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Highlights from the World Gold Council’s Inaugural Investment Summit in Singapore

By World Gold Council

Published on December 10, 2021

On November 9 the World Gold Council held its first EVOLVE APAC Investment Summit in Singapore, which brought together senior leaders and decision makers from the institutional investment and wealth management industries for a discussion on the future trends shaping the global economy and financial services industry.

With inflation a key theme emerging from the discussions, it is clear that gold could play an increased role in portfolios in the future.

Discussions for the summit revolved around the wider issue of investing and asset allocation in today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) environment. More specifically, some of the key themes addressed were:

  • Global trends shaping the future of finance;
  • Asset allocation in a post-COVID era;
  • Next generation investment – innovation in financial services;
  • ESG evolution – meaningful measurement; and
  • Emerging markets – untapped opportunities and unexpected challenges.

Speakers included Dr Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Dr Parag Khanna, Haiyan Wang, Dr Deborah Elms, Junice Yeo, and Sir Lynton Crosby.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to hosting EVOLVE APAC again in Singapore in 2022.

World Gold Council, Singapore

It has been an active year for the World Gold Council in Singapore. We have significantly increased our research, communications, and marketing efforts, which include a series articles exploring the strategic case for investing in gold in Singapore, Australia and Japan. Consumer insights research was undertaken in Vietnam, ASEAN’s largest gold consuming market, and we are planning to launch similar consumer research in Thailand early next year.

Our institutional sales team in Singapore has been actively working with institutional investors across the region, but particularly in Singapore, Australia and Japan. Helping institutional investors understand the role of gold in a portfolio is key to ensuring gold continues to play a major role in the international financial system.

On the policy and market development front, we have been working with the domestic retail market on the launch and adoption of the Retail Gold Investment Principles (RGIPs). These are designed to increase the adoption of best practices in the sector and ensure that gold remains an asset that consumers can trust. We will be launching a local version of the RGIPs in Singapore early next year, followed by Australia.

Finally, we are working on a professional development curriculum for gold. This will be launched in Singapore in 2022, before a global roll-out. The programme is targeted at people working in the bullion industry, and covers the entire gold supply chain.

Opening of the Inaugural EVOLVE Investment Summit APAC 2021 at Raffles Hotel, Singapore on 9th Nov.
Andrew Naylor, regional CEO, APAC (ex China) and public policy of WGC welcomed delegates to EVOLVE APAC.
Our CEO, David Tait, delivering the opening address.
Dr Parag Khanna, strategic futurist, founder of FutureMap and author was one of the key note speakers and touched on Geopolitical Finance: Asia at a Crossroads.
Panel 1: Junice Yeo, executive director & head of Greater China, Eco-Business joined us remotely from China on the panel that looked at global trends shaping the future of finance.
Andrew Naylor with moderator, Sharanjit Leyl, and panelists; (L to R) Ieva Segura Cobos (Swiss Re Asia Limited, Singapore), Dr Deborah Elms (Asian Trade Centre) and Dr Parag Khanna (founder of FutureMap and author).
Panel 2 focused on asset allocation in a post-Covid world.
Jaspar Crawley, WGC’s head of institutional sales, APAC (ex China) with panelists; (R to L) Ricardo Beninatto (UBS Wealth Management Singapore), Gary Dugan (The Global CIO Office), Kheng Siang Ng (SSGA) and Steve Brice (Standard Chartered Bank) and Sharanjit Leyl, moderator.
Shaokai Fan entertaining delegate during lunch.
Close to 50 delegates attended the in-person event.
Haiyan Wany, managing partner at The China-India Institute dialed-in to share pespectives on China’s Emerging Agenda.
WGC’s chief market strategist, John Reade, spoke on the strategic role of gold.
Sir Lynton Crosby AO, CEO of C T Group shared views on redefining political landscapes and the evolution public opinion in the West.
It’s all about teamwork! Living the WGC Spirit!

* This article was published in partnership with World Gold Council

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Emily Oh

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Emily Oh is the Operations & Admin Executive, a seasoned professional who values teamwork and effective communication. She is skilled at adapting to new challenges and takes a proactive and resourceful approach to every task. Before joining SBMA, Emily had experience coordinating international travel arrangements and spearheading community initiatives. Her role at SBMA will be providing operational and administrative support for projects and other matters to the team.

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Clara Chang

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE
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Mr John Levin

Global Metals
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Fabian Lew

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Fabian was a Business Development and Marketing Associate before joining SBMA. He graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He has joined SBMA since February, 2022.

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Margaret Wong

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Margaret Wong, Business Director at SBMA (Singapore Bullion Market Association), brought valuable experience from her previous role at the World Gold Council (WGC). Her tenure at WGC provided her with extensive exposure to the gold community in Singapore and the broader region. This background has been instrumental in establishing strong working relationships within the industry.

Margaret’s role at SBMA encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities. She oversees office management, business support processes, finance, and administrative functions essential for the smooth operation of the team and management committee. Additionally, Margaret handles membership matters, member communications, and addresses public inquiries related to SBMA.

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Albert Cheng

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Albert Cheng joined the World Gold Council in March 1993 as a Regional Manager, becoming Managing Director, Far East in 2003. He retired at the end of March 2015 and was subsequently named its Advisor. He has also been an International Advisor to the Shanghai Gold Exchange since 2002.

His marketing career began with Dentsu Young & Rubicam, Hong Kong in the early 80’s. He began gold marketing in July 1985 when he joined the Royal Canadian Mint as a Regional Manager for Southeast Asia.

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Mr Shaokai Fan

Head of Asia-Pacific (ex China) and Global Head of Central Banks
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Mr Alan Liew

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Mr Raman Walia

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Mr KL Yap

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