Day of German Unity Special 2023/2024
As we stand amidst an everchanging business landscape characterised by interconnectivity, diversification and innovation, we are continuously reminded of the SGC’s role in fostering international collaborations and partnerships for our members and clients. Hence, for this year’s Day of German Unity, we chose the theme “Forging Ties for a Resilient Future”. The theme reinforces that building stronger ties is paramount for a brighter and successful future.
Serving as a platform that brings matters of our business community to the forefront of discussions, the chamber has led highly interactive events such as our SGC dialogues, Meet-the-CEO series, webinars, and committee meetings. We were pleased to have the
presence of government officials, like Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Manpower, industry experts, like Mr Paul Marriott, CEO and President, SAP Asia Pacific Japan, and key opinion leaders, like Mr Joerg Wuttke, President Emeritus of EuroCham China, who delved deeper into topics such as rising costs and manpower challenges, sustainability, and economic risks and opportunities with our members.
In this regard, the chamber’s events and initiatives pave the way for further collaboration at both the industry and government levels thereby further strengthening the bilateral business relations between Singapore and Germany. The number of successful partnerships achieved through our initiatives are testament to our efforts.
Additionally, the SGC conducts regular business sentiment surveys with member companies. This year, the objective was to seek feedback on the global economic landscape influenced by inflation, geopolitical challenges, rising costs and the competitiveness of Singapore as a business location.
Amongst the inbound German business delegations this year, the chamber hosted for the first time, companies from the Pharma & Biotechnology sector under the market entry programme funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). It was an enriching time of discussions, business matchings, and a successful symposium that opened doors for collaborative opportunities between Singaporean and German companies. The chamber also welcomed delegations
from other dynamic sectors such as Civil Security and Energy Efficiency and is currently preparing for visitors from Industry 4.0 and Robotics.
The chamber also established collaborations with prominent educational institutions to promote skills development and best employment practices in the workforce as well as introducing vocational training courses to Singapore. Overall, through our activities,
SGC has established a thriving community of likeminded professionals who partake in collaborative prospects and progress.
Moving forward, we will carry on to nurture bilateral and regional relationships for our members and clients to support their progress. We invite all our members and
partners to continue to build a more interconnected, prosperous, and resilient future for all.
In conclusion, we would like to thank our Corporate Gold members and all members for their support and actively participating in our activities. We would also like to extend our appreciation to the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the German Embassy in Singapore and the Singapore Embassy in Germany for their support and cooperation. Last but not least, we would like to thank the SGC Board, and staff for their commitment and
excellent work.
BY MS SHIRLEY QI, SGC President and DR TIM PHILIPPI, SGC Executive Director