OCBC

Lending her voice to the conversation around ‘Building a Productive, Resilient and Inclusive Singapore’, Aye Wee Yap, Group Head of Learning and Transformation at OCBC, joined the distinguished panel at the launch of the Centre of Organisational Resilience and Inclusion (CORI) by Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Social Sustainability Imperative. Graced by Guest-of-Honour, Minister for Education, Mr Chan Chun Sing, the dialogue captured with incisive focus the tensions and challenges in bringing about resilience and inclusion in organisational systems.   Bringing to the fore the irony that the greatest examples of success are often invisible to the public at large, Aye Wee defined corporate resilience as longevity and relevance. Great organisations that continue to steadily thrive over decades, are in themselves an unassuming yet solid testament to continued excellence. This definition allows us to take the next step in discovering how we can intentionally design organisational culture for resilience. To elevate workforce potential, there is a need to understand the connective interplay of all the actors in the system and the pressures they exert on the system collectively. Therefore, we pre-emptively design for pressure vents to guard against burnout, and to ensure sustainability of performance and wellbeing.   And this begins at the learning level. With intentionally designed learning zones, we make sure there is ample safety and room to make mistakes. A regenerative organisation allows for productive failure, and cultivates learning power and a growth mindset – attributes that need to be signalled through leadership role-modelling. Ultimately, social sustainability and inclusion are non-negotiables to create an organisational culture that is resilient enough to embrace the complexities of a diverse and ever-changing work landscape.   #Resilience #Learning #OpportunityStartsHere

"Today, the rise of AI has fundamentally reshaped how we as individuals and business leaders gather, process and transmit information" said Senior Minister of State, Ms Low Yen Ling, at this year’s SME Centre Conference. Given the importance of AI, we recently took part in SME Centre Conference 2024 as part of our commitment to help SMEs in growing their business. The event, jointly organised by SME Centres and supported by Enterprise Singapore, was centred around helping SMEs leverage AI-related technologies for business growth and attracted nearly 1,000 attendees. Key highlights of the event included a sharing by Selena Ling, Chief Economist and Head of Global Markets Research & Strategy, where she provided an overview of ASEAN’s economic landscape to help SMEs capture new growth opportunities within the region. She also shared insights from the OCBC SME Index, the only quantitative index in Singapore powered by real data from over 100,000 SMEs, to help SMEs identify where they stand within their industry value chain and navigate through the second half of 2024. In addition, Donald MacDonald, Head of OCBC’s Group Data Office, shared about OCBC’s approach towards leveraging AI to improve productivity during his panel discussion with other industry leaders., providing SMEs with useful tips to embark on their AI journey and overcome common challenges when it comes to adopting AI. We were also deeply honoured to welcome Senior Minister of State, Ms Low Yen Ling, at the event alongside Anna Chang, Head of Serial Entrepreneur Segment, and her team. As Asia’s best SME bank, we remain committed to helping SMEs capture new opportunities to grow their business for now, and beyond.

OCBC is proud to be recognised for several awards in sustainable finance at the Asian Banking and Finance Corporate and Investment Banking Awards 2024! As the sole sustainability coordinator and co-sustainability advisor for China Universal Leasing Co (CULC), OCBC supported CULC in taking its first steps in sustainable finance through its first China domestic green syndicated loan in line with the Green Loan Principles. We developed a tailored Green Loan Framework aligned with CULC’s ESG goals and international best practices. The loan financed a 25 GW high-efficiency solar wafers manufacturing project, supporting China's renewable energy value chain and national dual carbon goals. As a result, Asian Banking and Finance recognised this achievement as Green Deal of the Year – China! Additionally, we have also been awarded: • Green Deal of the Year – Singapore, Singapore’s first green financing solution comprising a green loan with carbon credits with Frasers Centrepoint Trust • Syndicated Loan of the Year - Hong Kong, where real estate and transport are the highest emitting sectors, for Hong Kong’s first green loan to develop a logistics centre We pride ourselves in designing innovative financial solutions aligned with the ESG objectives of our clients. These awards are an acknowledgement to our approach and leadership in sustainable finance in the region, across ASEAN and Greater China. #WinningAsOne #SustainableFinance #Sustainability #ESG

OCBC Group achieved record net profit of $3.93 billion for the first half of 2024, driven by strong income growth. Interim dividend was raised 10% to 44 cents, from 40 cents a year ago.

