CACCI members who joined the July 29 Presidential Visit to Singapore proceeded to attend the ASEANext Forum hosted on July 30, 2026 in Singapore by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF). The ASEANext Forum 2026 featured a full-day, high-energy programme combining TEDx-style talks, keynote fireside chats with business leaders, curated business matching, and networking sessions. Together, these formats were designed to move participants beyond inspiration – sparking meaningful conversations, surfacing fresh perspectives and actionable insights, and translating ideas into cross-border opportunities through partnerships and real-world case studies.

The various sessions of the Forum, which carried the theme “ASEAN’s Future in a Fractured World,” featured speakers who shared their valuable perspectives on the relevant topics of current interest to entrepreneurs, both young and old and to family-owned businesses.

 

(1) Welcome Remarks

 

In his Welcome Remarks, Mr. Jesher Loi of the Young Business Leaders Network emphasized ASEANext’s role in empowering the next generation of business leaders to forge meaningful connections, drive collaboration, and unlock ASEAN’s vast potential amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.

 

 

(2) Keynote Leaders’ Perspectives: Decision, Disruption and Direction

 

The Keynote Speech by Mr Richard Eu of Eu Yan Sang underscored that enduring success in family businesses depends on prioritising long-term sustainability over ownership, embracing change as a catalyst for transformation, and leading with purpose, trust, adaptability, and strategic clarity amid ASEAN’s dynamic business landscape.

 

(3) Beyond Wealth: Values and Generational Transition in Business Succession

 

The session noted that as Asia enters its biggest wave of wealth transfer, succession has become the defining test. Not just of wealth, but of legacy and continuity

The conversation brought together a father–son duo and a next-generation leader to unpack what it really takes to make transitions work as they balance control with reinvention, and legacy with new ambition. Through candid perspectives, the session tackled the hard questions many families avoid: Who is truly ready to lead? What happens when the next generation wants something different? And how do families transfer not just wealth, but values and purpose? At its core, this was a conversation about navigating change - honestly, intentionally, and across generations.

The speakers agreed that multi-generational success requires treating family governance as a business imperative - prioritising firm longevity, structured ownership, values-anchored pivots, and decisive next-gen leadership.

 

(4) ASEANext Spotlight: Changemakers Shaping ASEAN’s Future

 

The session served as a high-energy platform that celebrated innovation and entrepreneurship across ASEAN. It was designed to give aspiring trailblazers, emerging disruptors, and established changemakers the stage to exchange bold ideas and transformative projects through powerful presentations.

The speakers shared ideas about innovation, technology, and leadership mindsets, spark cross-border collaborations, and create momentum for sustainable growth and resilience across ASEAN and beyond.

 

(5) Leader’s Lens: Leading Through Uncertainty

 

The session pointed out that as the global environment grows more volatile, leadership is entering a new phase. Not just of strategy, but of judgement under pressure where leaders need to act with incomplete information and make decisions that cannot be deferred.

The session’s conversation looked at what it truly takes to lead in such a landscape — navigating shifting dynamics, making difficult trade-offs, and adapting in real time without losing clarity of purpose. Through candid perspectives, the session tackled the questions many leaders grapple with but rarely confront: When there are no clear answers, how do you decide? What must be protected and what must be let go? And how do you lead people through uncertainty while maintaining trust, when outcomes are far from assured? The panelists agreed that navigating global shifts requires authentic principles, pragmatic de-risking, and purposeful leadership.

 

(6) The Venture Capitalist Perspective: Investing in Uncertain Times

 

 

The venture capital panel discussion brought together leading investors and innovators to explore how Southeast Asia’s dynamic startup ecosystem is reshaping global markets, offering a candid, regional, and future oriented view of how ideas are funded, scaled, and sustained, bridging ambition with real world execution.

The speakers highlighted emerging investment trends, the rise of sustainable and impact-driven ventures, and strategies for scaling across diverse ASEAN economies. They shared practical insights into fundraising, investor relations, and navigating regulatory landscapes, inspiring the next generation of founders to build ventures that are both profitable and transformative. They agreed that navigating market uncertainty requires focusing on net profitability, realistic exits, defensible moats over AI wrappers, and core sustainability.

 

(7) Business Alpha: Lifespan - Living Longer, Leading Longer

 

During the session, the speakers agreed that longevity is no longer a future concept. It is a $610 billion market reshaping healthcare, real estate, and labour. As Southeast Asia enters a "Super-Aged" era – the business of living is pivoting from "Sick Care" to Biological Age Reversal.

The session noted that Singapore has also emerged as a hub for longevity ventures in Southeast Asia supported by a national strategy aimed at “successful ageing” and targeted investments in longevity innovations which have fostered emerging startups in this area.

This session dove into why longevity is "all the rage" among young business leaders with Southeast Asia emerging as a bright spark for health tech ventures. Speakers shared their insights on how businessmen can position their businesses at the frontier of this revolution and to take on a bold bet on the future of health! Demographic shifts are unlocking opportunities by prioritising healthspan over lifespan — transitioning to continuous care, AI-augmented practitioners, and internal biomarkers over vanity metrics.

 

 

(8) Closing Dialogue Session with Mr Edwin Tong SC, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs on “Geopolitical Winds of Change and the Future of ASEAN”

 

Minister Tong pointed out that the global order is at a tipping point. As 2026 unfolds, the US is deliberately unwinding the rules-based system—shifting from efficiency to security, protectionism, and a new “Donroe Doctrine”. He emphasised building systemic resilience, keeping pan-ASEAN networks open, and pairing AI adoption with human judgment.

The dialogue among the panelists went beyond the “Tariff Man” headlines to examine the rise of American-style state capitalism and the weaponisation of resources. The addressed the question: As major powers fracture the foundations of global commerce, what must ASEAN’s next generation of business leaders do to build regional resilience and navigate an increasingly volatile world?