The key to a successful digital future

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: How do you rate Singapore's prospects in the global race to attract top tech talent? Will Tech@SG bring in the 'Jedi Masters'?

Wissam Khoury SVP and MD, MEA and APAC Finastra

Singapore has undoubtedly positioned itself as a frontrunner in winning over global tech talent in recent years with its thriving innovation ecosystem, mindset for embracing innovation and startup culture, and progressive regulatory environment. Initiatives such as Tech@SG are a natural next step to securing the leading global technology expertise that will help Singapore anchor its position as a true technology and innovation hub. Fostering diversity in talent must remain a key focus alongside efforts to attract tech 'Jedi Masters'. As digitalisation continues to accelerate in Asia, we increasingly see a shift towards open and collaborative models of business. Companies can no longer innovate in silos and must instead embrace the potential for collaboration across the full spectrum of talent, to truly spark new thinking and sustainable innovation.

Jason Hammond Chief Executive Officer QBE Asia

The prospect of Singapore attracting global tech talent is bright. In addition to consistently placing among the top economies in World Bank's ranking of the best places to do business, Singapore is already home to many world-class innovators. More importantly, as the top Asian economy for intellectual property rights protection, potential tech hires and even ''Jedi Masters'' are guaranteed safe harbour. Tech@SG will only make Singapore an even more attractive destination for tech workers. However, Singapore must also prioritise the training and development of the local talent pool to close the tech talent gap for good.

Victor Mills Chief Executive Singapore International Chamber of Commerce

Singapore's recent move to facilitate targeted immigration for the tech talent necessary to sustain businesses and our economy is very welcome. It will produce the desired results. That is because it makes perfect commercial sense and underscores two important policy directions. First, the best way to manage immigration is to decide what talent gaps exist and then facilitate the immigration of the people we need to help us plug those gaps. It is not about quantity. It's all about quality talent. The second key policy message is: Singapore has been, is and always will be a global city.

John Bittleston Founder and Chair Terrific Mentors International Pte Ltd

Top tech talent in the future is in competition with AI. Singapore is in an excellent position to attract such talent. A disciplined and orderly society plus well-developed inventiveness and creativity work exceptionally well to provide a climate in which innovation and discovery flourish. Approaching new technology from the point of order as well as of chaos makes better thought lines than chaos alone. This is particularly true now that new tech will be substantially developed by AI. To ensure we have access to the best talent available Singapore may need to consider dual citizenship for talent it really wants.

Alice Bentinck Co-Founder Entrepreneur First

Singapore has set its sights on becoming a global hub for deep-tech talent and initiatives like Tech@SG will undoubtedly bring the country one step closer to achieving this goal. As a global talent investor, we often find that the ability to attract high-quality talent is often a front-of-mind challenge for many early-stage technology companies looking to scale. Whether or not it will attract the ''Jedi Masters'' remains to be seen, but these programmes help remove hiring limitations, and more importantly allow companies in Singapore to build globally competent core teams and expand overseas. Afterall, the entrepreneur's ambition should be to build a company with global impact, not just in their home country.

Dhruv Kapoor Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder Zilingo

Build and they will come: a philosophy that has served Singapore well.

The greatest innovators are driven by a culture of constant innovation, fuelled by top-tier tech talent. This is especially true for Zilingo - we're always on the lookout to recruit the best engineers, data scientists, and designers from around the world.

At our inception in 2015, headquartering here was an easy choice given the strategic location, pro-business environment, and ease of enticing talent to relocate. By cultivating its tech sector, Singapore has become a magnet for the tech ''Jedi Masters'', making it top-of-mind as the region's technology hub, housing disruptive startups and technology giants - and we foresee more such companies basing themselves here.

Yeoh Oon Jin Executive Chairman PwC Singapore

The key to a successful digital future for Singapore is to bring together the best of artificial intelligence and human intelligence. Unfortunately, there is a clear shortage of top digital talents in Singapore as well as globally. To ensure a strong competitive positioning for Singapore, we need to take bold steps to attract the best global talents. The launch of the Tech @SG scheme recognises this need to attract the ''Jedi Masters'' that can elevate Singapore to a new level. It will also be important to continually re-evaluate the local environment to support the attraction of top talents. Tech@SG is a great positive step to help position Singapore as the leading future digital hub for the region.

Jayaprakash Jagateesan Chief Executive Officer RHT Fintech Holdings

Singapore consistently ranks among the top cities for expats to live and work in, but that may not suffice. We need the right ecosystem of related professional services, investors and a vibrant tech scene to attract top tech talent. Singapore also needs to further project its soft power and strengthen the intangible proposition that the next big thing could be developing here, and Singapore is the place to be.

As the world's brightest minds in tech move here to help exciting projects take off, it is essential that employers leverage their capabilities to upskill and develop homegrown talent for a more sustainable local technology ecosystem.

Max Loh EY Managing Partner, Singapore and Brunei Ernst & Young LLP

Top tech talent seeks an environment that thrives on enterprise, innovation and impact - one that enables risk-taking and opportunities to fail and learn in order to achieve better outcomes, as well as a supportive culture of peer learning and mentorship. Success begets success. Showcasing Singapore's success in technological innovation enabled by top-notch ''Jedi'' talent will help to draw in even more top professionals. Having said that, it is not just about work. Singapore's holistic offering as an ideal place to work, live and play - given its enduring attributes such as the quality of life, high standards in safety, education and urban infrastructure, diverse talent mix and its well-established hub status to the rest of the fast-growing Southeast Asia region - is what truly sets the country apart.

Dan McConaghy President FICO, Asia Pacific

Singapore is already an attractive destination for fintech talent with its solid reputation as a global financial centre. However, to take advantage of the disruptive changes that are affecting all areas of finance from payments to money remittances, personal loans to asset management, it is vital to grow and encourage the development of the industry. Singapore has a social, technological and geographical edge on other hubs in other parts of the world as the key markets are in Asia. Developing the talent base for fintech here in Singapore will allow the industry to grab this exciting opportunity and further strengthen the Singapore economy.

Joe Ong VP and GM, ASEAN Hitachi Vantara

Globally, Singapore is one of the most technologically advanced societies. People are at the centre of this digital transformation. Emerging fields require new skillsets, and the continual investments Singapore has made in higher education and R&D are paying off. To grow, we must tap international expertise to help us learn new skills and complement and enhance our local workforce's competencies.

Diversity brings unique experiences and varied skillsets; that's valuable when building technological infrastructure, as technology permeates society. Our openness to embracing diversity stems from our multiracial culture.

As a smart nation, the possibilities are only limited by one's imagination. Singapore's strengths - economic stability, sound infrastructure, regulatory support and an efficient workforce - as well as its liveability, easily attract global tech talent. I have no doubt that Tech@SG will bring in the ''Jedi Masters''.

