Commonly known as the APAC hub for global tech brands and vendors, Singapore’s economic growth is unparalleled – and it’s built on a highly-skilled, digitally-enabled workforce.
We spoke with Abigail Lim, Associate Director at Cogs Agency Singapore about the current state of play.
She explained, “the majority of businesses here are multinationals working in digital-first commercial and technical industries who are looking to bring expertise in-house.
Businesses’ boards and c-suites are now leading this transformation as key sponsors of change, with regional heads now responsible for the rollout, so the word is coming from the top down.”
She continued, “with senior company directors looking at their businesses, and asking hard-hitting questions – such as how influential is this tech, and how can I use big data? – many are now seeing the benefits of bringing this digital talent in-house.”
Significant examples include DBS Bank, who announced in August that they would be investing a further $20 million over the next five years in a Singapore training programme. This includes a rollout of a series of products and services to train 10,000 employees in digital banking and emerging tech.
Visa has launched a new data centre in Singapore. This is Visa’s first transaction processing centre in Southeast Asia and will serve clients, cardholders, and merchants across the entire region, as well as in Visa’s global network.
Aviva has also launched a Digital Garage on Armenian Street, where technical specialists, creative designers, and business leaders can collaborate and test new insurance ideas and services.
Cogs Agency: providing global talent to fuel the revolution
Abigail explains, “with the mandate for digital transformation coming from the corporate boardroom, the opportunity for Cogs is to provide the right talent. With a stable increase in the appetite for talent from corporates, our team has developed strong consultative relationships with people inside these businesses.
One of our core strengths is that we have a diverse team with people – such as myself – with a recruitment background and others who have come straight from senior roles in the industry. She says, “we’re a well-oiled machine when it comes to finding the right talent for any business looking for a resource to implement their digital transformation. We are able to simplify requirements because we know the industry well. We can then connect corporates to digital natives who often work in tech-first businesses and are resistant to corporate culture.”
Abigail continues, “We’re not just providing talent, however. We’re really getting under the skin of the organisations we’re helping. We’re collaborating on corporate structure and strategy, meaning that we’re providing our clients with a truly integrated, consultative service. I think it’s this that sets us apart!”