As businesses navigate geopolitical shifts, accelerated AI adoption and a rapidly evolving global tax landscape, sustained dialogue between policymakers and enterprises has never been more critical.

At the Deloitte Singapore Budget & Tax Conference 2026, held in partnership with SICC, leaders from government, tax and industry examined what Budget 2026 signals for Singapore’s competitiveness, transformation and long-term resilience. Discussions focused on sustaining growth amid global headwinds, strengthening digital and AI capabilities, and navigating evolving international tax frameworks.

Contributing to the panel, our 2nd Deputy Chairman, Nick Caldwell, framed Budget 2026 as a long-term, strategic play – consistent with Singapore’s track record of making deliberate bets to stay ahead of structural shifts. He also brought forward the perspectives of the Chamber and its members, reflecting enterprise priorities and on-the-ground considerations.

On AI, Nick underscored that Singapore’s advantage lies not in competing on compute scale, but in positioning itself as a trusted governance and control hub in Asia Pacific – while ensuring that investment translates into real, scalable adoption.

As the Chamber for international and local enterprises, SICC remains committed to bridging policy and business, ensuring business perspectives shape Singapore’s long-term competitiveness.

We thank Deloitte Singapore for the partnership and for convening this important platform for dialogue at a pivotal moment for businesses operating in Singapore and the region. We also extend our appreciation to the distinguished panel of speakers and the moderator for a robust and forward-looking discussion alongside Nick:

• Judy Soh, Head of International Tax, Borouge Pte Ltd
• Vaibhav Sanghvi, Global Head of Tax, Filtrona Group
• Kwan Chang Yew, Head of Group Tax Advisory, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC)
• Alvin Liew, Senior Economist, Global Economics and Markets Research, United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB)
• Moderator: Rohan Solapurkar, Tax & Legal Leader, Deloitte Singapore