Laurens Koppelaar Head, International and Singapore CEO Symbo

These are exciting times as Singapore is really starting to reap the rewards of proactively developing a world-class innovation ecosystem - and is now regarded as a leading place to live and work for innovators and trailblazers looking to chart their next steps in the region and globally. As Tech@SG is launched and VCs continue to funnel steady capital into Singapore's tech ecosystem, we see a unique opportunity to fortify our tech talent across all industries. While attracting the ''Jedi Masters'' is part of the battle won, Singapore must equally continue to foster an enabling culture and mindset locally that encourages homegrown ''Obi-Wans'' to emerge, and develop its own brand of talent and service innovation to truly reap the long-term talent dividends that will make it a global technology hub in its own right.

Malina Platon Managing Director, ASEAN UiPath

The future is ''Automation First'' and economies that embrace automation technologies will not only outperform their peers, but have a more innovative, happier workforce. For Singapore to attract top global talent and companies, it needs to foster a welcoming business environment, promote a high quality of life and be open to innovation.

More importantly, Singapore needs to prepare its own workforce to be able to support high-tech firms and build our own talent who can compete globally. This starts with preparing students and workers for the economy of the future, teaching them to work alongside robots and producing a workforce that can fit seamlessly into the fields of data science, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things.

Mieke De Schepper Managing Director Asia Pacific Amadeus

Thanks to initiatives like Smart Nation and years of government investment in its technology sector, Singapore has a global reputation as a highly innovative and liveable city, so it is already well-placed to attract top talent. That said, it can't afford to rest on its laurels. As a big employer of technology professionals ourselves, we expect competition for talent to continue increasing and to come not only from established tech hubs, but also from emerging markets in the near future.

Any scheme that makes international hiring easier in Singapore and bring in the best candidates for the job is a good thing, but Tech@SG should go hand-in-hand with initiatives to nurture homegrown ''Padawans'' too.

Tirupathi Karthik CEO Napier Healthcare

We are placed very favourably to attract top tech talent given the infrastructure and our ''first world'' approach to usage of technology.

Top tech talent will be attracted to any place that is synonymous with breakthrough innovation - something that Israel is today known for. Our sustained success will come in this field when we create institutional mechanisms that would facilitate the transfer of skills of such ''Jedi Masters'' to our locals in both academia and industry. One such key talent that we need is Product Manager - who currently seems to be in abundance only in Silicon Valley. Product management is a mindset which consciously allows one to spot a problem, use technology to solve it and monetise it eventually. Such Product Managers are, in my view, the ''Jedi Masters'' that we need. Tech@SG is a proactive approach in this direction and will be very useful to companies that are in a growth stage.

Isabel Chong Country Manager (Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), Electrical Sector Eaton East Asia

Singapore's role as a conduit for some of the world's best tech talent will only continue to grow as we set our sights on becoming a global centre for innovation and emerging technology. A critical next step for the highly-skilled professionals who come here will be to serve as catalysts for Singapore's own talent transformation. Appropriate platforms for skills transfer and knowledge exchange must also be in place to play an instrumental role in grooming Singapore's next generation of STEM talent. Only then can the true measure of success for such initiatives - the ability to nurture more of our own technology ''Jedi Masters'' to be part of a more diverse and inclusive pipeline of talent - be ascertained.

Allan Taylor CEO Boost

Global talent (and the associated companies) will be attracted to places that provide a solid foundation and ecosystem that supports both sides of the fence - life/work balance - allowing people to grow and innovate as they develop in the business. It should be noted that Singapore already ticks most of these boxes: competitive tax rates, strong rule of law, excellent education and research facilities, outstanding schooling, stable government and good quality of life - to name just a few.

A key reason many firms, including Boost, choose Singapore is because it provides access to the rest of Southeast Asia and provides a solid base to expand into our key regional and global markets. Singapore is our springboard to that growth strategy. We base our key technology and leadership team in Singapore (our corporate HQ). Working to expand trade and other relations with regional/global markets will certainly help Singaporean firms, which in turn will make Singapore a more attractive destination for global talent.

Sudhir Agarwal CEO Everise

Singapore is already poised to become a global technology hub due to its progressive policies and investment in free trade, cybersecurity and education, paired with its growing reputation as a neutral geopolitical safe haven. All the reasons why we chose to become a global, Singapore-based company.

Arkadiusz Czopor Managing Director T-Systems Asia South

Singapore will have great prospects in attracting top tech talents. Leadership is critical. The Singapore government has in 2014 launched its Smart Nation initiative which T-Systems Singapore has benefited from. The drive to enhance Singapore with ''frontier technologies'' includes reinforcement from EDB's Singapore Smart Industry Readiness Index and the government's commitment to increase flexibility in Employment Pass applications for advanced technological disciplines. Tools alone cannot bring Singapore to the frontier of technology. We need exceptional tech talents to join us. As the Trade and Industry minister said, these top talents are NOT competing with Singaporeans but they are competing FOR Singapore. I believe Tech@SG will not only bring in ''Jedi Masters'', they will help grow a local community of exceptional ''padawans'' for Singapore's next generation of tech experts.

Carlos Haeuser Chief Executive Officer oCap Management

As tech companies look to establish or expand their foothold in Singapore, the Tech@SG scheme is a step forward towards the attraction and retention of top global talent. Especially for frontier technologies, there remain a low number of risk takers and turning to global talent to fill these roles is inevitable; certain jobs in these emerging sectors may also require different skillsets from what is traditionally taught in local schools. Besides facilitating Employment Pass applications for core team members, further measures could be put in place to push this ''Jedi Masters'' programme to the next level. These may include meaningful exclusions to Employment Pass ratios and promoting the success stories of businesses led by non-Singaporeans.

Derek Wang General Manager Alibaba Cloud Singapore

Singapore is in the lead when it comes to attracting international talent, coming in second on INSEAD's Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2019. The country's world-class research institutions and deep talent pool are among the reasons why Alibaba Cloud decided to set up its international headquarters here in 2015. While it is important for Singapore to be an attractive destination for talent, it is equally important for organisations here to nurture the next generation of homegrown tech talents. At Alibaba Cloud, we see it as our duty to contribute to Singapore's growing tech talent pool by working with local universities and designing talent programmes on AI, Big Data, and Cloud Computing. We recently concluded our second intake for a talent programme with Nanyang Technological University, allowing Singaporean and Permanent Resident researchers to gain practical experience working at our labs, while pursuing a PhD course in Computer Science.

Judy Walker Chief Medical Officer Cerecin

In the life sciences it can be difficult to attract the best talent from abroad, especially from North America, China and Europe, and therefore government and other initiatives such as Tech@SG are essential. One also needs to consider that other geographies are following suit, with their own incentive programmes to attract and retain what is a limited pool of top talent in the global biopharma sector. The programmes devised need to be continually assessed and improved to ensure Singapore stands out from the other regions seeking to develop its innovative tech sectors.

