Regional News

DBS has been named the World’s Best AI Bank at the inaugural Global Finance AI In Finance Awards 2025, marking a significant achievement in its journey to become an AI-enabled bank. This accolade recognises DBS’s leadership in integrating responsible AI and digital innovation to enhance banking experiences whilst maintaining its commitment to empathy and customer-centric solutions.

The bank’s success is further underscored by additional awards for Best Corporate/Institutional AI Bank and Best Enhanced Customer Experience in the consumer AI banks category. Joseph Giarraputo, Founder & Editorial Director of Global Finance, praised DBS for its extensive AI model deployment, strong experimentation culture, and data-driven workforce. The bank has implemented over 1,500 AI models across more than 370 use cases, with an anticipated economic impact exceeding $730m (S$1b) in 2025.

DBS began its AI journey in 2014, investing heavily in platforms, processes, and people to scale AI innovations. These efforts have led to hyper-personalised customer experiences and enhanced employee productivity. For instance, DBS uses AI to provide investment insights and financial planning nudges, whilst its iCoach tool supports employee career development.

In addition to its AI accolades, DBS also triumphed in the Digital Bank Awards 2025, securing titles such as Best Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank in the World. Overall, DBS garnered six global, 15 regional, and 52 domestic awards, reinforcing its commitment to digital transformation and customer-focused banking services.
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Moove Media, the advertising arm of ComfortDelGro, has launched a groundbreaking advertising platform in Singapore—Dynamic Bus advertising. This innovative initiative features Southeast Asia’s first double-decker bus equipped with a large-format digital landscape screen, measuring 6.9 metres wide and 0.58 metres tall. The launch marks a significant advancement in transit advertising, combining the extensive reach of mass transit with the precision of digital targeting.

The Dynamic Bus offers advanced adaptive capabilities, allowing advertisers to deliver real-time, contextually relevant messages based on time, location, and weather. This includes features such as day-parting, geo-fencing, weather triggers, and programmatic scheduling. Advertisers can also opt for a hybrid format by pairing the digital screen with a full bus wrap, enhancing brand visibility and engagement.

This new addition is part of Moove Media’s expanding digital transit media ecosystem, which includes Dynamic Cab, In-Cab Displays, Impact Screens, Dynamic Rail, and the upcoming Dynamic Hub. Together, these formats create a connected network of transit media designed to deliver smarter, more adaptive, and accountable advertising.

Jeffrey Kwek, CEO of Moove Media, stated, “Out-of-home is evolving, and Moove Media is proud to lead that change. Dynamic Bus represents the future of transit advertising where scale, creativity, and digital agility come together.”

The launch partners for this initiative include Singtel and DBS, with Tiger Brokers set to roll out its campaign shortly. This development signifies a shift towards more dynamic and data-driven advertising solutions in Singapore’s transit media landscape.

Reclaims Global, a Singapore-based eco-friendly service provider for the construction industry, has announced a proposed placement of up to 15,384,700 new shares at S$0.39 each, aiming to raise approximately $4.4m (S$6m). SAC Capital Private Limited will act as the placement agent, with Maybank Securities Pte. Ltd. as the sub-placement agent. The placement price reflects an 8.8% discount to the volume-weighted average price of S$0.4277 per share on 9 October 2025.

The company, known for recycling construction and demolition waste and providing customised excavation solutions, plans to use the proceeds to strengthen its general working capital. Additionally, Reclaims Global intends to pursue business expansion initiatives, including tendering for higher-value contracts and exploring new opportunities in excavation, demolition, and building construction services.

Reclaims Global’s strategic move aligns with Singapore’s construction macro trends, aiming to enhance its market position by targeting new business opportunities and potential acquisitions of related business entities. The company has built a strong reputation over the years, supported by its extensive fleet of tipper lorries and a wide network of vendors, including transport companies and building material suppliers.

Regency Specialist Hospital has launched Johor’s first Next-Gen Smart Ward, marking a significant advancement in patient care through the integration of advanced digital technology. Developed in collaboration with Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Lanseed Medical Group, and Origin Integrated Studios, the smart ward aims to enhance safety, efficiency, and personalisation in healthcare delivery.

The launch event, held on 11 October, also featured a Smart Hospital Forum, bringing together healthcare leaders, clinicians, and technology partners to discuss the future of digital healthcare in Malaysia. Serena Yong, CEO of Regency Specialist Hospital, highlighted the ward’s design, which balances efficiency and compassionate care, allowing healthcare teams to focus more on patient interaction.

