Industry News

A significant wave of retirements is reshaping the CFO landscape in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, according to the latest Global CFO Turnover Index by Russell Reynolds Associates. In 2025, 62% of the 73 CFO departures in APAC were due to retirement, up from 57% in 2024. This trend has led to 58% of all APAC CFO appointments being first-time CFOs, with the region recording 92 total appointments, surpassing its seven-year average of 85.

Globally, CFO appointments reached a record high of 316, marking a 10% increase from 2024. The APAC region alone saw a 31% rise in appointments, with Australia leading at 49, followed by Japan with 15, Hong Kong with 14, India with nine, and Singapore with five. The Global Index of CFO Turnover tracks CFO departures from major stock indices, including ASX 200, HANG SENG, Nikkei 225, NSE Nifty 50, and STI.

Retirement remains the primary driver of CFO exits globally, accounting for 60% of departures, up from 55% in 2024. In APAC, 45 of the 73 CFO departures were due to retirement. Australia, Hong Kong, and India saw the majority of exits driven by retirement, whilst Singapore had a balanced split, and Japan had only 34% retiring.

Adelin Choy, co-leader of APAC Financial Officers Practice at Russell Reynolds Associates, noted, “The demographic shifts, particularly the ageing population, necessitate businesses to critically re-evaluate their succession pipelines and the evolving qualifications for the CFO role.”

Despite these shifts, APAC organisations maintained a balanced approach to recruitment, with nearly equal internal and external CFO appointments. The region’s inclination towards first-time CFOs mirrors the global trend, with 57% of all CFO appointments being first-timers. The elevated turnover highlights the need for continuous governance in CFO succession planning, as noted by Choy.

Real estate investment in the Asia Pacific region surged by 8% in 2025, reaching US$162b, according to the latest report from Colliers. This growth was attributed to improved market clarity, easing financial conditions, and renewed buyer confidence, with momentum building in the latter half of the year.

The report highlights that domestic capital remains a key anchor for the region, whilst cross-border investors are re-engaging in markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and India. South Korea, Japan, and Singapore led the investment volumes, with Singapore and India experiencing the strongest annual growth at 35% and 29%, respectively.

Sector-wise, office assets continued to dominate the investment landscape, supported by sustained demand for high-quality, well-located properties. The logistics sector saw investments of US$30.1b, whilst retail investments increased by 15% as investor confidence improved. Alternative asset classes emerged as the fastest-growing segment, driven by strong institutional demand.

Theo Novak, Managing Director of Capital Markets & Investment Services at Colliers, noted a shift from caution to conviction among investors, who are now prioritising clarity and quality. “This broadening of activity is a key signal of a healthier and more sustainable recovery,” Novak stated.

Looking ahead, Colliers anticipates further strengthening of investment momentum in 2026, supported by stabilising interest rates and a gradual recovery in cross-border capital flows. Domestic capital is expected to remain the primary driver, with offshore participation likely to increase as risk appetite improves.

Visa has unveiled its latest innovation, Visa Intelligent Authorisation, designed to modernise payment processing for banks and financial institutions. This new capability, part of the Visa Acceptance Platform, allows acquirers to streamline their operations through a single API connection, eliminating the need for costly infrastructure rebuilds. The system promises to enhance transaction approval rates and reduce false declines, addressing the limitations of legacy systems.

Visa Intelligent Authorisation offers a robust solution with 99.999% uptime and an average global approval rate of 96.3%, setting industry benchmarks. By integrating transactions across major card networks, it provides acquirers with a versatile tool that can either serve as their main processor or complement existing systems. The product’s machine-learning engine optimises routing decisions and provides real-time risk alerts, ensuring compliance and efficiency.

The rise of digital wallets, stablecoins, and AI-powered commerce has increased the complexity of transactions, necessitating modern processing infrastructure. Visa’s research indicates that 74% of consumers in Asia Pacific already use AI tools in their shopping, highlighting the need for systems capable of handling richer data sets at scale. Axel Boye-Moller, Visa’s Head of Value-Added Services in Asia Pacific, stated, “Visa Intelligent Authorisation is designed for this shift, delivering smarter decisioning across networks through a single integration.”

Visa Intelligent Authorisation is now available to eligible acquirers, offering a scalable foundation for the evolving payment landscape. As digital payments continue to grow, this innovation positions Visa at the forefront of the industry’s transformation.