Founded in Colorado, Cerecin set up our executive and operations headquarters in Singapore last year specifically to benefit from the positive moves being made by the government to establish Singapore as an innovation hub.

Cerecin's focus is in developing innovative new solutions for better brain health. It is only through attracting the best possible talent that we can hope to succeed in finding treatments for some of the world's most debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Kevin Fitzgerald Managing Director - Asia Xero

In addition to intrinsic factors such as Singapore's famed civic stability and security, as well as world-class infrastructure, initiatives such as the Tech@SG scheme are quickly making Singapore a top contender in the race for global tech talent.

Beyond monetary incentives, organisations need to ensure that employees feel truly valued and invested in the work they do, day in and day out, by developing a company culture and psychological safety where the contribution of ideas that challenge the norm are welcome and celebrated.

Another key issue is diversity - businesses have to commit to creating an environment where differences are understood, respected and celebrated so that they can truly reap the benefits of a diverse workforce, and this is something we actively strive to maintain at Xero.

Helen Ng CEO Lock+Store

Singapore has consistently topped other Asian countries in terms of quality of living and public safety. These are significant pull factors for top global talents. We should also look at the top motivators for tech professionals to relocate to Singapore beyond remuneration. Increasingly, potential employees are also prioritising work-life balance and a belief in the company's growth potential. A rising tide lifts all boats. If we are successful in attracting a diverse mix of ''Jedi Masters'', our local talents would benefit too from the exposure and benchmarking.

Martin Hayes President, SEAsia Bosch

The fragile supply-demand equilibrium of tech talent has been a hot topic, and while attracting global tech talent is part of the solving equation, Singapore should not lose sight of the ultimate objective: nurturing local talents. One of the reasons why Bosch's Southeast Asia headquarters is in Singapore is that we strongly believe in the country's prospects and see it as an environment of growth across all verticals. However, as digital disruptions start to occur, we try to grow from within by pulling our resources into reskilling and upskilling of our people. I am positive that we will see more of these initiatives to focus on training future ''Jedi Masters'' of Singapore.

Ben Lim Co-CEO The SHADO Group

Singapore should seek to match the ambitions and passions of the talent that it is seeking to attract. Skilled people will go to places where they believe their expertise will be valued and where they can make a difference. If we can reflect this then there is less need for government support or intervention as the pull factor alone will be enough to draw in global talent.

Singapore has ambitious plans to become a global leader in electric vehicles and the government supports firms that want to come here and test their technologies. Electric charging stations are popping up, firms are testing vehicles in different parts of the country and engineers are coming to Singapore to support this. That is why SHADO Group have located our office in Singapore, even though we are a regional company operating in markets in Southeast Asia and beyond. In the electric vehicle space, at least, Singapore is doing pretty well.

Tony Lombardo Chief Executive Officer, Asia Lendlease

The last few decades were pivotal for the Lion City in cementing its place as a global hub for technology and innovation and a hotbed for capital investments. With a strong reputation for ease of doing business, an established enterprise and regulatory infrastructure, as well as a strong IP protection framework, Singapore stands to retain a strong hold on its leadership position if it remains open to diversifying and growing its talent pool. Tech@SG will inject a much-needed boost to many private-sector industry initiatives to discover and draw top global talent key to making Singapore the global centre for nurturing category-defining companies globally.

Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen SVP & GM, Asia Pacific and Japan Red Hat

Singapore is poised to be a major Asian node for innovation. The country needs a strong pipeline of tech talent with skilled entrepreneurs and engineers as well as the so-called tech ''Jedi Masters'' at the helm. This will help push Singapore forward into the next phase of its economic growth.

But apart from infrastructure, key to the success of this endeavour would be the ''heartware'' - culture. At Red Hat, we believe that an open culture would be key towards creating a virtuous circle in the industry, where iron sharpens iron. Values such as open exchange, participation, meritocracy, and community will help foster the spirit of excellence, which is so crucial to innovation. This will, in turn, bode well for Singapore's quest to remain attractive to the world's best talents in technology

Rakesh Bhatia Co-Founder Balo and McXtra

The launch of Tech@SG is a step in the right direction and is much needed for Singapore to compete effectively against other countries and regions which might have a population or size advantage. A significant part of the success of Silicon Valley is built around encouraging the best and the brightest from around the world to come and realise their dreams and in the process build a successful ecosystem for all. Attracting global talent is a successful model to emulate. Equally, Singapore has always sought to remain ahead of the curve in growth industries and positioned itself as the hub for a variety of global corporations to have their regional HQ in Singapore.

From a core infrastructure perspective, Singapore has everything to offer to the ''Jedi Masters''; however, I see a challenge in the US$10 million VC funding threshold. While there needs to be a sensible hurdle so we do not have an inflow of people but not real ''Jedis'', I also see a circular challenge. Some of these Jedis can actually first help in seeding new ideas and building technology companies which can then get the US$10 million VC funding (not an insignificant amount).

So should we attract the Jedis first or should we have a US$10 million hurdle? I would argue that we need to look at cases where the business is still in its infancy but potentially can scale and attract funding in due course - say two years. This will ensure that the Jedis feel part of the building process and also are able to create value for themselves and for Singapore as a whole.

Dileep Nair Independent Director Thakral Corporation Limited

Singapore has been in the global ''war for talent'' for some time. Last decade, we focused on talent in the life sciences and biomedical field, and succeeded in attracting ''whales'' or senior scientists. Given our reputation and track record, Tech@SG can be equally successful in getting ''Jedi Masters'' provided they are made to feel welcome and at home, together with their families. Of course, the hiring must be seen to be fair and non-discriminatory, complying with the Fair Consideration Framework. Wherever possible, the scheme should reach out to Singaporean tech talents working overseas and entice them to ''balek kampung'' to Singapore. Ultimately, we would still need a more robust and self-sustaining ecosystem that will develop and nurture more talented tech professionals within our local talent pool.

Scott Robertson VP, Asia Pacific and Japan Zscaler

Today, Singapore's initiatives to attract top talent is a necessity. There is no doubt that the future of technology is based in the cloud. But to get there, we have to groom or invest in local talent or infrastructure. For example, at Zscaler we are hosting a series of expos that are attended by professionals of different backgrounds, from seasoned cybersecurity experts to young students looking for exposure and opportunities. These expos aim to inspire discussion and to educate the community on the benefits of secure cloud migration.

We also sponsor Women in Cyber, a local awareness group founded by Magda Lilia Chelly. We need to foster women in security, a traditionally male-dominated industry, because there is a considerable shortage of cybersecurity skills and expertise. We hope to encourage women to build a career in cloud security, and to become future role models for younger generations by overcoming the challenges women currently face in the industry.

