16th S R Nathan Fellow – Philip Yeo

Mr Philip Yeo is Chairman, Economic Development Innovations Singapore (EDIS), an economic development management services company. EDIS provides strategic advice and undertakes the development and management of integrated industrial and urban areas with an emphasis on job creation and industrial cluster development.

Mr Yeo is Chairman of Accuron Technologies, a global technology group with core competencies in precision manufacturing, material processing and systems design and integration serving the aerospace, electronics and medical industries.

He is Chairman of Advanced MedTech Holdings, a high growth medtech company in Southeast Asia with a well-established global footprint. It is a global medical technology leader with a core focus in urology devices and services.

He is Chairman of i-Globe Partners, a Singapore-based Private venture capital fund.
 
Mr Yeo is an independent director on the board of directors of City Developments Ltd (CDL), Sunway Group, QAF Limited and Indofood Agri Resources Pte Ltd. He is also Chairman of IndoAgri.

He was former Chairman of SPRING (Standards, Productivity and Innovation for Growth), Singapore Government’s enterprise development agency whose mission is to enable and grow Local Enterprises focusing on Small and Medium Enterprises. In April 2018, SPRING Singapore merged with International Enterprise Singapore to form Enterprise Singapore.

He was former Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) and Economic Development Board (EDB), and Senior Adviser for Science & Technology in the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Special Advisor for Economic Development in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Mr Yeo holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering) and an honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada; Master of Science (Systems Engineering) from the then University of Singapore; Master of Business Administration from Harvard University; honorary Doctorate in Medicine from Karolinska Institute of Sweden; honorary Doctorate of Science from Imperial College London; honorary Doctor of Letters from National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University and honorary Doctor of Law from Monash University, Australia.

He received numerous awards from Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Europe and US. 


16th IPS-Nathan Lecture Series — Neither Civil Nor Servant: Singapore’s Disruptive Economic Playbook
In this three-part lecture series, Neither Civil Nor Servant: Singapore’s Disruptive Economic Playbook, former Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and SPRING Singapore (now Enterprise Singapore), Mr Philip Yeo will share his bold and unconventional approach to shaping Singapore’s economic future. As IPS’ 16th S R Nathan Fellow, he will examine the past, present and future of Singapore’s economic strategy across three interconnected themes: economic development; research and development (R&D) and innovation; and enterprise growth.

A firm believer in talent development, Mr Yeo has mentored young leaders and established scholarship programmes to cultivate Singapore’s next generation of industry pioneers. Reflecting on Singapore’s transformation into a global manufacturing hub, the strategic role of innovation in driving progress, and the journey of local enterprises expanding internationally, Mr Yeo will offer insights into the key drivers of Singapore’s economic transformation, including the creation of high-quality jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans, and the challenges ahead.

Through this series, Mr Yeo will provide a thought-provoking perspective on the strategies that have shaped Singapore’s economic resilience and global relevance.