Speech by Minister of State Foo Cexiang at the Design Business Chamber Singapore Gala Dinner

Introduction

1. A very good evening. It is my pleasure to be here with all of you for your Gala Dinner. It is a special occasion for me personally too, as it is my first official event in my new capacity as Minister-of-State for Trade & Industry. And as someone trained in urban planning, you can imagine how thrilled I am to be amongst designers.

2. The Design 2035 Masterplan begins with a quote from President Tharman. "Design reflects our spirit of tackling challenges creatively, whether in securing high-grade water, or in shaping products that make everyday life just a bit easier and more delightful, or in helping those who need care."

3. The President’s quote captures something fundamental about Singapore. Design is not simply about what we see. It is about how we solve problems. It is about how we create value. And ultimately, it is about how we improve lives. In many ways, the Singapore story is a design story.

4. We are a nation that has always had to do more with less. We did not inherit abundant natural resources. We could not rely on the size of our domestic market. We could not depend on geography alone for our success. Instead, we learned to design our way forward.

5. Be it our world-class public housing system, an integrated transport network that connects people to opportunities, water solutions that transformed vulnerability into resilience a city that has grown denser while becoming greener, or public institutions that people trust – we have had to design each and every one of these.

6. Building on this legacy, we have set ourselves an ambitious goal: by 2035, every Singaporean will use design at work or in life, helping to shape Singapore into a liveable, loveable and limitless nation by design. My favourite amongst these three is ‘loveable’. In Singapore we have focused a lot on efficiency, but to endeavour to be lovable – that goes beyond efficiency. This is precisely what design would be able to bring out.

7. This goal cannot be achieved by government alone. Nor can it be achieved by designers working in isolation. It requires the collective effort of businesses, industry leaders, educators, communities and citizens.

8. And that is why Design Business Chamber Singapore plays such a critical role. DBCS sits at the intersection between design and business. You help translate creative possibility into economic value. You help connect designers with industry needs. You help ensure that design remains a force for innovation, competitiveness and national development.

9. Tonight, I would like to highlight three areas where I hope DBCS and the design business community can take the lead on, to make our goals in the Design 2035 Masterplan a reality.

Design to Solve Societal Challenges with People at the Heart

10. First, use design to solve challenges in our society, with people at the heart.

11. We hear a lot about technology today. Artificial intelligence. Automation. Algorithms. Every week, there seems to be a new breakthrough that promises to transform the way we live and work. There is no question that technology will continue to change our lives.

12. But the more important question is: Will these changes make life better for people? For if they don’t, then on many counts the change is not very meaningful.

13. Three major forces will shape our future – AI, Climate Change and Aging Society. Each will pose challenges for our society. How do we continue to develop good jobs and careers for our workers? How do we help communities adapt to climate change? How do we continue to care for an ageing population?

14. These challenges cannot be solved by technology alone. They require empathy. They require an understanding of human behaviour. They require an ability to see systems through the eyes of the people who use them. That is what good design brings.

15. One example that stood out to me is the collaboration between the National Heart Centre Singapore and Equitech Collective, highlighted in the Design 2035 Masterplan. Together, they developed a simple WhatsApp-based system that allows heart-failure patients to submit daily vital signs and updates from home. This enables clinicians to identify potential issues earlier, so that patients receive more timely support, and healthcare resources can be deployed more effectively. It reduces manual follow-ups while enabling clinicians to focus on patients who need attention most.

16. What I find remarkable is that the innovation was not the technology itself. WhatsApp is not new. Remote monitoring is not new. The real innovation was understanding people's needs and designing around them. The solution started with the people at the heart of it all.

17. Another good example is the Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 Dementia-Friendly Wayfinding System, which is one of the SG Mark recipients tonight. Through simple but thoughtful features such as clear signage, visual cues and familiar imagery, it helps seniors and persons living with dementia navigate their neighbourhood more confidently and independently. It shows how good design can make everyday life more accessible and inclusive.

18. This is a fundamental lesson for all of us. As AI becomes more powerful, human-centred design becomes even more important. Because the future will not belong to those who deploy the most technology. It will belong to those who use technology most meaningfully.

19. I hope DBCS will be able to lead this transition by bringing together designers, technologists, healthcare providers, businesses and public agencies and encouraging more firms to participate in design and innovation from the heart.

20. This is why I am very heartened and excited by the refresh of the Singapore Design Awards – moving from recognising design excellence to challenging designers to address real societal issues through impactful design solutions.

Grow and Export our Design Solutions

21. In 2023, the design sector contributed about S$2.7 billion in real value added to our GDP. Across the wider economy, design is estimated to have generated S$13.8 billion in gross value added. We also have around 11,000 design firms in Singapore, and more than 50,000 designers working across different industries.

22. I strongly believe in the growth potential of the sector. Demand for Singapore design extends well beyond our shores, with strong markets in India, China, Vietnam and Malaysia. Many cities are confronting challenges that Singapore has spent decades learning to solve.

23. DBCS can play a significant role here. Nine in ten design firms have fewer than ten employees. These firms possess tremendous creativity and agility, but many face barriers to entering and growing in overseas markets.

24. Together with platforms such as the World Design Business Organization and the World Design Business Forum, I hope that DBCS will be able to link up our firms with other markets to help them move up the value chain.

Partner Industry to Harness Design as an Investment

25. Third, to all CEOs and business leaders here tonight, my message is this – see design as an investment, not as a cost, or an after-thought.

26. A thriving design sector depends not only on good designers, but also on informed buyers who recognise the potential of design to grow their business.

27. This is why I am particularly pleased to see Mandai Wildlife Group and CPG Consultants recognised as the top companies in the Business of Design and Market of Design pillars respectively, in this year’s Design Power Index.

28. Mandai understands that memorable visitor experiences do not happen by accident. CPG understands that world-class infrastructure requires world-class design thinking. It signals that business leaders increasingly understand that design has moved from the margins to the mainstream.

29. It is increasingly owned and championed in boardrooms. When business leaders begin to think like design leaders, innovation becomes part of organisational culture rather than a one-off initiative – and we take an important step towards every Singaporean using design at work.

Conclusion

30. Ladies and Gentlemen. The future of design in Singapore is bright. The government is committed to growing the sector. I have shared several areas where I think DBCS can play a leading role to help realise the sector’s potential.

31. Even as we look ahead, tonight is also a celebration of the industry’s achievements, as well as our young and aspiring future design leaders who will lead us in the future. I hope all of you are inspired and encouraged by the good examples on display and the conversations you have tonight at the dinner table.

32. Congratulations to DBCS and all our award recipients! Let us all work together to build a Singapore that is truly limitless and loveable by design! Thank you!