Lee Quane Regional Director - Asia ECA International

The growth of new tech industries is generating demand for talent with specialised skills. While locals are upskilling for the longer term, Tech@SG is a great initiative to attract top foreign tech talent as a short-term catalyst to nurture the country's ambition of becoming a Smart Nation. ECA International's recent research into global living conditions showed that Singapore retained its position as the most liveable location in Asia as it offers access to great facilities, good quality education and healthcare, and has low crime rates. Overall, Singapore's workforce will advance with knowledge and skills transfer, and the tech industry will be able to promote a broader spectrum of high-tech services.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard Managing Director Robert Half Singapore

While Tech@SG is a vital step to attracting global talent, Singapore has to go beyond aiding talent entry by affirming its innovation status to stand out from other markets vying for the same talent.

''Frontier tech'' professionals gravitate towards the industry's best technical infrastructure as it provides a challenge and keeps their skills fresh. Singapore should continue to invest in technical infrastructure, distinguishing it from peers through its technical advancement, speed of integration, and level of cyber-security.

With salary being key, qualifying tech firms benefiting from the Tech@SG initiative should ensure they are offering compelling employment opportunities with highly competitive salaries.

Lionel Lim VP and MD, APAC and Japan Pivotal

Singapore has established itself as the Silicon Valley of Asia and is one of the top countries for tech experts to work in because of the environment it has created. In addition to political stability, Singapore also offers tech companies the necessary technical infrastructure and investment opportunities.

For any country to remain competitive, there is a need to stay abreast of the latest tech developments especially those that enable agility. Initiatives like Tech@SG will play a significant role in helping companies attract the tech experts of tomorrow whose expertise will in turn help Singapore maintain its global tech hub reputation.

Eng Guan Teong VP, ASEAN Palo Alto Networks

As a regional hub for multiple industries, Singapore is uniquely positioned to attract superior tech talent. The growth of the data-driven economy means that top tech skills in data science, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will become increasingly critical in building a competitive workforce. Support offered in the form of schemes such as Tech@SG will enable Singapore to make bigger strides in global growth industries, such as medtech and fintech. As Singapore strengthens its tech ecosystem to become increasingly competitive, it will inspire the digital transformation of businesses new and old, and in turn, facilitate the nurturing of tech talent across industries.

Snehal Patel CEO and co-founder MyDoc | Simplify Healthcare

Singapore has excellent prospects to attract top tech talent. As our company expands abroad, we hear a lot of interest from top-level candidates who are keen on relocating to Singapore, particularly from Europe. Given the restrictions that have been placed on hiring foreigners in Singapore over the past few years, such a scheme is truly good news to those of us who have increasingly struggled to get employment passes of qualified foreign talent approved.

Vikas Nahata Co-founder & Executive Chairman Validus Capital

Aligned with fintech firms' need for top tech talent, Tech@SG signals Singapore's commitment towards investing in people to bring technology to life. While local talent is known to be resilient, intelligent and effectively bilingual, Validus wants to attract tech leaders who build strong local teams to deliver. Leveraging Singapore's current status as a world-class financial hub, Tech@SG is well-positioned to help fintech firms grow and expand into Southeast Asia in a sustainable, competitive manner.

Mark Smith MD, Asia Pacific Digital Realty

Singapore has been recognised as the third most robust data centre market in the world, and the most developed in Southeast Asia. Therefore, it is crucial for the city-state to stay ahead of the curve by investing in its future. With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the imminent rollout of 5G, data centre industry personnel especially need agile skills with an eye on innovation. Digital Realty sees Tech@SG as a great initiative that will attract top talent in specific areas such as IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to nurture this growth. In addition, there needs to be a focused effort by the private and public sectors to develop the breadth of skills required to address the disruptive changes ahead for all industries in Singapore.

Jayajyoti Sengupta Head of Asia-Pacific and Japan Cognizant

As a country reputed for its world-class working and living conditions, Singapore has always been and will continue to be an attractive hub and destination for skilled talent. Alongside a slew of Smart Nation initiatives, GovTech programmes and funding schemes, Tech@SG will not only facilitate greater cutting-edge, technology-led innovation within Singapore, but also provide further impetus to the growth of deep and diverse cross-functional competencies - an imperative for success in the digital era.

A structured approach to collaboration between industry, academia and government will pave the way for swifter, more immersive capacity building, and a culture of continual learning. This will enable companies as well as the workforce to stay relevant and adapt to fast-evolving market demands by turning new-age technology, design and data science skills into competitive differentiation.

Amra Naidoo Co-Founder, Partnerships & Operations Director Accelerating Asia

As a centre of large tech companies and corporates, Singapore offers numerous opportunities for ambitious startup founders and individuals. However, to try to build Singapore as a global tech hub, attracting and retaining the world's (and Singapore's) top tech talent is crucial, not just for large unicorns but also for earlier stage startups. At Accelerating Asia, we work with pre-Series A startups from across the region whose client roster and partners include Apple, Google and Visa. These collaborations demonstrate the value which tech talents and startups can gain from immersing themselves in the local ecosystem. With the country's world-class infrastructure and telecommunications, plus progressive initiatives such as Tech@SG, I am confident Singapore will continue to be a leading destination for international tech talent.

Adrian Jones EVP, Asia Pacific & Japan Automation Anywhere

Singapore is continually advancing towards becoming Asia's business hub and is doubling down on efforts to enhance its tech offerings, especially in deep tech like artificial intelligence. With Tech@SG, Singapore is poised to become an attractive location for other players to expand their regional operations and hire top talent.

A leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Automation Anywhere opened in Singapore in 2018 to serve as the Asia-Pacific headquarters. We have since experienced tremendous growth and forged multiple partnerships to build intelligent Digital Workforces here and in the region. This is partly attributed to Singapore's workforce infrastructure and conducive business landscape.

Joanne Wong Senior Regional Director, AP & Japan LogRhythm

The issue of talent shortage is not unique to Singapore but exists across the world as city planners and businesses increasingly digitise their infrastructure and operations. Tech@SG is one of several initiatives Singapore has launched to attract top tech talents. Given the country's reputation as a stable economy, we are definitely one of the top destinations for foreign talents to work and live in. However, attracting tech talents needs more than economic stability. While we focus on creating a vibrant environment that constantly encourages ideas and innovation to thrive, looking within to develop interest and skills in STEM from young is just as important.

