There is only one constant – and that is change. Consider a family, a company, a country or just nature. Everything is changing and there are many external and internal factors that instigate a change. When I did the JOCE course in Singapore in 2010, all the ‘would-be’ CEOs agreed on one thing – Status Quo is not an option. When I did the MBA in Alliance Manchester Business School in 2016-18, all peers agreed that change management is the challenge and solution for their companies. When I sat on the table with CEOs from various industries in 2020 or in 2022, with or without Covid all agreed that change is the inevitable. Recently when I graduated as Chair with Advisory Board Center, all aspiring advisors and board members voiced their concern that change is not a choice but is a way of life in Corporates.
Asian cities are a good sample for the case study on change and what that means for each of them. I recently visited Singapore, a city I have always admired for the leverage they make out of the 73 sq Km area they have and the impact they have on the world. I always believed it was made possible by the visionary leadership of LKY. Singapore continues to be a commercial, banking and maritime hub but makes me think if it will stay that way. Hong Kong was similar a decade ago. From the dozen years I lived there I always knew Singapore flourished due to its government and Hong Kong flourished in spite of its government. In the last decade, change however meant something else for Hong Kong and had a different meaning in Singapore.
Comparing city states to full countries is not fair. In my personal opinion, these cities that have achieved success doing something well actually change the vision and forget how they got to this position. They implement changes that affect the ease of doing business, the ease of hiring personnel, the ease of travel, the level of living standards becomes unsustainable, the ease of maintaining their position as a ‘hub’ is challenged. Think of it – the ‘hub’ for banking, commercial activity and even maritime have thus been changing in Asia. Now apply this to Companies, Families and Corporates. Is the change in Vision a necessity or choice?
– Capt Pappu Sastry
CEO – ASL
