Driven by the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and Government Technology Agency (GovTech), Singapore has embarked on the strategic transformation towards Smart Nation since 2014. The Smart Nation ambition envisioned Singapore as a mutually reinforcing triad of Digital Economy, Digital Government, and Digital Society, enabled by an extensive suite of smart nation-wide infrastructure. New townships would be designed and built smart, as they embrace an increasingly green future. Various global rankings of smart cities have often put Singapore in the top spot. What are the key factors that have contributed to its success? What are the key challenges it has encountered, and what should be the strategic next steps for Singapore?

After being named the "best bank in the world", DBS set its sights to be "the best bank for a better world" in its third wave of transformation. This meant concerted organizational efforts towards responsible banking, responsible business practices, and creating social impact. The bank leveraged its digital capabilities (now a key competitive advantage) to drive these wider social changes around sustainability and to seize new market opportunities for growth. Yet, a host of VUCA factors (e.g., economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, hybrid work, Web3 & DeFi, and next-gen AI) continue to emerge on the horizon. How can DBS aim to do good and do well in this new wave of transformation? Even as DBS continues to pivot towards a new agile and AI-augmented way of working, what are some strategic next steps it should consider, as it ponders the future of banking?

As the world became increasingly urbanized, the contribution of buildings to climate change had increased dramatically. As of early 2022, the built environment accounted for 39% of all carbon emissions globally. American building technology giant, Johnson Controls International (JCI), recognized the huge business opportunity of providing sustainable and smart building management systems. At the same time, traditional and emerging competitors (e.g., incumbent industrial companies, utility or energy companies, technology companies, innovative start-ups, consulting companies) were also eyeing the same space. JCI took on the challenge to reinvent itself, in transforming from a traditional industrial organization to become a digital industrial organization, and eventually a digital industrial platform for smart building management. This process resulted in OpenBlue, moving the company from manufacturing HVAC, fire detection, and building controls products to providing predictive analytics and smart facilities. The company was now able to provide outcome-based solutions, and "net zero buildings as a service". How would JCI transform itself to seize new market opportunities towards a net-zero future? How promising was the company's new business direction? What could it do to stay ahead of the competition, especially with the new thinking around the future of workspace?