Rajesh Ganesan Vice President ManageEngine

While Singapore has always been a preferred country for skilled immigrants, domestic startups could never meet the high salary threshold required for the corresponding employment passes. The startups were never in a position to compete with top multinational companies to attract and retain top tech talent from abroad. This essentially has stopped any breakthrough technology emerging out of Singapore, and this Tech@SG programme is the right step at the right time to nurture and deliver world-class tech innovation out of Singapore and make it an indigenous tech-hub rather than incentivising foreign companies to set up operations.

Stephan Neumeier Managing Director, APAC Kaspersky

As the nexus of technology and finance, Singapore has all the right ingredients - infrastructure, human capital, and supportive government policies - to attract high quality tech professionals. The Tech@SG scheme will definitely offer a timely push in the country's bid to remain competitive when it comes to the hunt for top tech talent. Echoing the thoughts of our founder Eugene Kaspersky, there is indeed a worrying talent shortage especially in IT and cybersecurity which will continue to be a key concern for all industries identified under the scheme.

It is indeed important that we continue to build up Singapore's capabilities within this space and we are actively partnering with local education institutions, such as Temasek Polytechnic, to help raise the level of cybersecurity literacy in the country. I believe that through fruitful partnerships between the government and the private sector, we can hone the next generation of IT professionals who will lead Singapore through its transition into a global tech hub.

Mario Singh CEO Fullerton Markets

As an industry participant within the global fintech arena, I follow Singapore's development in this space with keen interest. In the Economic Intelligence Unit's ''Technological Readiness Ranking'' published in June 2018, Singapore came in second out of 82 countries surveyed, just behind Australia and in front of Sweden. Eight indicators across three categories -''access to the Internet'', ''digital economy infrastructure'' and ''openness to innovation'' - were evaluated.

Singapore has started many initiatives to attract top tech talents. Here's three:

1) Startup SG - Established in 2017 to showcase Singapore's vibrant startup ecosystem.

2) SGTech - A trade association for the tech industry, SGTech has chapters like Cloud & Big Data (CDC), Cyber Security (CSC) and Digital Transformation (DxC) which strive to create an ecosystem, anticipate trends and develop sustainable initiatives to strengthen the community.

3) Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF)

In November 2019, SFF will join forces with the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH) to showcase innovative technologies across five key sectors.

With such initiatives, I would confidently say that Singapore is one of the best countries in the world to attract, develop and retain top tech talent. Tech@SG's vision is for companies to build teams and products in Singapore. Hence, it wouldn't just bring in Jedi Masters - it would be a breeding ground to develop future Jedi Masters as well.

Alban Villani Regional MD, SEA-Pacific Criteo

Singapore's continued investment in technology has given it recognition as SEA's Silicon Valley. With the Free Trade Agreement and quick assimilation of digital trade, Tech@SG will accelerate the nation's attractiveness as a global tech employer.

Originating from Paris, Criteo is now a leading online advertising platform in over 30 offices. Our Singapore office functions as a SEA hub, serving primarily retail, travel and classifieds clients from countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Our employees come from various countries, bringing their market insights and perspectives. This creates a diversified culture, enabling collaboration and innovation that will continue to drive the tech industry.

Jacinta Quah Founder JQ Coaching & Consulting

Singapore has been one of the most competitive countries in attracting top talents. However, to elevate Singapore into a global tech hub takes more than bringing in the ''Jedi Masters''. The world of tech is rapidly evolving. To have a ready supply of top tech talents, we must create an environment where talents can be nurtured, developed and retained. It calls for encouraging more risk-taking in our education system. Reframe mistakes as learning opportunities in our society. Invite creative problem-solving instead of enforcing compliance in our social system. This will help develop local ''Jedi Masters''. And create an environment where the masters want to raise their children!

Steve Vickers CEO Thunes

Recent statistics on venture capital funding show that the fintech sector is expanding rapidly, which underlies the urgent need to attract more top tech talent so we can build on our existing successes. As Singapore is one of the world's leading technology hubs, the Tech@SG scheme will help the country meet its tech talent needs in its startup sector. This strategy will help facilitate knowledge transfer and upskill our local tech talent pool. On the other hand, companies also need to examine how they can increase tech talent buy-in from an ''organisation values'' perspective. As a payments company with a strong global network, we believe that a company is primed for global expansion when an open workplace culture exists. Such an approach will help create common bonds allied to the company's vision, and ensure that Singapore can attract the right kind of tech talent it needs.

Sandeep Bhargava MD, Asia Pacific/Japan Rackspace

The Singapore government has made considerable efforts in alleviating tech skill shortages by encouraging upskilling and fostering new tech talent through educational curriculum. Initiatives such as Tech@SG will help local companies bring in much-needed expertise.

Yet one perennial, and paradoxical, issue is that new tech skillsets are being created all the time, while existing skillsets need continual updates, yet on-the-job experience is required to contextualise and apply those skills to truly benefit organisations.

Businesses are coming to terms with the realisation that they need additional tech and industry perspectives to turn their tech talents into the ''Jedi Masters'' that they and the government are looking for. Third-party expertise can help direct the growth of the organisation's tech talents in the optimal direction, while supplementing critical skillsets.

Naveen Menon President, ASEAN Cisco

As digital transformation gathers pace, professionals in areas such as cybersecurity, data science and advanced analytics have become a hot commodity, creating a big gap between demand and supply. At the same time, as the adoption of artificial intelligence-powered technologies picks up in coming years, the nature of jobs across major industry sectors will change drastically. Being one of the most digitally advanced economies, Singapore needs to ensure that it continues to attract the best talent, as well as reskill the current talent pool so they pick up requisite skills for jobs of the future. Programmes like Tech@SG will help to develop an ecosystem that can address this issue. However, all other stakeholders also need to play their part. At Cisco, we partner with 17 institutes of higher learning across Singapore and have trained nearly 70,000 students in ICT skill so far.

Sanjay Aurora MD, Asia Pacific Darktrace

With 80 of the world's top 100 tech firms in Singapore, there is no doubt the country is capable of attracting top talent. In particular, by offering professionals in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity the opportunity to innovate in this new digital world order, Tech@SG is taking a step in the right direction. Using AI that can detect and respond to emerging dangers no matter where it originates, these ''Jedi Masters'' can help their organisations immensely in their effort to regain control of their networks, do more with the limited resources they have, and prevent early-stage threats from escalating into full-blown crises.

Robert Yang VP, Asia Pacific Sales Seagate Technology

Singapore's business-friendly climate and strong support from government agencies have created a conducive environment to support the setup of new industries and companies. Local schemes like Tech@SG undoubtedly enhance the nation's appeal to new and diverse talent and provide businesses with more opportunities to recruit experts from specialised fields. We should also remember that it is just as important to nurture homegrown talent from within. At Seagate, we not only hire talented individuals from around the world but have also built an environment that can nurture the local talents we require to succeed. Ultimately, our employees are at the heart of our success storing and securing the world's data, and we remain committed to growing our workforce to successfully deliver our business strategies and achieve our goals.

