Exploring The Buzz In The Electronics Sector

Business owners and executives from the electronics and manufacturing sector converged on the DBS Auditorium on May 9 to get a glimpse at the latest trends and technologies affecting the industry at the DBS BusinessClass Electronics Disrupt event. Some 200 participants were treated to the views of expert speakers and seasoned entrepreneurs in a lively session that yielded insights and inspiration in equal doses.

Representatives from leading consumer electronics players Samsung Asia and Huawei were on hand to give their take on how technology is reshaping business and society.

Timothy Tan, Head of Enterprise Business, IT & Mobile, at Samsung Asia, gave the audience a glimpse of what the coming “mobile economy” would look like with the emergence of technologies like 5G wireless networks.

“The workplace of tomorrow is already here. One-third of millennials entering the workforce today will choose mobility over a higher salary. We must be able to enable these employees, whether on the shop floor or out at the beach,” said Mr Tan.

“Electronics Disrupt is about applying new technology, new concepts and new thinking to make the industry more end-user focused,” he added.

Meanwhile, Neo Teck Guan, Director of the Strategy Marketing Department at Huawei South Pacific Region, gave an overview of the technology company’s offerings in mobile handsets, safe city solutions and connectivity.

The event also saw the launch of a partnership between DBS SME Banking and global testing and certification company TÜV SÜD to help SMEs identify the gaps in their digital and innovation journeys.

TÜV SÜD’s Senior Consultant Jackie Tan provided a detailed breakdown of the Singapore Smart Industry Readiness Index, a tool that companies can use to better understand Industry 4.0 concepts and evaluate the state of their manufacturing facilities.

The highlight of the event was a panel session on the opportunities and challenges in the electronics industry as a result of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things. The panellists included experts from IBM and PwC as well as local entrepreneurs Derrick Yap, CEO of PBA Group and Edwin Ng, Managing Director of Markono Content Solutions Group. DBS Senior Economist Irvin Seah, also chipped in with a macro view of the sector.

One key insight that emerged was that SMEs could now take advantage of cost-effective digital solutions to compete more effectively with MNCs. “The time is right for SMEs to challenge MNCs. Technology has levelled the playing field,” said Jason Jameson, Director, IBM Watson Internet of Things, Asia Pacific@IBM.

To do this successfully, however, local firms need to change their cultures to be more accepting of innovation as well as failure, said Mr Yap.

Participants were also able to get up close to the technologies being spoken about at booths that were set up outside the event venue by various solution providers Among the exhibitors, PBA Group showcased their robotic arms solutions in action, while Government agency SkillsFuture SG was on hand to talk about the schemes available to develop manpower for the digital economy.

Participants and event partners  were impressed with the insights and networking opportunities presented at the event.

“This was an amazing turnout for the event with many progressive companies from the industry coming on board. We are very proud to be part of this innovation playground,” said Sara Pereira from Resources 2 Share (R2S) – a digital resource sharing platform that enables businesses to maximise their underutilised resources – who also exhibited their unique offering at the event.

Overall, Electronics Disrupt 2018 successfully showcased the significant shifts impacting the electronics sector, and gave local SMEs access to the experts and insights to better prepare them for the challenges ahead.