovation (2015), the President's Design Award Singapore (2015), and the SFIC's SOL Awards under Experiential Excellence Category (2023).
The Scanteak group also introduced two new brands under Jamie's charge: ScanKomfort (mattresses) and ScanLiving (leather sofas). In 2010, Scanteak's Taiwan operations became publicly listed in Taiwan and has been progressively expanding, with Jamie's assistance as one of the directors sitting on the board. Back at home in Singapore, Scanteak has 10 showrooms as of 2024, with a renewed business strategy in creating brand awareness and increasing sales through roadshows and mall atrium pop-ups. The Group now has over 180 showrooms worldwide and is one of the biggest furniture retailers in Singapore and Taiwan.
Under Jamie's leadership, Scanteak is heavily driven in efforts of sustainability. Scanteak products are SVLK-certified (Indonesian Timber Legality Assurance System). The SVLK is a mandatory system that requires all timber from state-owned and private forests in Indonesia to obtain verification of legality – as a guarantee that the timber originates from legal, sustainably-managed sources. This initiative was led by Jamie not long after she joined the family business in her vision to foster sustainability and play a part in conserving the future. Scanteak furniture is also tested and proven that they contain low formaldehyde levels, hence making the furniture safe to be used even in a family environment.
The budding of digital transformation within the company came about when Jamie led the initiative to start an E-commerce store for the Scanteak brand. Scanteak now has an official website with an online shopping platform, and is also present on Shopee and Lazada. Since then, she has been exploring the space and tools of technology and the brand is now embarking on a full-fledged digital transformation journey, which includes the leveraging of AR & AI technologies to improve retail experience and work automation. Scanteak was also granted the Business Excellence Certification (June 2017) by Spring Singapore, for meeting the requirements of the Singapore Quality Class (SQC and Singapore Service Class (S-Class).
Jamie's work extends beyond the confines of the company. She believes a successful for-profit enterprise can impact customers, team members, working partners and the society through strong business ethics, work excellence as well as social contributions. Besides forging close partnerships with local tertiary institutes through internships, special projects and serving on various IHL boards to advise on program directions and industry relevance, Jamie has also reinforced the importance of Design in the retail industry through collaborations with award-winning designers such as Outofstock, which is the design studio behind the award-winning Scanteak's Prologue Collection.
Jamie is the winner of the JCI TOYP (Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World) Singapore Award 2012, and she recently had the honour of receiving the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) Award 2024 and the Singapore Women Entrepreneurs Network (SG-WEN) Award 2024.
She also currently serves as a member of the Tripartite Cluster for the Retail (TCR) (2024 - 2026), a council chaired by Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower & Second Minister for Home Affairs.
Speakers are subject to change without prior notice.