‘See the possibilities for yourselves and for the people around you – remain optimistic.’   Such is the anchoring mindset that our very own Aye Wee Yap, Group Head of Learning and Transformation at OCBC, embraces and offers to everyone as an illuminating lens to behold a future in which AI is seamlessly woven.   As part of the esteemed panel for Harnessing AI for HR at the NUS Lifelong Learning Festival: FutureWork 2.0, AI in Action, Aye Wee spotlighted OCBC’s journey in leveraging AI as a tool for workforce empowerment, and in turn, empowering its employees to adopt AI as part of their work lifestyle. The key takeaway: With technology comes scale. Illustrating how OCBC uses AI to scale our vision of a skills-first organisation through an AI-powered growth mobility platform that is blind to non-role critical dimensions that may include gender, tenure and nationality, she unveiled how AI is harnessed to reduce bias in the workforce, bringing us a step closer to a more egalitarian and equitable workplace. Furthermore, in an organisation of 30,000 employees, an AI-enabled skills landscape of the workforce makes talent more visible to everyone when such visibility may have been limited to one’s social radius in the workplace.   Pertinently, a deft reframing of our approach to AI can assuage the commonly held fear of AI replacing human judgement: It's not AI against people, it's people with AI against people without AI.   Along with education and awareness at the top, an empathetic approach is paramount in shifting resistance and shaping attitudes towards AI. Understanding the nuances and meeting each demographical segment where they are, go a long way in fostering the openness so integral to adapting to the vast capabilities that AI ushers in.   #AI #Lifelonglearning #OpportunityStartsHere

This year, we welcomed 97 graduate talents on a two-week-long journey in Singapore, bringing together regional talents from across the OCBC Group. Through the Graduate Talent Programme Regional Orientation 2024, we empower our graduate talents to leverage what they have learned and encourage innovation, collaboration, and success within OCBC.   Fostering a sense of unity across the OCBC Group, our graduate talents were tasked with conquering bank simulations together, immersing themselves in pseudo scenarios to solve real-world problems. Enriching their experience with soft skill workshops, our graduate talents actively participated to strengthen their interpersonal skills. To further enhance unity, our graduate talents raced against time to complete team-building activities in Sentosa.   Inspiring our learners, our senior regional leaders provided fresh perspectives on leadership and shared personal stories that shaped their careers in OCBC. Their guidance undoubtedly left a lasting impact on our graduate talents.   James Kho, a graduate talent from OCBC Indonesia, said, 'During this orientation, not only did I forge long-lasting friendships, but we also created unforgettable memories. It proved to be a transformative learning experience that paved the way for my professional career in OCBC.'   As One Group, we eagerly anticipate their future endeavours.   #OpportunityStartsHere #OCBCCareers #OCBCGraduateTalentProgramme

At the Singapore Regional Business Forum on 24 July 2024, the theme of "End of Business as Usual: Transforming Regional Collaborations towards a Sustainable Future" saw discussions on overseas expansion, borderless economies and views from specific topics such as Sustainability and payments. On the panel "When Titans Clash - A New Era of Globalisation," Roy Tan, Head of Enterprise Banking International, shared how Chinese businesses are eyeing ASEAN for expansion. With OCBC as their partner, we bridge gaps in language, culture, and business practices, empowering Chinese companies to confidently venture into ASEAN. In addition, ASEAN companies should also seek new opportunities to collaborate with the Chinese for new markets and businesses. Our sponsorship of the Singapore Apex Business Summit, organised by the Singapore Business Federation, reaffirms our commitment to fuelling ambitions in the ASEAN-Greater China region for now, and beyond.

To set the stage for a comprehensive learning experience during the OCBC Graduate Talent Programme Regional Orientation 2024, we visited McDonald's Singapore Learning and Development Campus for an industry visit.   Starting with a fireside chat, our graduate talents were buzzing with excitement as they asked their burning questions. Senior leaders at McDonald's shared invaluable insights on their sustainable processes and provided tips on maintaining smooth operations – lessons that are equally applicable to the banking and finance industry.   Our talents also had the opportunity to tour McDonald's Singapore headquarters, where they met key figures in marketing, finance, and product development. This immersive experience allowed them to witness firsthand the intricate workings of a global restaurant giant and draw parallels to our own operations.   By bridging both worlds, our graduate talents gained a broader perspective on effective management strategies, customer-centric approaches, and the importance of resilience in a dynamic business environment. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the McDonald's team for sharing their wealth of knowledge with our graduate talents.   #OpportunityStartsHere #OCBCCareers #OCBCGraduateTalentProgramme

As the Olympics kicks off, we take a look at the global economy – how will markets perform, and what new records will be set? Our Chief Economist Selena Ling and Head of OCBC Investment Research Carmen Lee discuss what lies ahead in the second half of 2024.

How could the outcome of the US elections and potential rate cuts in the second half of the year affect the Singapore market? What is the outlook for Singapore equities and REITs? Carmen Lee, our Head of OCBC Investment Research, discussed all these and more in a session with MoneyFM 89.3.