SiTF 2007 ICT Business Outlook Forum was held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on 18 January 2007

Missed the SiTF ICT Business Outlook Forum 2007? iN.SG recaps the one-day forum held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on 18 January 2007.

Global branding can be a reality for infocomm enterprises with a new initiative announced by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, at the SiTF ICT Business Outlook Forum 2007.

Guest-of-honour Dr Balakrishnan kick-started the annual event organised by the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF), as he shared his positive outlook on the Singapore infocomm industry in 2007.

Guest-of-honour Dr Vivian Balakrishnan sharing his outlook on the Singapore infocomm industry

"With pervasive Internet access such as connectivity at home and free wireless access in public areas, the consumer can access online products and services anywhere, anytime. This spells tremendous business opportunities for companies and organisations looking to woo these Digital Age consumers. The Singapore infocomm industry is thus well poised to tap into growing opportunities in the Digital Age. I believe our infocomm industry is set for further growth and to make its mark on the international scene," said Dr Balakrishnan.

Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Chief Executive Officer of the IDA

Mr Emmanuel Daniel, Founder, The Asian Banker

Mr Walter Lee, Vice President of Asia/Pacific Consulting, Partnering & SMB Research

Mr Martin Roll, CEO of VentureRepublic and author of Asian Brand Strategy

Mr Stephen Lim, immediate past Chairman of SiTF.

Mr Pek Yew Chai, takes over from Mr Stephen Lim as the Chairman of SiTF

However, a perception audit – initiated by SiTF, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and IE Singapore – showed a lack of international awareness of local infocomm companies. To counter this problem, the Minister announced the launch of the Infocomm Singapore brand.

Second speaker Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Chief Executive Officer of the IDA, reviewed and updated several infocomm initiatives such as Wireless@SG and iGov2010 initiated last year, and touched on upcoming projects that aim to further elevate the strengths and positioning of local infocomm companies overseas.

Presenting his speech in a 'weather report' style, Mr Emmanuel Daniel, Founder of The Asian Banker, provided his opinions on how the infocomm industry can survive and progress in the financial services industry in Asia.

Continuing the weather report was Mr Walter Lee, Vice President of Asia/Pacific Consulting, Partnering & SMB Research at IDC, who delved into the dramatic climatic changes in the infocomm industry caused by convergence, the rise of China and India, and wireless mobile.

According to Mr Lee, a unique window of opportunity will be opened within the next five years and the IT landscape will be unrecognisable.

Mr Martin Roll, CEO of VentureRepublic and author of Asian Brand Strategy, gave an interesting and honest take on branding in Asia. Emphasising that brands drive shareholder value and that companies must deliver their promises to consumers, Mr Roll explained what went wrong in Asian branding and how the current situation can be salvaged by a shift in paradigm.

The final speaker of the forum was Mr Stephen Lim, immediate past Chairman of SiTF, who elaborated on the Infocomm Singapore initiative and explained how local infocomm companies can benefit from this new scheme by delivering solutions under the Infocomm Singapore brand.

"This is a collective effort... we have to embark on the programme, contribute and take advantage of the branding; let's celebrate the Singapore branding," said Mr Lim.

Panel participants (from left), Mr Martin Roll(Moderator), Dr Chong Yoke Sin (CEO of NCS Pte Ltd), Mr Eddie Chau (President and CEO of e-Cop Pte Ltd), Mr Terence Swee (Founder and Chief Opportunities Officer) of muvee Technologies, and Mr Stephen Lim, immediate past Chairman of SiTF

The forum ended with an engaging panel discussion that involved Mr Lim, Dr Chong Yoke Sin (CEO of NCS Pte Ltd), Mr Eddie Chau (President and CEO of e-Cop Pte Ltd) and Mr Terence Swee (Founder and Chief Opportunities Officer) of muvee Technologies.

With Mr Martin Roll as the session's moderator, the four speakers shared their experience in building their brands overseas and how they overcame the challenges faced.

For more information on the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF), visit http://www.sitf.org.sg