Key features of the smart ward include a nurse dashboard, smart bedside terminals, and real-time monitoring systems. These innovations are expected to reduce manual data entry by 67%, improve response times by 16%, and enhance team communication. The smart ward also empowers patients by enabling them to request assistance and access their care plans directly from their bedside terminals.

This initiative is part of a strategic collaboration with Chang Gung Medical Foundation, known for its expertise in smart hospital innovations. The partnership underscores Regency Specialist Hospital’s commitment to setting new benchmarks in healthcare, combining global expertise with local innovation to deliver safer and more patient-centred services.

As the first of its kind in Johor, the Next-Gen Smart Ward represents a transformative step in healthcare, promising a more humane and meaningful patient experience.

The Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) has unveiled FSF Xcel, Malaysia’s pioneering digital skills assessment platform for the financial sector. This initiative is designed to benchmark workforce capabilities and expedite upskilling, supporting Malaysia’s shift towards a more adaptive and sustainable financial ecosystem.

FSF Xcel builds on the Future Skills Framework (FSF) introduced in 2024, offering structured, industry-validated assessments. These assessments help financial institutions identify skill gaps, map learning and career pathways, and future-proof talent strategies. The platform covers 159 job roles and 157 critical skills, including both technical and behavioural competencies.

Developed in collaboration with Accendo Technologies, a Malaysian AI-powered talent intelligence company, FSF Xcel integrates global best practices with local expertise. This collaboration aims to strengthen Malaysia’s financial talent pipeline, aligning with Bank Negara Malaysia’s Financial Sector Blueprint 2022–2026.

The financial sector, contributing an estimated 6.7% to Malaysia’s GDP in 2024 and employing nearly 167,000 professionals, remains vital to national economic growth. FSF Xcel accelerates the industry’s transition towards a digitally fluent, innovation-driven workforce. It offers real-time analytics and a common competency language to guide workforce planning and benchmark capabilities.

As Malaysia continues to evolve its financial sector, FSF Xcel is poised to play a crucial role in ensuring the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore is set to significantly upgrade its railway video surveillance infrastructure with Nokia’s IP/MPLS and fibre Optical LAN solutions. This collaboration with Hitachi Rail aims to enhance the reliability, bandwidth, and efficiency of the CCTV network across more than 50 train stations, ensuring improved safety and traffic management for millions of passengers daily.

Nokia’s deployment will enable real-time monitoring and video surveillance, crucial for public safety and traffic pattern management. The fibre Optical LAN, featuring hardened ONUs and future-proof OLTs, supports speeds up to 25Gb/s, requiring less cabling and power compared to traditional LAN networks. This upgrade is designed to meet the growing capacity demands of LTA’s expanding network.

Joaquim Santos, Vice President of Integrated Communication and Supervision Solutions at Hitachi Rail, stated, “We are pleased to have selected Nokia to collaborate with Hitachi Rail in enhancing passenger safety & security across Singapore’s railway network.” Stuart Hendry, Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Network Infrastructure, Asia Pacific at Nokia, added, “Partnering with Hitachi Rail, we were able to deliver a complete solution for LTA that would ensure they had the video capacity needed to serve their expansive CCTV surveillance and broader network operations for years to come.”

This initiative underscores the importance of advanced technological solutions in maintaining and improving public transport safety and efficiency. The upgraded infrastructure is expected to serve Singapore’s transit lines effectively for years to come.

Centurion Corporation Limited has announced its acquisition of a land site in central London, marking its entry into the city with plans to develop a 225-bed Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). The site, located at William Road, Euston, is strategically positioned near University College London’s Bloomsbury campus, making it an attractive option for students.

The acquisition, valued at $50m (£41m), was executed through Centurion’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Centurion Overseas Investments Pte. Ltd., in partnership with US-based Landmark Properties. Centurion holds a 99% equity interest in the joint venture, with Landmark holding the remaining 1%.

The development, branded under Centurion’s EPIISOD label, will feature a mix of studio units and en suite cluster accommodation, along with communal amenities. Additionally, part of the site will be refurbished to provide affordable office space.

This move expands Centurion’s UK portfolio to six cities, reinforcing its presence in key student markets. The acquisition follows the recent listing of Centurion Accommodation REIT on the Singapore Exchange, showcasing the company’s strategic capital deployment.

Kong Chee Min, CEO of Centurion Corporation, stated, “We are excited to extend our EPIISOD brand into London, a city with resilient student demand.” He emphasised the company’s commitment to reinvesting proceeds from the CAREIT spin-off into strategic opportunities that enhance portfolio quality and income visibility.

