INTRODUCTION
Managing Diversity is a series of forums that seek to bring together different perspectives on managing diverse societies. Societies rely on various stakeholders that work in tandem to shape societal issues, from government to businesses, to community leaders, to non-governmental organisations. Each stakeholder is both affected by societal issues, and able to effect change in society. There thus presents a need for multiple stakeholders to be able to effectively discuss their perspectives and network solutions together.
Often, discussions and dialogues on inter-faith and racial harmony work are limited to a government-community leader approach. They tend to bring together many community leaders and approach issues from a ground-up perspective. While commendable, they often neglect other perspectives from the business, academic, and government standpoint. Additionally, these conferences have their main focuses around Singapore and its policies, neglecting how social harmony is equally important in other societies as well.
The Role of Business Sector in Maintaining Social Harmony
The first edition of Managing Diversity will kick-start an array of conversations targeted at the business sector in Singapore with the aim of specifically engaging business owners, investors, marketing professionals, human resource professionals and companies involved in internet technology. In this session, we aim to look deeper into commitment from business owners and investors towards social harmony, workplaces and their policies and practices on racial/religious diversities in the workplace. Workplaces are microcosms of society and face similar issues in managing diversities, issues of discrimination, and conflicts. Workplaces are where most of our population spend the majority of their time, and should be environments that are safe, free from discrimination, and conducive for interaction and intercultural learning.
Speakers
DEVADAS KRISHNADAS
Devadas Krishnadas is the founder and CEO of Future-Moves Group, a boutique consultancy focused on public policy and corporate strategy.
Prior to founding Future- Moves Group, Devadas played a leading role in developing Singapore’s fiscal and social policy, where he led efforts in long-term planning and strategic thinking. Devadas held senior appointments in the SPF, was Honorary Aide-de-Camp to President S.R. Nathan and served five years in public policy in multiple Ministries, including the Ministry of Finance.
Devadas is an active thought leader and the author of six books on strategy.
BIANCA STRINGUINI
Bianca Stringuini is an international profile - an Inclusion & Diversity, and wellbeing thought leader. She heads the People Experience & Engagement team at KPMG Singapore.
Bianca has over 15 years of experience in creating and implementing Inclusion, Diversity (I&D), Wellbeing, Engagement, and Change Management strategies for Fortune 500 companies across multiple markets. She is a certified facilitator in cultural awareness, change management and cultural transformation. She speaks at various conferences such as the UN CSW Global Conference, Global Talent Leaders in Berlin and multiple Talent and Inclusion Forums in the Asia Pacific region.
VICTOR MILLS
Victor Mills is Chief Executive, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) which he has led for seven years.
Prior to joining the Chamber, Mr Mills had a 30-year career in financial services, 29 of them in Asia-Pacific serving customers in various senior regional business roles. He was a commercial banker for ten years and an institutional banker for 20 years. In the latter role, he covered the southeast Asian, south Asian and south and east African markets.
Mr Mills is a director of ESSEC Business School. He is a Member of, Total Defence Awards Evaluation Board. He chairs IRAS’s Taxpayer Feedback Panel and is a member of the Data Protection Appeal Panel. He is also a member of both the Singapore Institute of Directors and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
NAZHATH FAHEEMA
Nazhath Faheema is the Founder and President of hash.peace - a youth led advocacy organisation dedicated to the work of sustainable social harmony in Singapore.
Faheema is engaged in activating inter-belief and inter-ethnic conversations. She undertakes efforts to counter extremist and exclusive ideologies that pose problem to peace, security and social cohesion.
She is currently serving as a full-time General Manager in a pioneer NGO focusing on inter-religious work. She is also involved in other volunteer work that serves different needs and aspirations of the Singapore society.
MODERATOR
LEONARD SIM
Leonard Sim is a final-year student reading a Double Major in Political Science and History and a Minor in China Studies at the National University of Singapore.
As the General Secretary of Hash.Peace, Leonard assists in the organisation of hash.peace’s conversation circle dialogues aiming to bring together members and other relevant parties in closed conversation about interfaith and social harmony issues.
Leonard is also the Project Lead of hash.peace Conversation Series 2021, which oversees the various events that hash.peace is organising in-lieu of SG-in-Harmony month. Leonard has also represented hash.peace at the Straits Times Webinar on Race Relations, as a Youth Leader in the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity (HCHF) Human Fraternity Education and Leadership for Peace (HELP) programme, and internationally, as part of the official Singapore delegation to the ASEAN Interfaith Youth Camp 2020.
Leonard also actively volunteers with OnePeople.sg as a Youth Advocate. Through his work, he is thankful to be one of the selected OnePeople.sg Youth Advocates to attend the International Conference on Cohesive Societies.