Our Moderator
Mr Ong Eng Teck
Council Member
The Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES)
Nelson Low joined A*STAR as Deputy Director, Singapore Aerospace Programme (SAP) in October 2021 and promoted to Director in January 2023. He currently drives the Singapore Aerospace Programme to translate research and development projects to industry implementation for aerospace companies.
Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in the aviation industry. He started his career as a Technical Services Engineer in Singapore Airlines in 2001 where he was the lead technical specialist for several aircraft systems such as landing gear, flight control and hydraulics. After stints in airline operations in Changi Airport, programme office for A380 and fleet management, Nelson moved into commercial role in 2012, where he was appointed General Manager Bangladesh followed by General Manager Taiwan.
He was posted back to head office in 2017 to lead the digital transformation of airlines operations. He was instrumental in setting up the governance framework, formulating digitalisation and automation roadmap, driving analytics and innovation adoption and leading cross-functional teams from cabin crew, flight operations, airport operations, engineering, safety & security, and information technology.
Nelson graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (Product Design) from Nanyang Technological University in 1999. He was awarded a National Science and Technology Board Scholarship and graduated with a Master of Engineering from Nanyang Technological University in 2001. He attained his Master of Business Administration from NUS Business School in 2010.
Nelson is married with two children, aged 13 and 7.
Our Panellists
Mr Lim Kok Kiang
Principal & CEO
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Mr Lim Kok Kiang was appointed the Principal & Chief Executive Officer of Ngee Ann Polytechnic on 12 May 2021. Prior to this, he was Executive Vice President of the Singapore Economic Development Board’s (EDB) International Operations as well as EDB’s strategies in Advanced Manufacturing. He also led their Accounts Group which works closely with top local and international companies from a wide range of industries to facilitate investments and transform their operations in Singapore.
As Executive Vice President, Mr Lim led his teams to successfully develop and launch Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) for Precision Engineering, Marine & Offshore, Aerospace and Electronics industries. He championed the creation and launch of the Singapore Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), a suite of frameworks and tools to help manufacturers sustain their manufacturing transformation journeys. In 2020, EDB entered into a partnership with the World Economic Forum to accelerate the use of SIRI as an internationally-recognised standard for Industry 4.0 (i4.0) transformation, and the adoption of new i4.0 technologies across manufacturing communities around the world.
Previously, Mr Lim held the posts of Executive Director, Transport Engineering and Asia Pacific. As Executive Director, Transport Engineering, he was responsible for the development and growth of Singapore’s Aerospace, Marine & Offshore, Land Transport and Oil & Gas industries. As Executive Director of Asia Pacific, he led EDB’s Asia Pacific operations which encompass facilitating investments from China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea.
Mr Lim formerly held positions as Director of Logistics, and Regional Director, Japan Operations.
Mr Lim joined EDB in 1996. He is a Public Service Commission scholar and graduated from Tokyo University with a Bachelor in Economics in 1993.
Our Panellists
Mr Wendy Tan
Director
PME, National Trade Union Congress (NTUC)
Wendy started off as an Industrial Relations Officer in NTUC with rotations in various unions before she was appointed Director to lead NTUC’s Youth Development unit. One key project was leading the 2023 NTUC Youth Taskforce engagements of 10,000 youths to better understand the aspirations and concerns of the future workforce. She also previously served as a Council Member in the 16th and 17th National Youth Council.
She is currently Director, NTUC PME, the department that focuses on enhancing the wages, welfare, and work prospects for PMEs, driving the innovation of new value propositions, forming strategic partnerships, and advocating for PME rights and protection. She also serves as a Board Member for the Institute for Human Resources Professionals and MoneyOwl.
Our Panellists
Prof Seeram Ramakrishna
Xinghua Distinguished Chair Professor, Director of the iWearables Center, Tsinghua University, Doctoral Supervisor
Academician Seeram Ramakrishna is a Xinghua Distinguished Chair Professor, and Director of iWearables Center, Tsinghua University.
Prof Seeram is an adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is a cross-fields pioneer advancing nanotechnology for diverse applications.
Ranked 11th globally in the field of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Elsevier | Stanford list), he is named among the World’s Most Influential Minds (Thomson Reuters) and a Highly Ranked Scholar (Scholar GPS) with more than 500 Q1 journal papers, 222 H-Index, and 231,800 citations.
His contributions also appeared in Nature, Nature Reviews Methods, Nature Communications, Matter, so on journals.
Highest professional distinctions include Fellow | Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; UK Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng); Singapore Academy of Engineering; Indian National Academy of Engineering; ASEAN Academy of Engineering & Technology; International Academy of Engineering and Technology; International Academy of Bionic Science; and World Academy for Artificial Consciousness. Prof Seeram is also an elected Fellow of AAAS, ASM International, ASME, AIMBE, USA; IMechE and IoM3, UK; ISTE, India; IUBSE (FBSE) and ISBE. He received a PhD from the University of Cambridge, UK, and TGMP from Harvard University, USA.
He received advanced research experiences from MIT and Johns Hopkins University, USA and KIT, Japan. His senior academic leadership experiences include NUS Vice-President (Research Strategy); Dean of NUS Engineering; Director of NUS Enterprise; Director of NUS Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Initiative (NUSNNI); and Founder of the Global Engineering Deans Council. A proponent of internationalisation of higher education and cross-fields research and innovation.
Ms Wendy Tan
Director
PME, National Trade Union Congress (NTUC)
