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Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

What can we learn about governance and public service leadership from Singapore? - 13 Nov 2024 09:30 – 11:00

At its independence in 1965, Singapore was confronted with high unemployment, poor infrastructure and political instability. In the almost six decades since, the city-state is among the world’s most competitive economies and ranks highest in the 2020 World Bank Human Capital Index.

Singapore maintains one of the highest levels of government effectiveness – creating a high-performing public service and producing strong economic and social outcomes in under two generations.

We’re gathering experts on 13 November to mark the launch of the Behavioural Insights Team’s report and to find out how Singapore’s effective public service model, policy design and long-term scenario planning could be applied to the UK government and other international contexts. Our expert panel, including Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy and BIT Singapore Dr Serene Koh, will discuss how Singapore's experience can provide insights for governments, as they develop strategies to address the challenges their countries face now and in the future.

Join us online on 13 November 09:30-11:00 GMT for the next in our series of live events, How to make good things happen – examining successful policies from around the world that have addressed social issues.

More speakers to be announced.

Speakers

Ravi

Ravi Gurumurthy

He/Him

Ravi is the Group Chief Executive Officer at Nesta. Ravi was previously responsible for the International Rescue Committee’s work in designing, testing and scaling products and services for people affected by crisis in over 40 countries - from reducing acute malnutrition and intimate partner violence, to expanding employment for Syrian refugees. Prior to joining the International Rescue Committee in 2013, Ravi held a number of roles in the UK Government, including Director of Strategy at the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change and as a strategic advisor to the Foreign Secretary. Across many departments, Ravi led a number of major social and environmental reforms including the development of the world’s first legally-binding carbon emissions targets and the integration of children’s services. Ravi has also worked as a researcher at the think-tank Demos and in local government in London.

Serene-bio-photo-scaled

Dr Serene Koh

She/Her

Serene oversees Singapore’s domestic consultancy work and capability development programme in the region. She helped to set up the Singapore office in 2016 and has led projects across various policy domains including water conservation, academic stress, and youth rehabilitation. Serene has deep expertise in training and capability building– to date, she has delivered training workshops to more than 5000 civil servants, NGO practitioners, and private sector partners in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific. Serene has shared behavioural change insights with media outlets across the region including Channel News Asia, TODAY, and the South China Morning Post on topics such as vaccine uptake, safe driving, and general civic behaviours. She is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Center for Behavioural and Implementation Science Interventions (BISI) at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Before BIT, Serene was a researcher with the Ministry of Communications and Information where she led the department’s work in behavioural and social research. Serene holds a Masters in Research Methodology and Ph.D. in Education from the University of Michigan.