Protecting the X-factor in Brand Singapore

GOING by headline indicators, Singapore's country brand looks strong enough. The Lion City tops the world in "online presence" in the Global Cities Index released this month. In the 2016 Soft Power 30 ranking of countries by their soft power, Singapore moved up two places to break into the top 20.

But what fresh challenges lie in wait, in this new world of Brexit and Donald Trump? How well does Singapore stand in promoting and protecting its international reputation so as to continue to boost its magnetic pull for the choicest investments, trade, tourism and talent?

Singapore was "reset" several times in the last five years with game-changing developments - including two general elections, SG50 and SG100, the passing of Lee Kuan Yew and the ruling party's policy shift to more left-of-centre.