DBS CEO says Asia’s rise is unstoppable
SingTao · 1 SOURCES1 day ago5 MIN
Summary
At DBS Group’s Asia Insights Conference in Singapore, chief executive Tan Su Shan (陳淑珊) said Asia’s rise is now unstoppable even though the United States still dominates global markets, arguing that the region contains the world’s largest economic opportunities. She said Hong Kong and Singapore are positioned as two core regional hubs, with Hong Kong regaining momentum as a financing centre and Singapore serving as a neutral connector between East and West. Tan also framed Asia’s prospects through a “salad” analogy, saying the region already has the right ingredients for future leadership but still needs stronger connectivity, pragmatic innovation, and trust. The forum also heard from TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew, who said AI is reshaping multiple business functions and that human-machine collaboration is the most likely near-term path
Key Points
- Tan said six of the world’s top 10 markets are now in Asia, underscoring the region’s growing weight in global finance and economic activity
- She said Hong Kong and Singapore are acting as Asia’s two major financial hubs, with Hong Kong’s IPO fundraising ranking first during its recovery
- Tan described Singapore as a neutral interconnection hub at the crossroads of East and West, and said its pioneering AI governance framework offers a competitive edge
- Using a salad metaphor, she said Asia already has demographic dividends, data, industrial capacity, supply chains and capital markets, but needs trust-based coordination
- The Singapore forum brought together Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and more than 700 industry leaders to discuss the next trillion-dollar opportunity and AI’s business impact
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the remarks reinforce a market narrative that the city’s financing role is recovering and remains central to Asia’s capital flows. They also place Hong Kong’s future competitiveness alongside questions of innovation, cross-border connectivity and whether trusted AI governance becomes a differentiator for regional financial centres