Perhaps one of the most powerful yet under-appreciated levers in business is effective internal and external communication, which should be deeply integrated into the CEO agenda. Despite its pivotal role in shaping a company’s success, corporate communication is often relegated to tactical announcements rather than being recognised as a key strategic function. It is exceedingly rare for companies with poor communication practices to achieve significant market value, even when their underlying business generates substantial returns.

Aligning stakeholders through clear messaging

One key aspect of strategic communication is ensuring that multiple stakeholders — investors, customers, partners, employees — have a clear understanding of the company’s context, challenges, plans, and desired outcomes. Without this clarity, the company’s context may be misinterpreted, leading to potentially serious consequences based on incorrect assumptions.

Such risks arise when media, competitors, or other stakeholders inadvertently or deliberately shape the narrative without all the necessary information. By proactively articulating the company’s story, leadership ensures the focus remains on its vision and strategy, which helps unify the organisation and build investor confidence.

Strategic communication also plays a crucial role in building awareness that can attract new businesses, investors, or opportunities. Effectively executed, it enables a company to stand out in a crowded market and can be the critical factor in catching the eye of potential partners and stakeholders. Additionally, clear and compelling communication is vital in attracting and retaining top talent, as it fosters a transparent and engaging corporate culture that appeals to high-caliber professionals.

Also Read: Key to success: Digitising customer communication and investing in a multi-channel approach

Learning from exemplary communicators

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of learning from exemplary communicators. My former chairman, Alex Hungate, is one of the best communicators I have encountered. His ability at airport service company SATS to help the entire organisation and external stakeholders recognise and value the company’s strengths was phenomenal, clarifying the company’s direction, the challenges it faced, and maintaining a path of immense credibility.

Additionally, I was fortunate to bring Rachel Konrad onto the TiNDLE Board after being impressed by her leadership in communications at Impossible Foods. Her extensive background includes working with notable leaders like Elon Musk at Tesla and Carlos Ghosn at Renault Nissan. Konrad’s diverse experiences have profoundly deepened my understanding of strategic communication.

From great communicators, I have come to recognise that my initial belief — that simply letting my work speak for itself was enough — was a somewhat narrow and naive misconception. Effective communication is more than operational necessity; it is a pivotal driver of success.

Communication as a driver of success

Clarity and honesty in communication are essential, particularly during times of transformation or uncertainty. Leaders who can articulate the ‘why’ behind their decisions foster a shared sense of purpose and direction, which is crucial for internal alignment and for building external relationships with partners, clients, and investors. This open dialogue not only strengthens credibility but also drives loyalty and motivates employees to align with the company’s goals.

Moreover, strategic communication is not merely reactive but a forward-looking function that builds momentum and resilience. By continuously refining the message and adapting it to different contexts, businesses can remain competitive and well-aligned for future challenges.

In essence, strategic communication transcends its traditional view as merely operational. It is a fundamental element of leadership and a pivotal driver of long-term growth and success. It’s about creating a unified vision, building strong relationships, and ultimately, ensuring the company’s success.

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Fintech investments in Southeast Asia declined 28 per cent in Q3 (July 01 to September 30) of 2024 to US$322 million from US$447.5 million raised in the previous quarter.

However, on a year-on-year basis, this marked an 8 per cent rise from US$299 million in Q3 2023.

The findings were released by global startup research platform Tracxn in its Geo Quarterly Report: SEA FinTech Q3 2024.

Also Read: South Asia, SEA rank high in potential for fintech lending in Asia: Study shows

The region’s fintech ecosystem experienced peak funding in Q3 2021 and steadily declined since, despite a brief recovery in Q4 2023.

However, Southeast Asia remains a prominent hub for fintech investments, accounting for 14.5 per cent of the total fintech funding across Asia. Notably, Singapore ranked third in the region for investments into this space.

Neha Singh, CEO and co-founder of Tracxn, said: “Southeast Asia’s landscape continues to be dynamic despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges. Although late-stage funding has taken a hit, it’s encouraging to see early-stage investments showing resilience. The region’s large consumer base and rapidly growing digital economy provide strong growth opportunities in the long term.”

