What Tan Told The Conference
Tan Su Shan spoke at the DBS Asia Future Forward conference in Singapore and used the nickname "Little Red Dot" when describing the country. She said, "I love it that the 'Little Red Dot' we all call home was open … predictable, and almost kind of boring." Tan added, "In this huge time of volatility, 'boring' is not bad, right?"
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How DBS Says It Can Help
Tan told CNBC on the sidelines that DBS has "one of the safest credit ratings in the world." She warned that "Trade and supply chains are all fragmented," and said, "If you need to diversify your upstream supply chain, just because you're worried about geopolitics, because you're worried about blockages, because you're worried about the war and the Strait of Hormuz, DBS is a partner to help you ... We can help our customers pivot from one market to another quite quickly."
People, Policy, And The Numbers Behind The Pitch
The article states Singapore has AAA-rated government debt, a stable political environment, and a central geographic position in Asia, and many regard it as a stronghold of stability. It also says Temasek is a state-owned global investment company that managed 518 billion Singapore dollars as of March 31, equal to $404 billion, and is viewed as supporting Singapore's fiscal stability while also being DBS's largest shareholder. Tan also addressed workforce issues around new technology, saying, "Humans intrinsically are nimble and agile ... I tell all my managers, hire for attitude - because you know you can't buy attitude, you can't train attitude." CNBC's Ying Shan Lee contributed to the story.
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