It’s no secret that economic growth is driven by a vibrant enterprise landscape with flourishing businesses across industries making their mark locally and globally. What makes this space exciting and what does it take to champion the growth of future enterprise?
As an economic agency under the MTI, SPRING drives the growth of Singapore enterprises and builds trust in Singapore products and services, as well as collaborate with partners to help enterprises in financing, capability and management development, technology and innovation, and access to markets. Han Dinghong, Senior Manager with the Food Division (Industry and Enterprise Development) and a recipient of the SPRING Executive Development Scholarship, shares his perspective and experience.
What sparked your interest in a scholarship and career with SPRING?
My father is an entrepreneur and he often shared his experiences and difficulties in growing his company. Hence, I was exposed to the challenges that SMEs face since young. It helps me to appreciate how the government can play an important role in supporting the growth of enterprises. After completing my A-Levels, I was looking for a scholarship with an organisation that focused on supporting Singapore’s economy, particularly in enabling SMEs. SPRING’s mission in helping Singapore enterprises grow resonated with me. So I applied for a SPRING scholarship.
Tell us about your roles and responsibilities. What do you find fulfilling about your role?
My father is an entrepreneur and he often shared his experiences and difficulties in growing his company. Hence, I was exposed to the challenges that SMEs face since young. It helps me to appreciate how the government can play an important role in supporting the growth of enterprises. After completing my A-Levels, I was looking for a scholarship with an organisation that focused on supporting Singapore’s economy, particularly in enabling SMEs. SPRING’s mission in helping Singapore enterprises grow resonated with me. So I applied for a SPRING scholarship.
Han Dinghong
SPRING EDS Scholar
Senior Manager, Food (Industry and Enterprise Development)
My roles and responsibilities involve two components: Depth (Enterprise Development) and Breadth (Industry Development). I go “deep” in engaging enterprise leaders to hear about their growth plans and support them through various ways, such as financing, facilitating market access and providing know-hows. In addition, I think “broadly” to formulate strategies and develop initiatives to support the Food industry.
My regular interactions with leaders from local enterprises, government agencies and associations, provide me with deeper insights to do my job better. Being able to immerse myself with real business issues and help local SMEs gives me a sense of fulfilment because I learnt that any small gesture of assistance can go a long way.
SPRING officers do get the opportunity to travel overseas to learn best practices from other players and explore how Singapore companies can adopt new technologies. When I was with the Logistics industry team, I worked together with Food team to find synergy between Food Manufacturing and Cold Chain Logistics. We saw the potential of having a cold chain logistics company providing High Pressure Processing (HPP) tolling services for the food manufacturers. This win-win partnership can help the food manufacturing companies increase the shelf life and exportability of their products. We then did a call for collaboration to identify and evaluate interested parties which were keen to provide HPP tolling services. We also went to the US to learn more about HPP technology, and the technical and operational challenges in executing this. It was a meaningful project as we went through the whole process of ideation and working with partners to bring in the HPP technology to Singapore and to benefit local SMEs!
How does SPRING support its scholars and officers who wish to develop themselves?
There are many opportunities for scholars and officers to exercise creativity and take risks to spearhead initiatives and work closely with industry partners. I also learnt to take charge of my learning and development as SPRING puts in place the necessary trainings and workshops to build the capabilities of its officers. With plenty learning platforms made available along the way, be it an internship, on-boarding programme or ad-hoc dialogue and industry networking sessions, the hunger to learn and the choice is in our hands to go for it!
Share with us one memorable episode you have had throughout your career.
One memorable experience during my career was my trip to Ireland and Germany with other agencies and food manufacturing companies, to learn about food innovation for companies. The key objective of the trip was part of the Food Manufacturing Industry Transformation Map’s initiative to guide companies in conceptualising and developing new premium, high-margin products suitable for export. It was a fruitful and productive trip as we start to plan for new projects from the key trip takeaways. For example, through one of the site visits to a research centre there, we are now planning to create a pilot production plant in Singapore. The pilot production plant aims to lower the cost of R&D and small batch production, providing companies a common facility to do testing and innovation of food products without having to over-invest in equipment and fixed assets.
What advice do you have for those considering a scholarship with SPRING?
SPRING scholars need to have both “depth” and “breadth” in their understanding of the Singapore economy. Reading widely is not to be taken lightly because that is how all of us can learn fast and understand how the economy and industries are changing. Armed with the right knowledge and keeping track on current affairs will enable you to better engage companies and level-up your understanding in tackling real challenges as well as daily interactions.
Most importantly, make sure that your head, heart and hands are ready by equipping your head with knowledge, having a heart for the companies and training your hands to be adept at doing anything!
