President of FLA (Singapore), Mr Gan Shee Wen

Organising Committee of FLAsia,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

1. Thank you for inviting me to Franchising & Licensing Asia (FLAsia) 2025 as it celebrates its 20^th edition this year. This year’s theme, “Empowering Franchising and Licensing Success in Asia,” sets the stage for a showcase of over 250 franchise brands and licensable characters from around the world. With an emphasis on intellectual property (IP) innovation, FLAsia 2025 offers a valuable platform for IP creators to connect with potential licensees, collaborators, and investors.

2. IP licensing and franchising enables businesses to collaborate and innovate to come up with newer and better products and services. I am pleased that Singapore’s Intellectual Property Office (IPOS) has partnered with the FLA through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during our recent IP Week to provide guidance sessions on IP protection and commercialisation, whilst enabling businesses to leverage FLA's networks for cross-border scaling opportunities.

3. Franchising and licensing also offer a practical and less capital-intensive pathway for Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand across the region. For businesses to avoid losing control of their brand identity and innovations, regional expansion requires robust IP protection. As such, to support businesses in securing comprehensive IP protection across the region, IPOS is part of the ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC) programme, which enables businesses to accelerate patent protection across 9 ASEAN markets. With further enhancements coming in 2026, the programme has so far benefitted over 400 applicants across 30+ countries by accelerating more than 1,800 patent applications.

4. The Franchise and License trade exhibition will bring Singapore and international brands to potential business partners. It includes:

a. A Licensing Village to connect IP owners with businesses seeking licensing deals, brand collaborations, and strategic partnerships, for the exploration of untapped markets and cross-industry collaborations.

b. A Knowledge Arena with workshops and discussions on scaling in Asia’s fast-growing franchise & licensing markets. This includes FLAsia’s first Chinese-language franchising conference, designed to explore collaboration and expansion in China.

c. The Design WAH! Showcase, as supported by the DesignSingapore Council, to feature original design IPs developed by Singapore’s rising creative talents, from design students to emerging practitioners. Local design IP applications have grown from 1,286 in 2020 to 1,429 in 2024, with Singapore applicants contributing significantly to this growth.

5. In order to connect talent with opportunities, this year FLAsia features a career fair with job openings, training pathways, and direct access to employers. FLAsia’s career fair seeks to connect professionals, mid-career switchers, and graduates with opportunities in the franchising, licensing, and design sectors.

6. Last but not least, I would like to congratulate the winners of the Franchising & Licensing Awards this year. The awards honour exceptional achievements within the local franchising and licensing landscape, affirming the industry’s vitality and highlight the international competitiveness of Singapore companies.

7. Here's to a successful FLAsia 2025!

8. Thank you.