PROJECT PASCAL FORUM

 

Exploring the Future of Innovation and Sustainability

Mr. Howie Lau, Managing Partner NCS

Host: Taeyoung Kang

Organized by Project Pascal

 

 

The Project Pascal Forum welcomed an illustrious guest, Mr. Howie Lau, a distinguished leader renowned for his substantial contributions to the technology and sustainability sectors. In an engaging session, Mr. Lau shared his valuable insights on innovation, technology, sustainability, and more, offering a compelling narrative of his professional journey and the transformative potential of technology.

 

A Journey Through Innovation and Collaboration

 

Mr. Lau’s career has been marked by significant leadership roles across various prestigious organizations, including IBM, Lenovo, StarHub, IMDA, and currently NCS. In his discussion, he emphasized the nuanced approaches to driving innovation and fostering collaboration within both the public and private sectors. Reflecting on his diverse experiences, he noted, “The common factor is that all these organizations valued innovation and put resources and effort towards it because, in the tech industry, we know that innovation is a way of life.”

He highlighted the differences between commercial companies and government agencies, particularly in terms of time horizons and focus. While commercial entities often aim for near-term gains, government agencies tend to adopt a longer-term perspective, prioritizing ecosystem-level advancements over immediate shareholder returns.

 

The Evolution of Technology and Digital Transformation

 

Drawing from his extensive experience, Mr. Lau traced the significant shifts in technology that have shaped the modern world, from the advent of personal computers to the rise of the internet and smartphones. He identified the current era as being on the cusp of an AI-induced transformation, which promises to revolutionize various aspects of life and industry.

One pivotal project that shaped his understanding of technology’s potential was during his tenure at IBM, where he worked on a project for local police. This project involved ruggedizing laptops for police use, enabling real-time data access and communication. This experience was an “aha moment” for Mr. Lau, highlighting how technology can make meaningful improvements in public safety and overall quality of life.

 

The Intersection of Technology and Art

 

Mr. Lau also explored the burgeoning intersection of technology and art, discussing how advancements in AI, blockchain, and AR/VR are reshaping creative expression. He noted that while the art industry has been slower to adopt technology compared to other sectors, it is now experiencing significant transformations. Technologies have opened new avenues for art creation, distribution, and interaction, fundamentally changing how art is consumed and appreciated.

 

Harnessing Technology for Sustainability

 

As the Managing Director of Corporate Development and Partnerships at NCS, Mr. Lau underscored the crucial role of technology in addressing sustainability challenges. He shared specific examples of how NCS employs technology to promote environmental stewardship, such as optimizing supply chains with Bridgestone to reduce carbon footprints and implementing smart sensors in buildings to manage energy consumption more efficiently.

 

Fostering a Robust Innovation Ecosystem

 

Mr. Lau’s involvement with organizations like the Singapore Computer Society and SGTech reflects his dedication to fostering collaboration and innovation. He emphasized the unique advantage of Singapore’s close-knit ecosystem, where strong connections among stakeholders facilitate partnerships and collective progress towards common goals.

 

Inspiring the Next Generation

 

In his closing remarks, Mr. Lau encouraged aspiring innovators to embrace the endless possibilities of technology. He highlighted the importance of starting early and the potential to rewrite the rules of what is possible. His leadership roles at Cyber Youth Singapore and Science Center Singapore aim to inspire and equip young minds to leverage technology for positive impact.

The session with Mr. Lau at the Project Pascal Forum provided profound insights into the transformative power of visionary leadership in driving sustainability and technological innovation. His call to embrace chaos as an opportunity for innovation serves as a powerful reminder of the potential for collective progress towards a sustainable future.

 

 

About Mr. Howie Lau, Managing Partner of NCS Group

Mr. Howie Lau brings with him years of deep experience and thought leadership in the Info-Communications and Technology (ICT) sector. Prior to joining NCS, he was the Assistant Chief Executive, Media & Innovation Group at Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which has oversight of developing the technology, telecommunications and media business in Singapore as well as technology capability development.

Prior to IMDA, Howie was the Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Consumer Business at StarHub, and Vice President of Corporate Development at Lenovo. He has more than 25 years of experience in corporate development, business leadership and marketing in Lenovo and IBM across Asia Pacific, China, India and Latin America.

Mr. Howie Lau serves on several advisory committees and boards, including the Governing Council of the Singapore Institute of Directors, Board Member & Chairman of Science Centre Singapore, Board of Governors of Cyber Youth Singapore, Board of Governors and Chairman, Nanyang Polytechnic.  He was recognised as IT Leader of the Year 2020 by Singapore Computer Society, and received the Philip Kotler Marketing Excellence award in 2018.

 

About NCS Group

NCS Group (also known as NCS Pte Ltd or “NCS”, previously known as National Computer Systems) is a multinational information technology company headquartered in Singapore. Founded in 1981 as an agency of the Singapore government, it was privatised in 1996 and subsequently become part of the Singtel group in 1997. NCS has over 13,000 staff located in more than 20 cities across Asia Pacific.

 

NCS Group is the leading information, communications and technology (ICT) service provider across Asia Pacific, providing services and solutions in consulting, business process outsourcing, system development and integration, infrastructure management and solutions, network and security services and technology solutions.

For more information, visit www.ncs.co/en-sg/ NCS Singapore