The Gobi Desert is known for its larger-than-life sand dunes and extreme temperatures that can fluctuate anywhere from 38 deg C in the day to minus 30 deg C at night.
So, it was an eye-opener for a city dweller like Mr Tan Wee Kim to trek across Asia’s largest desert over three days in 2021. The expedition was part of a friendly competition organised by Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business when he was posted to China from 2019 to 2023, and invited to take up modules at the university.
The assistant vice-president of Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) recalls not getting a phone signal during the race. “It was just us and the desert,” he says.
But what he lost in Wi-Fi connectivity, he gained in closer friendships with his coursemates and fellow trekkers who are prominent Chinese entrepreneurs.
The 36-year-old adds: “I really appreciated the opportunity to get a deeper and better understanding of their entrepreneurship journeys.”
He was then the regional director of EDB’s Guangzhou office, overseeing the agency’s South China operations, a posting he took up at the age of 31.
At EDB, Mr Tan says age is not an obstacle because young officers are given the autonomy to make decisions, armed with advice from their bosses.
“This is the best way to learn and grow,” he says.
EDB is ranked among Singapore’s best 250 employers in 2024, according to a list compiled by global research firm Statista in collaboration with The Straits Times.
Mr Tan says that before an EDBian – the term given to EDB officers – is posted overseas, there are many discussions on how the posting will develop the employee’s career.
EDB also matches the country to the individual’s competencies and interests – for Mr Tan, it was his keenness in Chinese history.
Learning from the best
In 2023, he returned to Singapore to join DISG, a joint office of EDB, Enterprise Singapore and Infocomm Media Development Authority.
Besides learning from industry titans in Singapore and around the world, Mr Tan appreciates EDB’s alumni groups that let staff network with like-minded peers with the same goals of creating sustainable economic growth for Singapore.
For instance, the EDB Society, which was set up in 1989, comprises more than 1,000 members who are both former and current EDB officers.
Mr Tan is part of the EDB China Alumni Group, which has about 40 members who catch up over coffee and meals. They include current regional directors as well as pioneering officers who started the agency’s first Beijing office in the early 2000s.
“While these alumni are in different divisions at EDB or other organisations, they continue to offer invaluable networks, insights and learning opportunities,” he says.
Mr Tan is now paying it forward by sharing his experience with younger colleagues.
In his current role, he manages two teams: overseeing a portfolio of Chinese, South-east Asian and selected US companies in the technology, media and telecommunications sector, as well as running the generative artificial intelligence (AI) team at DISG. His latter role involves putting in place initiatives that can encourage Singapore-based companies to adopt the use of AI.
Less than half a year after he was roped into this division without a full-time team, he is now building a dedicated one, thanks to support from his bosses.
“While EDB is an established government agency, our work does not come with a fixed playbook. It could be identifying niche areas that Singapore should go into or finding solutions to the challenges that multinational corporations face in Singapore.”
Flexible work arrangements
The learning journey never stops. Mr Tan, who in April was promoted from senior manager to his current role, can opt to take part in a structured mentoring programme with EDB seniors who will help support his transition into a new job.
According to Ms Josephine Moh, vice-president and head of division for the Energy and Renewables (E&R) and Chemical and Materials (C&M) divisions at EDB, mentors can serve as sounding boards to help officers obtain more varied insights as they take on more responsibilities.
The 41-year-old, who manages 25 people across two divisions, is also a mentor, having previously benefited from the guidance of bosses and senior colleagues who showed her how to engage stakeholders and “tackle challenging situations”.
The mother of two kids, aged six and eight, joined EDB 18 years ago as a senior officer in the chemicals division. While she has stayed on mainly because of the meaningful nature of the work, the agency’s flexi-work arrangements have been a bonus. Once meetings are over, she can leave the office and continue working from home after her children have gone to bed.
“This reflects trust and focuses on outcomes rather than on clocking hours,” she says.
Under hybrid work arrangements, team members work in the office on some days for bonding and also enjoy the flexibility of working from home on other days.
EDB also has family-friendly events such as EDB Sports and Carnival Day, F1 Viewing, National Day Celebrations and Kids@work, an annual event held during the December school holidays that lets EDB officers’ children watch their parents at work and take part in interactive activities like movie screenings and baking.
And on the last Friday of each quarter, all staff can leave work as early as 3pm to enjoy a leisurely dinner with their families.
Other flexi-work initiatives include staggered working hours so staff can start and end work earlier or later.
Younger staff are also not pigeon-holed and are allowed to explore different EDB divisions before deciding on the area they want to settle in.
Says Ms Moh, who has done a three-year posting at EDB’s New York office: “We view each officer’s career as a lattice where there are multiple paths to develop competencies. Officers are encouraged to take ownership of the direction and pace of job rotations, depending on their needs across different life stages.”
Mr Tan says: “EDB is a workplace for people who like to challenge themselves, have a growth mindset and never want to stop learning.”