With London’s student housing demand outpacing supply, Centurion’s new development is poised to meet the needs of both domestic and international students, further solidifying its position in the global student accommodation market.

Surbana Jurong (SJ Group) is celebrating its 10th anniversary by announcing a significant partnership with the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). This collaboration aims to integrate nature, technology, and people, aligning with Singapore’s City in Nature vision. SJ Group will contribute up to $1.46m (S$2m) in cash and in-kind support to NParks’ Garden City Fund, enhancing climate resilience and sustainability.

The partnership includes the establishment of the Design and Artificial Intelligence (D•AI) Fab Lab at SJ, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between academia and industry in Singapore. This initiative will nurture talent skilled in combining design, AI, and domain expertise to tackle urban and environmental challenges. Professor Tai Lee Siang of SUTD remarked, “The AI future that once seemed so remote has arrived. Our collaboration with SJ through the SUTD D•AI Fab Lab embodies this vision.”

Additionally, SJ has launched the SJ Digital Experience Centre, which showcases advanced tools like Building Information Modelling and Digital Twins. This centre aims to empower clients to make informed decisions on performance, cost, and carbon, enhancing the digital capability in the built environment.

Sean Chiao, CEO of SJ, stated, “These partnerships may look different, but they are guided by the same belief, that the future will be shaped by bringing nature, technology and people together.” With these initiatives, SJ aims to deliver sustainable solutions that extend beyond Singapore, fostering a shared sustainability and innovation landscape.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the landscape of Islamic finance, as highlighted during the Global Islamic Finance Forum (GIFF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. The session, titled “Revolutionising Islamic Finance – Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence,” brought together industry leaders to discuss AI’s potential to enhance efficiency, uphold ethical standards, and broaden financial inclusion.

Moderated by Suhaimi Ali, Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, the panel included Chris Skinner, CEO of The Finanser; Sami Aftab Mian, CEO of Blade Labs; Dr. Qasim Nasar-Ullah, Director of Arabesque SG Pte Ltd; and Goh Peng Ooi, Founder and Group Executive Chairman of Silverlake. Suhaimi noted that Malaysian financial institutions are increasingly using AI for customer analytics and fraud prevention, stressing the importance of maintaining ethical commitments.

Chris Skinner discussed the shift towards a data-centric model, where AI facilitates real-time decision-making and financial inclusion. He emphasised the synergy between AI and blockchain in ensuring transparency: “If I invest in a green sukuk bond, I should know that the money reached the project it was meant for.”

Sami Aftab Mian highlighted AI’s role in process automation and product innovation, stating, “The goal is not to replace human roles but to elevate them.” He stressed the need for AI to be grounded in Sharia-based principles to avoid becoming a “black box.”

Dr. Qasim Nasar-Ullah pointed out the importance of transparency in AI models, referencing regulatory frameworks like the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s FEAT principles. Goh Peng Ooi underscored data integrity, likening Islamic finance principles to AI’s reinforcement learning structures.

The session concluded with a call for collaboration among regulators, innovators, and scholars to ensure AI strengthens ethical finance. “AI can only strengthen the financial system if it serves humanity and upholds trust,” Suhaimi concluded.

INFiLED, a leading LED display solutions provider, has officially launched its Singapore subsidiary following a two-day event on 9-10 October 2025. This strategic move is part of the company’s broader Asia-Pacific expansion plan, aiming to deliver more localised and responsive services across the region. The Singapore entity will enhance INFiLED’s ability to support projects with greater speed and proximity, building on its existing operations in Japan, Korea, and Malaysia.

The establishment of the Singapore subsidiary marks a shift from regional offices to a fully-fledged local entity, granting it enhanced decision-making authority and resource allocation capabilities. This transition is expected to facilitate faster response times, deeper collaboration, and solutions tailored specifically for local market needs. “Strong products open doors, but sustainable growth comes from deeply localised operations,” INFiLED emphasised during the event.

Singapore’s strategic position as a hub for finance, innovation, and logistics makes it an ideal location for INFiLED’s expansion. The new subsidiary will streamline processes such as presales consulting, engineering, project management, and aftersales support, ensuring consistent service quality and accountability across cross-border projects.

Looking forward, INFiLED plans to further strengthen its Asia-Pacific network by investing in local talent and enhancing operational capabilities. The company is also considering expanding its presence in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia as a potential next step. This initiative aims to pair high-performance LED solutions with speed, reliability, and proximity, transforming creative concepts into dependable outcomes.