The Labour Movement and LinkedIn jointly held a U Circle CEO Roundtable on 29 May 2017 at LinkedIn’s Asia Pacific Headquarters at Marina Bay Financial Centre.
The 18 participants were from NTUC’s U Circle which comprises C-suite leaders and managing directors of multinational companies (MNCs) based in Singapore. They work closely with the Labour Movement to assess gaps in the local talent pool, develop local talents and further strengthen the Singaporean leadership core.
Singapore as a Leadership Hub
Many of the leaders who attended the roundtable said that future Singaporean leaders need to have good confidence, mobility, adaptability, attitude and mindset, which NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing agreed with. SG Chan also attended the event, together with other representatives from the Labour Movement.
Envisioning Singapore to be a leadership hub, he said that while the top 20 per cent of Singaporean workers are already thriving in their careers globally, MNCs in Singapore also have a part to play in helping Singaporeans in the 30th to the 79th percentile progress in developing leadership capabilities.
Talent Blueprints 2017 Report
NTUC and LinkedIn also released the Talent Blueprints 2017 Report, which was conducted in 2016 to assess the importance of cross-functional experience and international experience for C-suite roles.
The 2017 report revealed that while digital skillsets were previously more prevalent in the internet technology and marketing industries, possessing digital skillsets is now a must in most industries with the rise of interconnectivity and e-commerce.
U Future Leaders Global Programme
The first roundtable was held in 2015, which led to the launch of the U Future Leaders Global Programme (UFLGP) last August. Jointly created by NTUC and the Singapore Economic Development Board, and supported by U Circle, UFLGP aims to equip future Singaporean leaders of MNCs by giving them regional and international exposure.
NTUC Assistant Director-General and U Future Leaders Director Vivek Kumar said: “U Circle and UFLGP are testimonies to the Labour Movement’s dedication to help our working people meet their needs.
“Through creating these new opportunities with leading MNCs, we want our Singaporean talents to be in the succession pipeline for these leadership roles. As such roles are highly visible, not only will it help to raise the profile of Singapore’s economy, it will also signal to the rest of the world the quality of talent we have here in Singapore.”
Currently, five MNCs have participated in the UFLGP. Over the next three years, UFLGP aims to send 30 participants overseas.
Source: NTUC This Week