Tan Yen Yen President, Asia Pacific Vodafone

Singapore has established itself as an ideal place for businesses to plant roots and grow their presence in Asia. We have shown clear support for innovation and launched strong initiatives to nurture startups. For these reasons, Singapore will continue to be attractive to global talents.

Tech@SG is definitely a positive move towards accelerating innovation through acquisition of global skills. Growing the talent pool on our shores will also benefit the tech scene in many ways. Drawing from Vodafone's own culture, bringing people with diverse backgrounds together will give rise to a blend of experiences and perspectives that add vibrancy in the way we solve problems and innovate. A dynamic tech scene will raise Singapore's attraction as a base for tech businesses and entrepreneurs and strengthen the city's position as Asia's tech hub.

Mike Davie CEO Quadrant

Singapore is already in a very good position when it comes to attracting talent. It has excellent infrastructure; it is stable, safe, great for families; I could go on. Globally it is starting to become better known with major brands such as Dyson, Facebook and others either placing regional headquarters here or moving themselves entirely. We are beginning to see more homegrown companies make their mark on the world stage and this is improving Singapore's global image and awareness.

Singapore needs to attract talent in deep tech, including data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things. But we also need to continue attracting entrepreneurs, talented sales and marketing professionals, operations and all the other disciplines that contribute to and support innovation. If Singapore is to remain attractive to top talent it should make the process of coming, living and working in Singapore as seamless as possible for all top talent, not just for specific disciplines.

Lance Little Managing Director Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific

Singapore's status as a world-class technology and innovation hub in Asia today is largely due to its forward-thinking vision. With Smart Nation and initiatives such as the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Plan (RIE) Singapore continues to cement this position. Strong political will, a pro-business environment and growing talent pool make it an attractive option for top tech talent and startups. In Singapore, we've partnered with DEX, Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and PwC on a pilot to determine how real-time data transmission can improve patient care - one of the countless examples of companies like ours benefiting from the country's thriving innovation ecosystem. With new initiatives like Tech@SG, Singapore can further develop its capabilities as a global technology powerhouse.

Zhou Junjie Chief Commercial Officer, Shopee and Head, Shopee Singapore

Beyond the government's push in embracing the digital economy to become a Smart Nation and nurture a tech-savvy population, Singapore boasts advanced tech infrastructure and strong ties to the global business community. In Singapore, businesses can tap into the best talent pool homegrown and from overseas, benefit from the best regulatory environment, and grow in the region's most vibrant startup ecosystem. Shopee recently launched its regional base of operations here - beyond outsourcing for tech talent, our new office will become a technology ecosystem to nurture and develop local talent, especially in fields like data science and coding. This reaffirms our long-term commitment to the country and elevates Singapore's attractiveness as a global tech hub.

Leslie Ong Country Manager, Southeast Asia Tableau Software

Singapore attracts some of the world's best talents because of the unique combination of its stability, infrastructure, agility to innovate and strong government support. This will enable Singapore to continue to be a highly competitive economy. Singapore's access to the rest of Asia and strategic location in Southeast Asia - a massive market that has the potential of leapfrogging in terms of technology adoption - is also a plus point.

Schemes such as Tech@SG will play an effective part in creating a competitive tech market and helping to nurture local talent. However, to develop a sustainable local deep tech talent pool, it is crucial to start nurturing such talent from a young age. Collaborations between education institutions, technology companies and the government need to be deepened if we are to attain a global tech hub status.

Benjamin Low VP Sales, Asia Pacific Milestone Systems

With the expansion of digital lifestyles, a technologically-literate population and good IT infrastructure, Singapore is on its way to being a global technology hub. Attracting and cultivating top tech talent through the Tech@SG initiative is a crucial part of Singapore's overall strategy to maintain our competitive edge, and achieve the goals of becoming a smart nation.

Milestone Systems, like many of the leading tech industry giants, has prioritised the establishment of a local footprint in Singapore by setting up an office here to serve our customers across the region. Singapore, being a melting pot for leading tech firms in the world, has a great allure for budding tech talents - we have a number of video technology experts from different corners of the globe who are based in Singapore. The new Tech@SG initiative is a step in the right direction, and will help raise Singapore's visibility on the global stage.

Lim Soon Hock Managing Director PLAN-B ICAG Pte Ltd

In the recent Global Liveability Index, Spore ranked 40th, slipping three places, but ahead of London (48th) and New York (58th). Given that this is a key consideration, Singapore must continue to improve on this in the global race to attract top talents.The recently announced Tech@SG scheme is a step in the right direction to improve our prospects.

Singapore must continue to re-invent itself to enhance our competitiveness. Our efforts to develop local talents of global standards through our universities and research institutes must out of necessity be complemented by foreign talents, including returning Singaporeans, to enlarge our human capital.

Jonathan Tan Managing Director, Asia McAfee

Programmes such as Tech@SG are critical to bring in innovation and talent, which are integral to Singapore's role as a cybersecurity hub, and ultimately enhance its prospects to become a global tech hub. Tech@SG will attract experts who want to be part of a conducive environment for tech and business, further augmenting Singapore's cybersecurity capabilities. As technologies like the cloud and Internet of Things grow in popularity, these professionals will be able to balance growth and risks, understand the latest solutions and threats, and engage employees to be invested in a culture of cybersecurity.

Leonard Cheong Managing Director AdNovum Singapore Pte Ltd

The outlook for Singapore's talent market in the global race is good, despite a current shortage in the tech sector. According to HSBC's Global Report and Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2019, Singapore is ranked the top country for expats to work and live in for the past four years, and has retained a leading position in APAC for talent competitiveness over six consecutive years. Aside from wooing talent, the focus on retaining talent is much needed through a relook of existing support criteria and policies.

It is not a matter of ''will'' but a matter of need to continue to bring in ''Jedi Masters'', such as Dyson to build electric cars in Singapore. Developing and grooming local ''Jedi Masters'' is equally important and Singapore has demonstrated this in urban farming. The Tech@SG scheme should be extended beyond the current two-year pilot period to ensure these efforts are continued to keep Singapore an ongoing attractive and innovative place to live and work for everyone.

Mark Billington Regional Director, Greater China and South-East Asia ICAEW

Attracting and retaining top tech talent can be challenging when there is a global shortage of skilled people in the field. Despite many programmes encouraging students to study tech-related subjects, this does not immediately help to fill current talent shortages. In the last few years, Singapore has benefited from being a magnet for foreign tech talent. While schemes like Tech@SG have made it easier for businesses to source and hire top global tech talent, the onus is still on the prospective employers to retain these talents through competitive salaries, ample learning opportunities and an inclusive work culture in the face of stiffening competition from within Asia Pacific and beyond. In order to overcome the reliance of foreign talent, companies should also have a long-term focus on training more domestic workers with relevant tech-related skills, as well as collaborating with other hubs to deliver work.

