The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

“If there’s a time to invest in AI and advanced manufacturing, it’s now.” That was the message from Lennon Tan, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, as Singapore’s Budget 2026 placed AI firmly in focus with plans for a National AI Council and a dedicated mission for advanced manufacturing. On Industry Insight, The Afternoon Update's Lynlee Foo speaks with Lennon about the realities manufacturers are navigating today — mixed demand, cost pressures, and the growing role of AI inside factory operations. They unpack why upgrading is happening in stages, how firms are moving at different speeds, and what that means for Singapore’s competitive edge. For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/

Artificial intelligence featured prominently in Singapore’s Budget 2026, with expanded support measures and new initiatives aimed at embedding AI across the economy. But announcements are only one part of the story. The bigger question is: are Singapore SMEs ready to move beyond pilots to meaningful adoption? In this Budget-special edition of Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks with Kelvin Koh, Co-Chair, Singapore Enterprise Chapter of SGTech on rising SME interest, common scaling barriers, the role of change management and partnerships, and what would signal a national tipping point for AI adoption. For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/

Lunar New Year is traditionally one of the first major stress points for global supply chains with factory shutdowns across Asia, front-loaded exports, and potential shifts in freight rates. But in 2026, the signals are more nuanced. Is global supply chain demand stabilising — or beginning to soften?  On Industry Insight, The Afternoon Update’s Lynlee Foo speaks with Andrew Coldrey, Vice President for Asia Pacific at C.H. Robinson, about what early 2026 freight patterns are revealing about global trade. They discuss softer retail demand and evolving inventory strategies, air freight dynamics including semiconductor and technology cargo, ocean capacity and carrier pricing decisions, manufacturing diversification across Southeast Asia, as well as the impact of tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty on global trade flows. Listen for a measured look at how resilient global supply chains really are, and the indicators to watch in the months ahead.

One of the changes in Budget 2026 is the halving of the maximum Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) rebate for early deregistration of cars - from $60,000 to $30,000. But on the surface, this looks technical. On Viewpoint, Lynlee Foo speaks to Lee Nian Tjoe, Senior Transport Correspondent at The Straits Times to find out how this change could reshape behaviour in meaningful ways for car owners and the second-hand market.   For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/

AI isn’t just for tech companies — law firms are using it too. From smarter contracts to automated research, AI is changing the rules of legal work. Some teams are seeing faster turnaround times, while others struggle with uncertainty on how to adopt AI safely, and how to upskill lawyers effectively. On Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks to Shanice Choo, Asia Pacific Innovation Lead, Clifford Chance to find out what law firms and legal professionals need to know to stay ahead in an AI-driven era.

KKR and Singtel’s planned S$13.8 billion acquisition of ST Telemedia Global Data Centres is one of Southeast Asia’s largest digital infrastructure deals — and a signal of where long-term capital is heading next. On Industry Insight, The Afternoon Update's Lynlee Foo speaks with KKR’s Projesh Banerjea,Managing Director and Head of Southeast Asia Infrastructure on what investors are really buying at this scale, from ownership and control of capital-intensive platforms to the growing scarcity of power, land and development-ready sites. The conversation also examines cloud versus AI demand, evolving risk dynamics, and what will define winners in Southeast Asia’s next phase of digital infrastructure growth.  

What if tech wasn’t just about efficiency — but about equity? From digital tools that support job training to real-world partnerships that match candidates with employers, Inclus is reimagining what inclusive employment can look like in the 21st century. On Good Tech, Lynlee Foo speaks to Anders Tan, Co-founder of Inclus to find out how corporates and communities can build more accessible workplaces, and why inclusive design matters for everyone in a digital economy.

In an era of relentless cost pressure, regulatory scrutiny and market volatility, leadership judgement is being tested in new and uncomfortable ways. Decisions are really made under pressure — when trade-offs are unavoidable and certainty is in short supply. On Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks to Rachael Johnson, Head of Risk Management and Corporate Governance, ACCA to find out what boards should now look for when they want genuine assurance.

IoT has moved well beyond pilot projects, yet many enterprises still struggle to make connected systems work reliably once they scale — especially across borders.  On Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks to Syed Natashrul, Head of APAC, Wireless Logic to find out why global IoT deployments are unable to get it right, and what it takes to build IoT systems that are resilient, secure, and scalable across markets.

Cost pressures aren’t going away in 2026, and for service businesses, that’s forcing some tough decisions. But when margins tighten, are operators cutting the right costs — or the ones that quietly weaken the business? On Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks to Associate Professor Michael Alexander Kruesi, Business, Communication and Design Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to find out what are the trade-offs businesses often underestimate, and what do recent exits reveal about decision-making under pressure.