The MSCI Institute has released a new report highlighting that insurers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are increasingly concerned about the systemic financial risks posed by climate-driven physical hazards. The survey, which included 50 of the world’s largest property and casualty insurers and reinsurers, found that 100% of APAC insurers express high concern about infrastructure insurability in vulnerable regions, surpassing the global average by 4 percentage points.

The report underscores that whilst individual insurers rate their own preparedness above the industry’s, there is a significant gap in operational integration of these risks. In APAC, 64% of insurers express high concern about systemic risks, yet 63% are still in the early stages of integrating these risks into their management frameworks. This suggests a widespread awareness-integration gap that could have serious implications for infrastructure finance and real asset markets.

Globally, 91% of insurers see opportunities in climate risk and resilience advisory services, although this figure drops to 75% in APAC. Additionally, 58% of insurers, both globally and in APAC, identify parametric products as a key opportunity. However, only 17% of APAC insurers view insuring nature-based resilience as a significant opportunity, slightly higher than the global average of 11%.

The report also notes that physical risk is increasingly becoming a focus for regulatory bodies, with growing requirements for insurers to assess hazard-related scenarios and climate risks in their risk management and disclosure practices. Despite these challenges, the report suggests that the insurance industry is at a critical juncture, with significant opportunities for innovation and adaptation in response to the escalating physical risks.

Porsche Asia Pacific and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on sustainable mobility and next-generation automotive technologies. This five-year partnership aims to equip students and educators with industry-relevant skills, aligning with Singapore’s shift towards electrified mobility.

The collaboration will focus on key areas such as high-voltage battery technology, electric vehicle diagnostics, and digitalisation. Students will benefit from internships at Porsche Singapore and potential overseas attachments at Porsche’s regional facilities, including the assembly facility in Kedah, Malaysia. These opportunities provide a rare glimpse into top-level automotive production and technical innovations.

ITE educators will also gain from this partnership. Recently, two lecturers from ITE College West participated in specialised high-voltage battery training at the Porsche Service Centre in Singapore, gaining insights into Porsche’s unique EV battery repair concept.

Porsche will further support ITE by donating a Macan Electric for training purposes and sponsoring Book Prizes and Achiever Awards for top-performing students. Hannes Ruoff, CEO of Porsche Asia Pacific, emphasised the importance of equipping young talents with strong technical foundations and real-world exposure. Peter Lam, CEO of ITE, highlighted the partnership’s role in keeping students and educators at the forefront of emerging technologies, empowering them to shape the future of Singapore’s automotive industry.

Wind Asia Training Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Sheffield Green, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vestas Offshore Wind Taiwan Limited to explore potential training services collaboration for Vestas personnel in Taiwan. The agreement will see Vestas assess Wind Asia Training’s Chiayi facilities for technical training and Global Wind Organisation (GWO)-certified programmes.

The collaboration aims to enhance workforce skills development within the wind industry in Taiwan, with potential expansion into Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets. Gavin Taylor, CEO of Wind Asia Training, stated, “This MOU represents a valuable opportunity to explore areas of cooperation with Vestas to support their training requirements in Taiwan, and potentially other regional markets, subject to further agreement.”

Sheffield Green, headquartered in Singapore, specialises in providing human resource services for the renewable energy sector, including onshore and offshore wind, solar, and green hydrogen projects. The company is well-positioned to support the growing demand for skilled personnel in the renewable energy industry across the Asia-Pacific region.

The partnership between Wind Asia Training and Vestas highlights the increasing focus on developing technical expertise and certified training programmes to meet the evolving needs of the renewable energy sector. As the industry continues to expand, such collaborations are crucial for ensuring a skilled workforce capable of supporting future growth and innovation.

AnyMind Group has announced a strategic partnership with Truecaller, becoming the exclusive advertising intermediary for Truecaller’s premium inventory across Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. This collaboration allows advertisers to tap into Truecaller’s vast ecosystem of 450 million active users and 5 billion daily impressions, enhancing AnyMind’s mission to provide global exposure through its integrated tech stack.

The partnership enables advertisers to leverage AnyMind Group’s broader Enterprise Growth solutions, which include influencer marketing, mobile marketing, and social commerce. Additionally, the integration of AI reporting and optimisation agents is set to significantly reduce operational workloads for advertisers.

Aditya Aima, Managing Director of Growth Markets at AnyMind Group, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to partner with Truecaller to open its inventory to brands across MENA and Southeast Asia. With Truecaller’s scale and trusted user ecosystem, combined with our market depth and networks, we see strong potential to drive more relevant, high-impact advertising outcomes.”