Kent Nash GM, Asia Pacific & Japan Solace Corporation

Singapore is in a great position to pull in global tech talent. Founded in Canada, Solace had chosen Singapore to be our Asia Pacific headquarters not only because of its strategic location but also the shared emphasis on inclusivity and appetite for innovation. All these are a huge draw for the brightest minds, who can focus their energies on pushing the boundaries to unravel technological breakthroughs. Through the Tech@SG programme, the country's commitment to inclusivity is made clear: telling the world that Singapore welcomes top-notch talent with open arms. What can encourage these technical talents to nurture local startups is a culture of collaboration, learning and knowledge sharing. This requires the collective effort of the technology industry, companies and the people.

Andy Jiang VP & GM, Asia Pacific & Japan SUSE

Singapore is widely recognised as a vital economic hub with world-class connectivity and infrastructure that attract technology companies like SUSE to set up office here. Technology workers in Singapore are part of an extensive, collaborative ecosystem that encompasses the academia, private sector and government. A programme that is designed to provide technology companies with access to business networks and talent to set up new teams in Singapore will definitely be welcomed by businesses here. More importantly, the programme needs to bring more diversity to the workforce, and in turn, encourage creativity and enhance employee engagement. This is also in line with SUSE's philosophy of celebrating and embracing diversity, as we recognise that the open source approach presents opportunities for us to solve problems and capitalise on new opportunities more collaboratively.

Zhou Lihan Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer MiRXES

The Singapore government identified medtech - the sector where MiRXES operates in - as one of the key growth drivers of the economy. Singapore's medtech scene has been fortunate and strategic at attracting talent from local and global markets due to Singapore's network of innovators and its patient-centric approach. However, our sector is unique in that it is competing not only with other players, but against problems of our future. For instance, Asia's ageing population would require best-in-class innovators and solutions to prevent late-stage cancer being an epidemic of our lifetime.

The Tech@SG scheme will certainly be helpful for startups to attract the right tech talent to support the firm's goals. However, the demand for tech talent is not limited to new ventures, as the dearth cuts across multinationals and established organisations. I believe that Singapore will be able to attract the right tech talent if we adopt similar motivations seen in the medtech scene - where science, software, and technology come together to serve a purpose higher than the business itself.

Maren Schweizer Director Schweizer World Pte Ltd

For ''Jedi Masters'', it's about liking living here. Think about why Stanford and Harvard are places to be for learning. Becoming a global tech hub is comparable to cooking - combining the right ingredients to get the right flavouring.

It takes more than just assembling a high concentration of bright minds, investment-worthy ideas, and funds in one location. Easy-to-do business ''kitchen equipment'' such as cutting -edge infrastructure and a robust education system is an absolute prerequisite among other things.

Singapore has already proven to be a tech hub MasterChef. Therefore, I see the potential that Singapore's value is being utilised by other hubs around the world, too.

Global and cross-industry collaborations and partnerships are vital to staying ahead, as is learning how to embrace change in an agile way to avoid the status quo for fear of failure or uncertainty.

Deborah Heng Country Manager, Singapore Mastercard

Already ranked among the top 10 tech cities globally for its extensive connectivity and sophisticated digital infrastructure, Singapore is well-positioned to attract the world's best talent. The country's stable economy and pro-business environment, backed by its Smart Nation agenda, are just a few factors that help drive the city-state's success as a regional business centre. Tech@SG is a timely initiative that will equip fast-growing companies in areas like medtech, biotech and fintech to hire the talent required to accelerate their businesses. In the long term, this will also benefit Singaporeans as it will enhance their own skills and capabilities by working alongside top tech talent from around the world.

Mastercard recognises its role in helping Singapore strengthen its status as a leading business centre in the global economy by partnering with government agencies to integrate tech solutions, reinforcing the country's reputation as a Smart Nation.

Toby Koh Group MD Ademco Security Group

I fully agree with the purpose and intent of Tech@SG to attract the best talent to Singapore. It is my belief that Singapore has an opportunity now to invest and grow our technology influence that will enhance and disrupt business models for years to come. But we need to focus and invest heavily now. We will no doubt need the right talent to do so. Hence, as much as there may be a backlash from the public on the increase in foreign talent, we do need them to protect Singapore's future.

I would also suggest strongly that a separate scheme be put in place for smaller Singaporean majority-owned startups with a more modest amount of funding, perhaps S$500,000, to also be given to support the hiring of foreign tech talent. Let's give our local startups a fighting chance to also recruit the talent that is hard to come by locally.

Seamus Phan Chief Content and Technology Officer McGallen & Bolden

Singapore has always been very aggressive in trying to attract the best people to our shores, although not always with optimal success. While the various bodies such as A*Star and EDB have offered attractive packages for the top talents, these talents are also being wooed in many countries, many of which offer equal or greater opportunities, and sometimes, simply a lifestyle these individuals desire. While Singapore may attract the occasional ''Jedi Master'' through the Tech@SG initiative, traditionally we have seen more ''Jedi Knights'' coming instead, which is not a bad thing. We do need knights too, as Singapore is a small ecosystem that excels best as a cohesive and synergistic society.

Annie Yap CEO AYP HR Group

Singapore has a clear focus on becoming Asia's Silicon Valley. Based on our country's development, vision and regulations, I personally do see us as a strong competitor in the global race to attract top tech talent.

With the offering of friendlier employment policy/regulation, it will help any business in Singapore to attract highly skilled foreign talent to their company. By doing so, firms are able to leverage their expertise for product innovation, business expansion and at the same time, groom local talent.

Grahame Dixie Executive Director Grow Asia

As Southeast Asia's agricultural sector undergoes digital transformation, Singapore can become a hub to spur innovation and promote knowledge exchange for the benefit of farmers and society.

Singapore is well positioned to build technologies and by creating an environment that nurtures talent in AgriTech, it can take new solutions to scale. The vital ingredient is making sure that Singapore's digital magicians interact with and learn from the region's farmers what their real needs and technological capacities are. We very much welcome the government's commitment to invest in tech talent development, as well as Enterprise Singapore's announcement of an Agriculture Open Innovation Lab, bringing together the agribusiness sector in a pre-competitive space.

Marcus Loh Bang Wei President The Institute of Public Relations of Singapore

For Singapore to win in the world war for talent, the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS) has always believed in the need for a two-pronged approach to attracting Jedi Masters and nurturing our very own Padawans. To this end, we need to complement initiatives - such as Tech@SG, designed to attract top talent - with the continued transformation of our training and education institutions. In such a future, multi-disciplinary talents of tomorrow will need to thrive with machines, speak the language of data, and feel at home working from economic centres that are gravitating toward Asia. It is therefore heartening to see how Singapore's institutions are infusing tech literacy in communication management modules, along with a greater focus on industry engagement and skills-based training to prepare local practitioners for the global marketplace.

