Networks
Overview
At the Centre for Strategic Futures (CSF), we believe in actively seeking out diverse and fresh perspectives to guide policy-making in the Singapore government and better prepare ourselves for the future. These perspectives can be in terms of process – new foresight and risk methodologies – or content. We interact and exchange views with a wide range of people to help us uncover biases and blind spots for Singapore, and generate new insights about our operating environment.
CSF meets over 200 thought leaders yearly through incoming visits, overseas trips, paid consultancies, interviews and curated events. We also meet regularly with futurists from various parts of the Singapore government to share best practices and build up the practice of foresight within government.
Programmes
Distinguished Fellows Programme
The Distinguished Fellows Programme was set up to recognise long-time contacts of CSF who add value to our work by giving expert inputs to our practice of foresight, and/or help to expand our networks. CSF currently has three Distinguished Fellows:
- Peter Schwartz, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning for Salesforce.com
- Richard O’Neill, President of the Highlands Group
- Dr Khong Cho-Oon, Associate Fellow, Said Business School, University of Oxford
Distinguished Visitors Programme
Introduced in 2014, the Distinguished Visitors Programme has brought thought leaders to Singapore to engage in extensive discussions with senior decision makers in the Public Service.
Past Distinguished Visitors include:
- Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in Economics of Innovation at the University of Sussex and author of The Entrepreneurial State: debunking public vs private sector myths;
- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of Black Swan and Antifragile, and Distinguished Professor of Risk Engineering, New York University;
- Richard Bookstaber, author of The End of Theory and Option Pricing and Strategies in Investing and expert in financial risk management;
Other Contacts
Other key contacts we have had the privilege of working with in recent years include:
- Catherine Fieschi, Director of United Kingdom think-tank Counterpoint and former helm of the think-tank of the British Council
- Itzik Ben Israel, Chairperson of the Israel Space Agency
- Parag Khanna, author of Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization
- Huw Price, Academic Director of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk
- April Rinne, Sharing Economy Advisor
- David Skilling, founding director of Landfall Strategy Group, an economic research and advisory firm
Senior Researchers
Initiated in 2015, the Senior Researchers Programme (previously known as “CSF Fellows Programme”) engages PhD students from local universities for specific research projects. Examples of work previously undertaken by Senior Researchers include the implementation and analysis of ethnographic interviews to augment strategic planning.
In addition to tapping on local research expertise, the Senior Researchers Programme aims to provide opportunities to network with local academic institutions and lay a foundation for wider collaborations grounded in mutual research interests.