Early-stage and seed funding remained bright spots in Q3 2024. Early-stage funding increased by 32 per cent to US$196 million from the previous quarter’s US$148 million, while seed-stage funding rose by 40 per cent to US$52 million from US$37.5 million in Q2 2024.

Late-stage funding, however, witnessed a steep 72 per cent decline, dropping to US$73 million in Q3 2024, down from US$263 million in Q2 2024. No US$100 million+ round were recorded in Q3, signalling challenges for more mature companies seeking large capital injections. Notable funding rounds in Q3 2024 included Superbank’s US$73.2 million Series C and Partior’s US$60 million Series B.

Despite the overall decline, payments, banking tech, and forex tech remained the top-performing segments in the space. The payments segment raised US$123 million in Q3 2024, although this was 44 per cent lower than the US$223 million raised in Q2 2024.

Banking tech saw a significant surge, raising US$80 million compared to just US$6 million in the previous quarter, while forex tech garnered US$60 million, marking a substantial improvement.

The number of acquisitions in this sector rose to seven in Q3 2024, up from five in Q2 2024.

Among cities, Singapore led with US$157.7 million in funding raised during Q3 2024, followed by Jakarta with US$103.2 million and Taguig with US$8.6 million.

Top investors in the space included 500 Global, East Ventures, and Y Combinator. Specifically, 500 Global, K300 Ventures and Antler dominated seed-stage investments, while Peak XV Partners, Temasek, and Valor Capital Group led early-stage funding rounds.

Also Read: Philippines leads mobile fintech app adoption in SEA: Study

“While the immediate outlook remains cautious, the overall optimism in Southeast Asia’s fintech sector continues to be bolstered by favourable long-term factors. Government initiatives, wide internet penetration, and a thriving digital economy will be crucial drivers of future growth,” Singh added.

Despite the current funding downturn, Tracxn remains optimistic about the region’s potential for long-term growth. SEA’s large consumer base, fast-growing digital economy, and favourable government policies make it a region to watch closely in the coming years.

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Image Credit: 123RF.

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In today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape, the only constant is change and uncertainty. Fortunately, Singapore has established itself as a global business hub, navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing world with agility and strategic foresight.  

However, amidst these uncertainties lie opportunities and challenges for innovation, adaptation, and sustainable growth. This is particularly true for business leaders and senior management, who face the pressing challenge of fostering growth and sustainability amidst a sense of the unknown, characterised by the BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible) framework.  

To help businesses thrive in today’s dynamic landscape, this thought leadership piece will explore strategies to navigate uncertainties and achieve sustainable growth. Drawing insights from the IndSights Business Forum 2024, we will delve into key approaches tailored to empower Singaporean companies. 

In the first of our two-part series, we shall tackle the critical issue of manpower shortages and discuss how companies can leverage government support initiatives to unlock their growth potential. We will also list the relevant supporting schemes which Singapore businesses can leverage at the end of each section. 

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In software development, where change is the only constant, continuous learning isn’t just important—it’s essential. Technology evolves at a rapid pace, making it critical for developers and teams to stay updated on the latest tools, languages, and frameworks. However, fostering an environment where learning is not merely a task but a deeply ingrained habit can transform not just individuals but the entire culture of a team. A culture of learning can be the foundation for long-term growth and innovation.

Yet, building this culture isn’t always easy. Developers are often pressed for time, juggling multiple projects, deadlines, and ever-changing requirements. In such a fast-paced environment, how can you make learning a natural part of the workflow rather than something that feels forced or additional? In my experience, integrating learning into everyday interactions is key. By embedding learning into daily tasks and conversations, you create a space where growth happens organically, without feeling like another item on the to-do list.

Learning through everyday interactions

One simple yet effective approach I’ve found is to incorporate learning into routine interactions. For example, before my 1-1 meetings with team members, I often ask them to read a chapter from a book. It doesn’t have to be directly related to coding or technology—sometimes, it’s about leadership, problem-solving, or even creative thinking. The purpose is not just to build technical knowledge, but to encourage a broader mindset that fosters personal growth and development.

This approach has yielded surprising benefits. The discussions that follow these readings often go beyond the usual project updates and technical details. They open up new avenues of thought, introduce fresh perspectives, and lead to conversations that spark curiosity and inspiration. By regularly engaging with new ideas, the team becomes more attuned to learning as part of their everyday work, rather than something reserved for formal training sessions or courses.

