The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

According to ACCA’s Global Talent Trends 2025 survey, 65% of Singapore finance professionals plan to change roles within two years, and globally, over half of respondents—and 37% in Singapore—view accountancy as a springboard to start their own business. On Industry Insight, ACCA’s Regional Head of Policy, Chiew Chun Wee shares more about the transformation of the sector in the AI era — accountants are evolving from traditional number-crunchers into strategic business partners and driving innovation with AI, sustainability reporting, and integrated thinking. Plus, the critical skills you need for financial leadership in Asia Pacific. A must-listen for accounting and finance professionals looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing professional landscape!

How do you move from AI hype to enterprise impact? Why do some AI and cloud strategies scale while others stall? The Afternoon Update's Lynlee Foo sat down with cloud computing platform Amazon Web Services' Enterprise Strategist and former Coca-Cola Global CIO Miriam McLemore to unpack what enterprise leaders get wrong — and what the best get right. From decision velocity and culture readiness to workflow simplification and strategic cloud adoption, tune in to get a boardroom-level view of digital transformation done right.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and AI-driven tools become mainstream, legacy security models are no longer enough. On Industry Insight, Sanjay Yadave, Vice President & Managing Director, Greater Asia at leading cloud security firm Zscaler, sat down with The Afternoon Update's Lynlee Foo to share his expertise on what real cyber resilience looks like in today’s cloud-first, AI-enabled business world. Learn more about why legacy security stacks are a liability, not a safeguard, what true Zero Trust implementation looks like at enterprise scale and how Singapore’s investments in AI and cloud can only succeed with the right leadership mindset and cultural readiness.

As Asia’s flagship technology event, Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) 2025 kicks off (27 - 29 May)Industry Insight's Lynlee Foo sits down with Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive at Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), for a sweeping conversation on how Singapore is scaling innovation—safely, strategically, and fast. From AI and quantum computing to digital sustainability and space tech, Kiren shares how Singapore is future-proofing its digital economy, supporting 240,000 SMEs, and preparing 3.5 million workers for the next wave of transformation. We also explore the rise of agentic and embodied AI, and why the real challenge isn’t just technology—it’s how fast we adopt, upskill, and govern it. Whether you're in finance, manufacturing, logistics or tech, tune in for a front-row seat to the digital priorities shaping Singapore and the region.

Imagine solar-powered clinics in remote provinces, AI-driven telehealth linking thousands of islands, and green hospitals cutting costs and carbon at once. On Industry Insight, Chris Humphrey from the EU ASEAN Business Council joins The Afternoon Update's Lynlee Foo to unpack the region's healthcare transformation - from financing innovations and digital health solutions to sustainable infrastructure and preventive care strategies.

What happens when crypto stops being the wild card—and starts becoming a serious player in portfolio strategy? On Industry Insight,Mark Wong, Head of Trading at Independent Reserve Singapore, unpacks the latest findings from the firm's Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index on how Singaporeans are navigating the digital asset space. Ownership is down, confidence is shifting, and stablecoins are stepping into the spotlight. From Bitcoin’s evolving role to MAS-led regulation, this is where sentiment meets strategy—and where professionals are rethinking how crypto fits into the bigger financial picture. Listen and find out how Singaporean investors are repositioning—why ownership is declining even as awareness remains high, how Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset, and why stablecoins are gaining traction in real-world use cases.

On 21 May 2025, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his first full Cabinet since taking office—an important milestone following his recent election win. What are the signals behind the structure, and the broader strategy?  On Viewpoint, political observer and lecturer at Nanyang Technological University, Dr. Felix Tan joins Lynlee Foo to unpack how this Cabinet reflects a blend of continuity, strategic recalibration, and Singapore’s evolving leadership posture amid domestic and global uncertainty. From the absence of a second DPM to shifts in key portfolios, Dr Tan shares his views on what this means for governance, succession, and political trust.

AI is changing the cyber threat game — not just faster, but quieter. On Industry Insight, Vishak Raman, Vice President for Southeast Asia, ANZ, India & SAARC at global cybersecurity solutions and services firm Fortinet, explains how AI-fuelled threats are exposing dangerous gaps in visibility, speed, and scale — especially in mid-sized enterprises across Singapore. He also shares how platform-based defences can close detection gaps and protect Singapore’s most vulnerable businesses.  

AI agents are moving fast — but scaling them across your business? That’s the real challenge. Christopher Conolly, Director of Solutions Engineering, APJ Communications Business at Twilio, shares insight into how businesses are moving beyond chatbots to deploy AI agents that can act, reason, and scale.  Dive into what’s driving adoption across Southeast Asia, and why scaling automation takes more than just smart tech. Learn about the practical examples of agentic AI in action, from streamlining customer service to optimising logistics and sales workflows. Tune in to Industry Insight and find out what it really takes to move from pilot to production — and why the next wave of AI will be about impact at scale.

How do employers hire smarter in 2025? On Industry Insight, we unpack the Michael Page Singapore Talent Trends 2025 report with Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director of Michael Page Singapore and India. From the rise of new-collar roles to growing demand for clarity, flexibility, and real upskilling, Nilay breaks down what’s driving the future of hiring in Singapore. Discover why skills now matter more than degrees, what professionals want beyond salary, GenAI’s impact—and the policy gaps holding workers back and how employers can build trust through transparency and talent clarity. Whether you're hiring or looking to be hired, tune in for an insider view on Singapore’s evolving workforce and what’s coming next.