TDCX founder Laurent Junique wins top prize at 40th Singapore Business Awards

SINGAPORE – Mr Laurent Junique, founder and chief executive of Singapore-headquartered TDCX, was named Businessman of the Year at the 40th Singapore Business Awards (SBA), organised by The Business Times and logistics heavyweight DHL.

The awards acknowledge contributions made by companies and business leaders to Singapore’s development, encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in the Republic and recognise excellence in corporate management.

Mr Junique, who was recognised for his leadership in driving a world-class digital customer experience, accepted the award at the awards ceremony held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore on the evening of May 22. Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat was the guest of honour.

The Frenchman-turned-Singaporean said: “This recognition comes at a great time for us. Not only is it a moment for everyone at TDCX to celebrate our bravery in aiming for what seemed impossible when we first started, but also our resilience in the face of challenges and relentless pursuit of excellence.

“Now, as tech rapidly changes the customer experience (CX) space, we have been making moves to get into the next phase. We’re investing in the future – expanding from pure CX to new areas, like artificial intelligence services. This will help us grow our total addressable market from US$500 billion (S$646 billion) to over US$1 trillion.”

Four other awards were also presented at the ceremony.

Ms Helen Wong, group chief executive officer of OCBC Bank, was named Outstanding Chief Executive of the Year. She was lauded for sharpening OCBC’s Asean-Greater China focus and maximising the synergies of the group’s banking, wealth management, insurance and asset management franchise.

Mr Irving Tan, CEO of Western Digital, was presented with the Outstanding Overseas Executive of the Year award, due to his track record in driving operational excellence and transforming the global operations of the company’s hard disk drive business.

Singapore-listed Aztech Global clinched the Enterprise Award, as the internet-of-things and electronics product solutions provider has driven sustainable growth through innovation and manufacturing excellence. The award was received by Mr Michael Mun, the company’s executive chairman and CEO.

Carro co-founder and CEO Aaron Tan was recognised as Young Business Leader of the Year, for building a technology-first company that is revolutionising the automotive marketplace.

Key focus areas for an uncertain global environment

Mr Chee gave a speech at the dinner, in which he focused on some key areas for Singapore to respond to a more turbulent and uncertain global environment.

He said Singapore can further strengthen its position as a trusted business hub through several ways, such as maintaining a strong tripartite partnership between government, employers and unions; remaining open to ideas, talent and investments from around the world; and working with industry partners to create a more pro-enterprise environment for the country’s businesses.

“This ‘trust premium’ is a competitive advantage that has enabled Singapore to build a vibrant financial services sector and to become a leading supply chain and logistics hub in Asia,” said Mr Chee.

These steps will therefore help to reinforce Singapore’s “trust premium” and allow the Republic to seize new opportunities, as well as grow a range of high-value sectors.

He also stressed that Singapore should stay connected with the world and forge closer ties with like-minded economies and companies, regardless of any eventual shifts in global trade routes and supply chains.

For example, Singapore, which already has a network of free trade and digital economy agreements, will work towards implementing more bilateral and multilateral agreements, said Mr Chee.

The country is also working closely with its Asean neighbours to upgrade the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement, which reduces or removes import tariffs among the member states.

These upgrades include reducing non-trade barriers and incorporating sustainable trade standards, said Mr Chee.

“If we can do this, then the enhancements will help to increase intra-Asean trade and deepen Asean’s economic integration... and they will also enable businesses to build more secure and agile supply chains across the region to mitigate the risks from external shocks (and protectionism),” he said.

Said Mr Chee: “Regardless of what will unfold in the months ahead, we will do our best to ensure that Singapore will remain relevant and continue to be a key node where trade can flow through freely and reliably.”

This year’s award winners were decided by a panel of 12 judges, chaired by Singapore Airlines’ former chairman Stephen Lee.

Ms Chen Huifen, editor of joint organiser BT, said: “It has been heartening to witness the evolution and contributions of our leaders and businesses across various industries over the last 40 years, and we hope to continue to encourage this entrepreneurial spirit in Singapore for the next 40 years and beyond.”

Mr Christopher Ong, senior vice-president and managing director of DHL Express Singapore, said: “As we reflect on our collective achievements over 40 years of SBA, we celebrate all business leaders, who exemplify the highest standards of excellence within our community.

“Their boldness, resilience and innovative spirit are not only commendable, but also pivotal to navigating the uncertainty and volatility that we face in the global business environment.”

THE BUSINESS TIMES