A delegation from Enterprise Singapore, headed by Chief Executive Officer Png Cheong Boon, visited the APO Secretariat on 28 September to exchange information and views on the latest focus of the productivity movement in Singapore with Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata. Senior officers of the Secretariat joined the discussion on the potential organizational strategic value and collaboration between Singapore and the APO.

As the APO Director for Singapore from 2008 to 2013, CEO Png expressed his pleasure to be back at the Secretariat after a long time. He shared how the National Productivity Organization of Singapore had evolved over the last 20 years and recent initiatives focusing on SME readiness and agility. He underlined that it was crucial to support each sector through different approaches based on their specific needs. CEO Png stated that the APO could be an effective platform for productivity enhancement through its role as adviser and capacity builder as well as the networking it has. He continued by conveying expectation for deeper collaboration with the APO and other NPOs on productivity, which remained crucial for Singapore.

After heartily welcoming the delegates, Secretary-General Indra appreciated the explanation and update by CEO Png. He and Secretariat staffs briefed them on the focus areas and programs of the APO as well as its new initiatives, particularly those to support members in coping with the the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secretary-General stated that he viewed the APO as an enabler, and its roles were to advise, endorse, and share good practices and benchmarks to increase the productivity levels of its members. He explained that the APO would explore tangible outcomes of productivity improvement and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and cooperation between the two organizations.