Naina Subberwal Batra

🌏💡 We’re building a trusted, high-impact single family office (SFO) ecosystem and channeling more of that capital to philanthropy. 🇸🇬 We now have > 2,000 SFOs — a 10x jump in five years. And we’re seeing it translate into real giving. Total giving hit S$431m in 2023, almost 2X the year before. This didn’t happen by chance. We made deliberate moves in this space, thanks to our many partners who have given me and my colleagues valuable feedback over the years. At MAS, we’ve strengthened our SFO framework and introduced tools like the Philanthropy Tax Incentive Scheme (PTIS) and the Overseas Humanitarian Assistance Tax Deduction Scheme (OHATDS). Together, these allow family offices and donors to channel support locally, and to humanitarian and charitable causes overseas — through qualified intermediaries — with meaningful tax benefits. We’ve also partnered the Community Foundation of Singapore and AVPN so SFOs and families can give with confidence — via donor-advised funds, outcomes-based approaches and vetted opportunities. Platforms like ImpactSG - Gateway to Giving and AVPN’s ImpactCollab (supported by MAS) also help match funders to credible causes, speeding up due diligence and amplifying impact. We will continue to work hard to keep make Singapore Asia’s philanthropy hub. Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) 📸: The Straits Times

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At the Singapore Institute of Directors conference, Minister Hong Tat Chee encouraged board directors to be catalysts for value creation, transforming their companies and unlocking the shareholder value that lies within Singapore's corporate sector. He outlined three areas that can help companies unlock value: 1️⃣ Capabilities development - going beyond financial management, skills to include corporate strategy, capital optimisation, investor engagement, and media outreach 2️⃣ Communication - helping others to understand what we can deliver and what value will be created 3️⃣ Communities - having networks that help foster peer learning and knowledge exchange Grateful to Minister Chee for acknowledging that “𝗦𝗜𝗗 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀.” He not only leveraged the conference to share some exciting plans by SGX Group to support companies in communicating their value including the launch of a new index that tracks companies beyond the Straits Times Index (STI), as part of its efforts to showcase Singapore’s broader equity market as well as Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)’s plans to work closely with SID to support the development of essential skills. Minister also shared that SID will be launching a chairperson guild. Supported by MAS and SGX, this programme will bring together the board chairs of listed companies to build a micro community for learning and mutual support. Huge thanks to our colleagues at MAS for working behind the scenes with us to facilitate the messages and announcements. 👉 Read Minister’s speech here: https://lnkd.in/g_tSuUSk 📺 Thank you CNA for covering the conference and the opportunity for me to share how SID is supporting the national effort to strengthen our equities market. View the news clip here: https://lnkd.in/g2CnABN7

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AVPN is advancing Asian leadership for an inclusive world. On our panel, “How Funders Can Unlock Asia’s Capital for Inclusive Growth,” I made the case for a Wholistic Wellbeing lens built on eight pillars that work together: physical health, emotional balance, spiritual connection, financial intelligence, professional purpose, social interconnectedness, community service, and planetary care.   Why this lens matters: single-issue fixes stall; integrated efforts compound. A school initiative, for example, moves faster when nutrition and mental health are addressed alongside teacher development, family support, and green campuses. A livelihoods program is stronger when capital is paired with financial literacy, peer networks, and climate resilience.   The ask to funders and operators: align capital and programs to these pillars upfront, measure across them, and collaborate rather than duplicate. If you’re committed to inclusive growth in Asia, let’s compare notes and build pillar-aligned coalitions that deliver durable results.

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It’s time to transform sustainability leadership from aspiration into actionable global impact. From the EU’s radical regulatory overhaul to Asia’s acceleration of ESG standards, the world’s sustainable finance framework is rapidly evolving. As a Senior Policy Researcher, Sustainable Finance Advisor, and Trustee for SDG development, I’ve seen firsthand how policy innovation, rigorous due diligence, and data-driven reporting are redefining the accountability and ambition of organizations worldwide. This year, Europe’s Omnibus proposal signals both opportunity and challenge: sharp deregulation risks data transparency, yet double materiality and strengthened due diligence (CSRD, CSDDD) remain vital for tackling climate and social risks across global value chains. Meanwhile, states like California and regions across Asia are raising the bar through climate disclosure laws and new sustainability taxonomies, setting new benchmarks for corporate and financial behavior. Our collective mission is clear—advance ESG as a strategic lever for ethical trade, financial stability, and resilient economies. The future hinges on verifiable, globally interoperable standards, not mere compliance. Only through collaboration, technology-driven insight, and courageous leadership can we empower nations, institutions, and communities to deliver sustainable growth for all. Let’s unite as agents of change—bringing foresight, integrity, and relentless drive to shape the rules of global engagement for future generations. #ESGLeadership #SustainableFinance #GlobalDevelopment #DoubleMateriality #ClimatePolicy #SDGs #PolicyInnovation #ImpactMatters #StrategicForesight

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By 2035, 2 billion people—four-fifths of them in Asia—will have crossed the threshold into the global middle class. That’s billions of people who will have income to spend beyond basic necessities, access economic opportunity and build resilience.    In the ASEAN region, this number is projected to reach 450 million, representing 56% of the population. As we look forward to the ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit (#AIGS25) in Kuala Lumpur this coming October, the momentum of this shift is top of mind for me.    At the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, we’re working to ensure this momentum in Asia and across the globe is not only accelerated but also sustainable.    Whether it’s by connecting 19 million small businesses to the tools they need to grow through Mastercard Strive, or leveraging Mastercard resources to help small and medium enterprises bulk up their cybersecurity, creating pathways to a thriving middle class is essential to our work toward inclusive growth.    Sharing this Harvard Business Review piece I co-authored earlier this year with World Data Lab’s Homi Kharas for more on this trend in the comments, and looking forward to sharing more about our ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit in the coming weeks.    #financialinclusion #inclusivegrowth #economicgrowth #globaldevelopment #ASEAN

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𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. That was just one of the memorable insights from our recent conversation with Mr cheow hoe chan , former Government Chief Digital Technology Officer of Singapore, on the importance of strong leadership to build good teams and to overcome inertia. The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Singapore office had the privilege of hosting Mr Chan for an inspiring conversation on what it takes to transform government through technology. He reminded us that, 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐱 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫— you can’t totally get rid of it. The solution? Bold moves to the cloud, building resilience, and investing in people — even sending security staff for cloud training so they could overcome the fear of the unknown. On AI, he was equally candid: 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐚. Governments should focus on solving real, domain-specific problems (e.g., AI in healthcare), and avoid the hype (there is no need to use AI on everything, esp on deterministic systems). The question governments must always start with: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞? Digital transformation isn’t about chasing shiny tech. It’s about trust, inclusion, and user experience — because in government, unlike the private sector, you cannot choose your customers. And perhaps the most powerful lesson came from Mr Chan’s own example: despite decades at the forefront of #GovTech, he speaks with humility, admitting he doesn’t know much about AI — and is now learning as much as he can in his new role at Google. A reminder that the best leaders lead with curiosity and openness. 𝐀 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲—𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭. #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #TechLeadership #DigitalPublicInfrastructure #AIinGovernment #DigitalGovernment #LifeatTBI

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