Singapore Institute of Directors

20 February 2023, Singapore – The Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) and Singapore Computer Society (SCS) are launching a board readiness programme to prepare women professionals in the digital and technology industry to be board directors. This follows the agreement inked in September 2022 between the two organisations to collaborate on increasing the diversity and digital quotient of boards.

Ecosystem-wide approach

The programme is supported by Infocomm Media Development Authority, and takes a holistic approach to developing an ecosystem-wide perspective. Under the broad scope of director duties and corporate governance, areas of coverage include board governance, financial literacy, risk and strategy, digital knowledge, climate risk and human capital development.

A unique feature of this programme is the sheer breadth and depth of coverage, with over 20 leading professional firms in key industries backing this initiative.

The knowledge partners include Allen & Gledhill, AON, Bain & Co, BCG, Deloitte, Egon Zehnder, ERM, EY, H&S, Kearney, KPMG, Lee & Lee, Mercer, McKinsey, NCS, PwC, Rajah & Tann, Russell Reynolds, Teneo, WongPartnership and WTW.

“When it comes to championing good governance, it takes a whole community. We are thrilled to have so many organisations – each with their own unique capability, expertise and experience – join SID in this endeavour to move the needle on diversity and governance. Their strong partnership with SID speaks volumes about their belief in the importance of diversity and good governance,” said Wong Su-Yen, SID Chair.

Empowering women in tech

Board diversity is a cornerstone of good corporate governance and a key tenet of effective boards. This programme will build a robust pipeline of board-ready women in technology (WIT) and encourage more women professionals to take up board appointments, thus directly addressing the issue of board diversity both in terms of gender and functional expertise.

“Women in tech bring the unique ability to integrate future digital possibilities with the vision of organisations going forward. Boards of tomorrow also need to tap on the richness of varied viewpoints. This is where women in tech can make the biggest difference as board directors,” said Poh Mui Hoon, FSID, FSCS, and Non-Executive Director, Singapore Pools.

Aside from building board readiness among women, this SID and SCS collaboration aims to improve the digital quotient on boards.

“Having women with a strong understanding of digital technologies and trends on boards can help organisations make more informed decisions around the company’s digital strategy, innovation and investments while offering diverse perspectives. This could be a key differentiation in our digital economy,” said Tan Lee Chew, President, WIT Chapter, SCS.

Diversity in the boardroom

The one-year programme seeks to raise the awareness of the significance of good governance and the role board directors play in preserving and enhancing the value of their organisations. The programme focuses on knowledge acquisition and skills training to build competencies in preparation for the role of a board director.

“Women in tech come with a wealth of experience and future-oriented mindsets, facets which offer significant value to a broad spectrum of boards of directors. Joining boards is a great way for women to gain a different perspective. It’s great that SID and SCS are launching a women in tech readiness course to enhance relevant knowledge and skills to leverage at a director level,” said Aliza Knox, Singapore 100 Women in Tech honouree, Non-Executive Director.

The curriculum will include professional training and educational courses by SID and its knowledge partners. This will be supplemented by seminars and workshops organised by SID and SCS, sharing of thought leadership resources, and a mentorship programme featuring experienced directors as mentors. Networking opportunities and peer learning will also be available through the various activities of SID and SCS.

“Leaders stay on top of their game because they invest in their own professional development, get out of their comfort zones, push boundaries, and challenge their thoughts and assumptions. Through the SID-SCS Women in Tech board readiness programme, I’m confident that participants will gain great value and be well-poised to tackle challenges in the boardroom,” said Tan Yen Yen, FSID, FSCS, Non-Executive Director, OCBC Bank.

Open for enrolment

The SID-SCS Women in Tech (WIT) Board Readiness Programme is targeted at professionals who are C-suite executives or have senior leadership experience, and are keen to pursue board directorship roles. Registration will be open from 20 February 2023.

More information about the programme can be obtained here:

https://www.sid.org.sg/board-readiness-programme

https://www.scs.org.sg/events/board-readiness-programme

About WIT Board Readiness Programme

Leveraging the flagship Board Readiness Programme by SID, the WIT Board Readiness Programme is designed to prepare senior executives and professionals from the digital and tech space for board directorship positions. The one-year programme takes attendees through a comprehensive development journey, which includes self-assessment, professional training, board simulation exercises, mentorship and professional networking. Delivered by SID and its pre-eminent knowledge partners from across the governance ecosystem, the holistic programme seeks to raise awareness of the risks and opportunities confronting board directors, and focuses on equipping the attendees with the essential knowledge and skills required of board directors.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Singapore Computer Society

Singapore Institute of Directors

Seah Mee Ling

Senior Manager

HP: +65 9877 7463

Email: meeling.seah@scs.org.sg

Yang Wai Wai

Head, Research and Communications

HP: +65 9797 9660

Email: waiwai.yang@sid.org.sg

Rachel Seetho

Assistant Manager

HP: +65 9762 0869

Email: rachel.seetho@scs.org.sg

Ishwa Desai

Editorial Assistant

DID: +65 6422 1189

Email: ishwa.desai@sid.org.sg

About Singapore Computer Society

The Singapore Computer Society (SCS) is the leading tech society for industry professionals, leaders, students, and tech enthusiasts. Leading and driving vibrancy and growth of Singapore’s tech industry, it strives to raise the bar of the tech industry and add value to its members’ professional and personal development goals through publications, networking opportunities and certification programmes. Established in 1967, SCS has over 52,000 members today and remains committed to establishing a strong reputation as the voice of Singapore’s tech community through thirteen Chapters and four Special Interest Groups. SCS actively engages in developing future generations of tech talents. Its student members enjoy opportunities to meet, mingle, and be mentored by leading practitioners.

For more information, please visit www.scs.org.sg and LinkedIn page.

About Singapore Institute of Directors

The Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) is Singapore’s national association for company directors. Formed in 1998, its mission is to uplift the directorship profession and champion good governance. Its membership comprises board directors, company leaders and professionals with an interest in corporate governance. SID provides a comprehensive training curriculum that covers the spectrum of professional developmental needs of directors. SID also curates thought leadership and benchmarking research and indices on corporate governance and directorship issues, and provides a one-stop information resource on governance-related matters. It connects the director community via initiatives such as mentoring and networking, and provides a range of services for boards including board appointments, board listings and board evaluations.

For more information, please visit www.sid.org.sg and LinkedIn page.