The ISCA Pre-Budget Roundtable 2026 brought together policymakers, business leaders and practitioners to gather diverse perspectives on Singapore's outlook for 2026, covering the economic landscape, enterprise resilience and competitiveness, opportunities for internationalisation and regional growth, the transformative role of AI and workforce readiness, as well as sustainability priorities, SME support needs, and the fiscal strategies required to foster inclusive and long-term growth.

Setting the Stage

Opening remarks by Fann Kor (CEO, ISCA) and Teo Ser Luck (President, ISCA) set the tone for the session. This was followed by opening addresses from Co-Chairs Saktiandi Supaat (Chairperson, Government Parliamentary Committee - Finance and Trade Industry) and Yeow Chung (YC) Song (Council Member, ISCA).

A live poll of 171 participants reflected cautious optimism for Singapore's 2026 outlook - growth remains possible, but risks are real.

Internationalisation: Competing as Ecosystems, Not Silos

As a panellist, Jeffery Tan (SGListCos Council Member and Group General Counsel; Chief Sustainability Officer; Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs and Company Secretary - Jardine Cycle and Carriage) anchored the discussion on internationalisation, asking how Singapore firms can compete overseas as integrated ecosystems rather than siloed players.

He highlighted the need for a "pack-hunting" mindset, drawing on examples where companies expand alongside suppliers, culture and talent - not in isolation.

Sustainability: Beyond Compliance

Beyond compliance, Jeffery stressed that sustainability should not be reduced to a reporting exercise that simply sits on the shelf. The real opportunity lies in embedding measures such as carbon tax into commercial decision-making - translating the green transition into financing advantages, stronger supply-chain positioning, and alignment with evolving customer expectations.

When sustainability is framed around business viability rather than regulation, companies are more willing to invest, innovate, and act with conviction.

AI and Workforce Transformation

AI featured prominently across discussion segments, with a strong emphasis on workforce transformation and execution at scale. Aslam S., CEO of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, captured this succinctly:

"2026 must be a year of bold, courageous transformation at scale."

SGListCos Support

SGListCos supports its MOU partner ISCA in convening a meaningful pre-Budget dialogue, providing a platform for business-grounded perspectives to inform policy thinking and advance resilient, inclusive and long-term growth.