Truecaller, a global communications platform, continues to expand its advertising business, with Hemant Arora, VP of Global Ad Sales Business, noting the importance of partnerships with regional players like AnyMind Group. “MENA and Southeast Asia represent high-growth markets with evolving digital maturity, and through this collaboration, we aim to bring brands closer to consumers via trusted and contextual communication experiences on our platform,” Arora said.

This partnership not only accelerates Truecaller’s local advertising growth but also reinforces AnyMind Group’s position as a leading Business-Process-as-a-Service (BPaaS) partner, offering scalable, data-driven growth solutions.

Singapore has emerged as the most expensive city for office fit-out in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Fit-Out Cost Guide 2026. With an average cost of $2,029 per square metre, Singapore surpasses Tokyo and Taipei, which stand at $1,994 and $1,593 per square metre, respectively. This ranking highlights the varied investment conditions across the region, with Phnom Penh at the lower end at $375 per square metre.

The guide, which covers 23 cities, anticipates a 2-5% rise in fit-out costs over the next year due to factors such as a tight construction labour market and increasing sustainability requirements. These structural pressures are becoming more significant than general inflation, which has eased in many areas.

Sustainability is now a standard expectation, with green building certifications and energy monitoring driving up baseline costs. In cities like Singapore and Sydney, ESG-aligned fit-outs are becoming the norm, increasing demand for specialists in sustainability systems.

A shift towards the Design & Build (D&B) model is noted, particularly for offices ranging from 900 to 2,800 square metres. This model offers cost certainty and can reduce project timelines by 20-30%, which is crucial in volatile markets.

Tim Armstrong of Knight Frank advises occupiers to engage early and build flexibility into procurement strategies to manage cost and delivery risks. Christine Li adds that labour constraints and ESG requirements are raising the cost floor, whilst global trade dynamics introduce additional uncertainties.

In Singapore, high labour costs and stringent standards maintain its position at the top of the cost table, reflecting its status as a financial hub. Meanwhile, India’s major markets remain cost-competitive, and cities like Jakarta and Manila are seeing rising costs due to quality expectations and regulatory demands.

Great Eastern has introduced Great Eastern Private, a new service aimed at high-net-worth individuals and families across Asia. This initiative is designed to expand the company’s offerings, focusing on helping clients preserve their financial legacy for future generations.

Great Eastern Private combines bespoke insurance solutions with a curated panel of expertise, providing seamless access to wealth succession and legacy planning services. Greg Hingston, Group CEO of Great Eastern, highlighted the strategic importance of this launch, stating, “As clients successfully accumulate wealth, the focus is now shifting to preserving, and transferring wealth intentionally, efficiently and meaningfully. The launch of Great Eastern Private is a strategic move to invest in capabilities and services to respond to this customer need and the commitment to remain the trusted insurance partner of customers across every stage of life and across generations.”

The introduction of Great Eastern Private underscores the company’s commitment to addressing the evolving needs of its clients. As Southeast Asia’s longest-established insurer, Great Eastern aims to maintain its role as a trusted partner across generations. The new service is expected to enhance the company’s ability to support its clients in managing their wealth effectively.

Raffles Family Office, in collaboration with GoUpscale and Synpulse, has announced the launch of Quantive Partners, a new platform designed to enhance the operational infrastructure for External Asset Managers (EAMs) and Multi-Family Offices (MFOs) across Asia. This initiative seeks to address existing gaps in the private wealth ecosystem by providing a unified, privacy-focused platform that enhances data integrity and risk visibility.

Quantive Partners aims to tackle the challenges faced by EAMs and MFOs, who often deal with multiple custodians and fragmented data sources. The platform promises to streamline these processes, enabling more efficient portfolio decision-making. Chi Man Kwan, Group CEO of Raffles Family Office, highlighted the need for such a solution, stating, “Too much time is still spent reconciling data and managing fragmented tools. This joint venture is about fixing that.”

Dominic Gamble, CEO and Co-Founder of GoUpscale, emphasised the transformative potential of the partnership, noting that it represents a “seismic shift” in how wealth management engages with technology.

Meanwhile, Yves Roesti, Managing Partner and CEO of Synpulse Group, described the collaboration as a means to bring “institutional-level strength” to the private wealth space.

Raffles Family Office will anchor the project, ensuring the platform aligns with real-world advisory workflows. GoUpscale will focus on integrating research and intelligence, whilst Synpulse will lead the development of a secure and scalable platform. This strategic collaboration is set to create a more agile and future-ready ecosystem for wealth management in Asia.