Mitch Young SVP, Asia Pacific and Japan ServiceNow

Global competition for skilled tech workers has never been higher. With 80 of the world's top 100 tech firms present in Singapore, it is crucial that we remain a dynamic and attractive workplace of choice to continue bringing in the best and the brightest. ServiceNow's CHRO global survey indicates that improving the employee experience with personalised, predictive and seamless digital technologies is critical in both attracting and retaining talent. Organisations that want a competitive edge must use new technologies to improve their model of communication, workflow, and ideation. It's time to change the way work gets done in the enterprise - the workforce of the future expects it.

Hui Yen Ko General Manager, Asia Pacific HireRight

Singapore is well-regarded as the technology epicentre of the region, and initiatives like Tech@SG will help further cement its position. However, the increasing appetite for international talent poses risk to organisations - especially if the right guardrails like cross-border and non-employee background checks are not in place. The rush to fill the ranks could result in organisations being tempted to skip the background check process altogether.

HR, as both recruiter and one of the champions of company culture, should be empowered to have a seat at the table to ensure the right tech talent is in place to contribute positively to the nation's ambitions of being a global tech hub.

David Leong Managing Director PeopleWorldwide Consulting Pte Ltd

The global race to attract top tech talent is indeed a ''Star Wars'' with aggressive aggregation and attraction of the stars to Singapore. This is like the inter-galaxy war to bring the best of tech talents to Singapore to breed, grow and deepen our roots in the technology space - from funding sources, startups, talent abundance and all supporting and ancillary services to boost ideas to concepts, originations to actualisations. The space must be charged up with a certain electromagnetism (or a kind of spirit) to draw talents, resources and support to the same space. Governmental support in the form of grants, incentives and work passes is crucial to the formation of Tech@SG.

In the world of Jedi, the success of Tech@SG will be what these tech talents grow beyond.

''That is the true burden of all masters,'' Jedi Master Yoda tells Luke Skywalker.

Caecilia Chu Co-Founder and CEO YouTrip

Singapore rates exceptionally high in the prospect of attracting talents globally due to its highly diverse workforce and forward-thinking public policy. Our top-notch education system has also trained plenty of impressive local talents, who have contributed greatly towards the country's economic development. The new Tech@SG Initiative could potentially lead to a win-win situation for local corporations that can seize the opportunity to find foreign talents to supplement skill areas that are not yet present locally, so as to further professionalise their operations with international best practices.

Praba Thiagarajah Group CEO Basis Bay

Singapore has already established itself globally as Asia's leading innovation and tech hub. This has made it a favourable investment destination for tech giants that have a well-established regional presence. Singapore is well equipped to attract top tech talent from around the world with the government's initiative to produce the world's most tech-savvy workforce.

The Tech@SG programme is a great start to encourage more global tech talent in frontier technologies to share their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of startups in the country. Being able to issue fast-tracked work visas and developing a more flexible immigration policy will be key factors that attract this sought-after talent to the country.

Andrew Tan Managing Director, Singapore JOS

Singapore is an attractive business market for tech firms and investors. With the increasing demand for tech talent, we now face a situation where we must ensure our workforce is able to keep up with this demand - a challenge in this manpower-lean industry. From cutting-edge technology to other complex IT competencies, more needs to be done to attract and retain staff in Singapore. Tech@SG is a great opportunity to bolster the talent pipeline, and encourage professionals to pick up skills in frontier technology such as AI, cybersecurity and IoT. Apart from attracting global top tech talent, we can also nurture locals and enhance the tech ecosystem to create an environment where Singaporeans work alongside some of the world's best talents.

Atul Temurnikar Co-founder and Chairman Global Schools Foundation (GSF) Singapore

Tech talent is crucial to the success of Singapore's Smart Nation ambitions and vision, and it is important to strike a balance between nurturing the future and current talent to fill the skills gap.

We need to invest in the existing workforce and youth, to imbue them with the requisite knowledge and expertise. At GIIS, we ensure this through a holistic and skills-based approach to education. By adopting a digital-first mindset in our curricula and teaching, our students are exposed to technology throughout their learning journey. Initiatives such as Tech@SG are important, and education plays a critical part in empowering today's youth to be ready to meet the needs of the future workforce.

Johnson Chng Managing Partner (Asia) QVARTZ

The race for tech talents is a global one, especially for the leading economies that want to stay ahead, Singapore included. However, given the global scale and intensity of the competition, it is not a straightforward way to win this race. Singapore has several advantages: it has a good legal system, high quality schooling and healthcare facilities, and is a world-class cosmopolitan city - all of which are important and attractive to the ''Jedi Masters'' but yet these are also hygiene factors that our main competing markets would also provide. Thus, to enhance our odds of success, it would pay to think deeper on which tech sub-segments we want to be known for (as opposed to tech in general). For example, should Singapore focus on ''hard tech''? There is a higher bar and value-add which will have much higher payoff in the decades to come.

Andrew Chan Founder and CEO ACI HR Solutions

Singapore is a key hub in the region ideal for trading, transport and business exchanges. Given our conducive climate, it is expected that Singapore rigorously undertakes measures and policies to secure its place at the forefront of technological advancements. As many of the top tech firms have a presence here, Singapore finds itself in an opportune position to attract and hone top tech talents worldwide. Tech@SG's stringent criteria will help to sieve out companies with true potential, which will without doubt hone the economy's competitive edge and propel Singapore to greater global technological standing in years to come.

Ian Lee CEO, Asia Pacific The Adecco Group

Singapore in 2019 continues to be a leading force as it ranks number 2 in the world for ''Best places for expats to live in'' (HSBC) and number 7 on the list of ''Smartest Cities in the World'' (Cities in Motion Index). This well enables us to continue to be a magnet for top tech talent. Together with the government's Smart Nation initiatives, there are huge opportunities for these ''Jedi Masters'' to thrive and grow with access to the best possible conditions - a digital forward-thinking government, presence of leading tech firms (and startups), and a great lifestyle.

Samantha Mark Landing Pad Manager Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Singapore

Singapore believes in collaborating with international ecosystem players to strengthen its positioning as a global innovation hub and Austrade's Landing Pad in Singapore has been a keen and active partner in this aspect. We have introduced and integrated some of Australia's best entrepreneurs and startups into the local ecosystem since 2017, including those in AI, cybersecurity and medtech. Their successes have demonstrated to us that Singapore is pulling in the right direction and Tech@SG will be beneficial for them to fast blitz their expansion into the region, and also work with the highly-skilled talent pool to co-create better capabilities.