The ripple effect of continuous learning

When learning becomes part of the routine, it leads to more than just personal development. It creates an environment where team members collaborate more openly, share new ideas, and tackle problems with creativity. I’ve seen teams become more connected, not just because they’re up-skilling, but because they’re sharing knowledge and challenging each other to grow.

Also Read: What are the basics of design thinking, and how to apply it?

The ripple effects of continuous learning are profound. Teams that prioritise learning tend to innovate faster. They are more adaptable in the face of challenges, more resilient when faced with setbacks, and more capable of finding novel solutions to difficult problems. In this kind of environment, learning doesn’t just happen in isolation. It becomes part of the fabric of how the team operates—building stronger bonds and a greater sense of shared purpose.

Beyond keeping up with tech trends

It’s tempting to think of continuous learning purely in terms of staying up to date with the latest programming languages, frameworks, or industry trends. While it’s true that technical skills are important, building a culture of learning goes far beyond that. It’s about fostering a sense of curiosity, encouraging collaboration, and promoting a growth mindset that drives innovation.

In software development, where technologies and methodologies change frequently, there’s often a focus on what’s new—new languages, new tools, new techniques. But a learning culture thrives when it focuses on more than just external change. It also looks inward, encouraging individuals to ask, “What can I learn from this situation? How can I approach this challenge differently?”

For instance, when team members are encouraged to learn about leadership, communication, or even other industries, they bring fresh insights to the table. These insights often translate into creative problem-solving and innovation. By fostering a holistic approach to learning, teams become more than just technically competent—they become versatile, adaptive, and capable of thinking outside the box.

How to foster a culture of learning

So, how can you start fostering this culture of learning within your own team? It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

Here are some strategies that I’ve found effective over the years:

Start with small habits

The journey toward building a learning culture starts with small, manageable habits. Begin by suggesting that team members share an interesting article during a team meeting or dedicate a portion of a stand-up to discussing something they’ve recently learned. Over time, these small habits create a larger shift in how learning is perceived and prioritised.

Create a safe space for knowledge sharing

Encourage open discussions where learning can happen naturally. This can be during regular 1-1 meetings, casual lunch breaks, or even dedicated learning sessions. The key is to create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing what they know and are open to learning from others. This not only spreads knowledge but builds trust and promotes collaboration.

Lead by example

As a leader, you need to walk the talk. Share your own learning journey—whether it’s a new coding language, a leadership book, or even a hobby that’s teaching you valuable lessons. Your willingness to learn and grow sets the tone for the rest of the team and shows that continuous improvement is something to be embraced, not feared.

Make time for learning

In the day-to-day rush of deadlines and deliverables, it can be easy to push learning aside. But if you want to build a culture of learning, you need to make time for it. Whether it’s setting aside an hour each week for team members to explore new tools or technologies, or hosting monthly “lunch and learn” sessions, ensure that there’s regular time for growth and skill development.

Also Read: Nurturing real-world design innovation in Singapore

Reward and celebrate learning wins

Recognising and celebrating learning achievements is a great way to reinforce the value of continuous growth. When someone applies a new technique or tool they’ve recently learned to solve a problem, take the time to acknowledge it. This encourages others to follow suit and shows that the organisation truly values learning.

Encourage cross-disciplinary learning

Sometimes, the best ideas come from outside one’s immediate area of expertise. Encourage team members to learn about topics outside of their core technical skills, such as design thinking, project management, or even customer service. Cross-disciplinary learning broadens their perspective and can lead to unexpected innovations.

The developer’s role in shaping a learning culture

As developers, we are uniquely positioned to lead the charge in creating and nurturing a culture of learning. The nature of our work places us at the forefront of technological change, but we can choose to go beyond simply responding to these changes. We can actively shape how we and our teams react by fostering a mindset of curiosity and continuous improvement.

By making learning a habitual part of our team dynamics, we create environments where both people and ideas can thrive. In doing so, we don’t just stay current with the latest trends—we drive innovation, inspire collaboration, and build resilient teams that are prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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