Aaron MANIAM is currently Deputy Director at the Institute of Policy Studies and Professor in Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. His applied research, teaching and policy engagement work focuses on issues connecting technology, public policy and public administration: how governments use technology (most recently, AI in its generative, agentic and other forms), how they plan for the long term, what facilitates both processes and how they can be improved.
He was previously Fellow of Practice and Director, Digital Transformation Education, at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford (2023-2026). He taught on the School’s Master of Public Policy and executive education programmes, and convened its thematic cluster on digital technology, bringing together scholarship and practice on digital issues. He continues as Associate Faculty of the School, a position created for former full-time staff who retain a connection with the School's work and mission.
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He co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council (GFC) on GovTech and Public Digital Infrastructure. He co-chairs the OECD's global Expert Group on Strategic Foresight, previously co-chaired a GFC on the Future of Technology Policy and is a member of the OECD’s Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Futures - all building on his previous work on technology and futures at the Singapore government.
He served in the Singapore Foreign Service and Administrative Service from 2004 to 2023, most recently as Deputy Secretary (Industry and International) at the Ministry of Communications and Information (since renamed as the Ministry of Digital Development and Information).
He has been an adjunct of the University Scholars Programme and/or NUS College since 2010. He has taught modules on "Leadership in a Complex World" and "Polycentric Governance: Possibilities and Pitfalls".
Research Interests
Intersection of technology, public policy and public administration. Complexity theory, leadership, futures thinking and design approaches.
Publications
Op-eds/Commentaries