The recent Gala Dinner of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore highlighted the commendable green initiatives and achievements of SwissCham members.

The Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry Singapore (SwissCham) hosted its annual Gala Dinner, themed «Mystère», at the iconic Capitol Theater@Kempinski a week ago.

The event was honored by the presence of distinguished guests, including Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB Singapore), H.E. Frank Grütter, the Swiss Ambassador, and SwissCham Chair Julie Raneda.

Fully Plant-Based Gala Menu

The gathering also brought together over 300 top-level Swiss executives based in Singapore. In alignment with the Swiss business community's dedication to sustainability and net-zero initiatives, the evening's culinary offerings featured a groundbreaking, fully plant-based gala menu.

Companies such as Mercuria, ABB, Swiss Airlines, and SPS Global have demonstrated leadership in promoting sustainability and creating a green economy. Their efforts contribute significantly to reducing carbon footprints, adopting renewable energy sources, and implementing eco-friendly practices.

Historical Capitol Theater

The Gala was hosted at the historical Capitol Theater that stars like Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner and Mary Pickford once visited to promote their films. Addressing members and guests, recently elected SwissCham Chair Julie Raneda introduced the gala's theme «Mystère»: «We gather in this theater to celebrate the enigmatic, the mysterious, and the extraordinary. It's a theme that evokes a sense of wonder and the unknown.»

SwissCham Chair also emphasized three key objectives that Switzerland and Singapore share, namely excellence, innovation, and sustainability. SwissCham, and the Swiss business community in Singapore more generally, promote the same and contribute to the economic developments of Singapore and the region:

  • Excellence: SwissCham is proud of the variety and high-quality events organized for its members by its eight subcommittees. SwissCham offers a networking platform but also contributes to advancing the discussion on very important topical issues. In 2024, SwissCham will also relaunch its «Business Excellence Awards», to showcase Swiss companies' excellence in Singapore.
  • Innovation: Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country for the 13th year in a row in 2023. SwissCham's science & tech and digital transformation subcommittees promote Swiss innovation by providing a thought leadership platform, promoting our members' latest developments in technology and innovation and fostering exchanges in the field, including with local actors.
  • Sustainability: The climate tech subcommittee has been actively pushing SwissCham's members' initiatives for more sustainable business activities. SwissCham also believes that a more sustainable future goes hand-in-hand with a more social and inclusive environment. It has therefore engaged on a new charity partnership with Red Cross Singapore.

SwissCham Chair then invited on stage the Guest of Honor of the gala, Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of Singapore Economic Development Board.

Carbon Reduction Projects

She shared that Swiss organizations have been at the forefront of the carbon services and trading space – some examples include ClimeWorks, a leading provider of direct air carbon capture technology, Gold Standard, an international organization that develops and upholds standards around carbon reduction measurements, and Mercuria, the Swiss commodities giant that is now investing heavily into carbon reduction projects.

She encouraged Swiss companies to be a part of Singapore’s expanding ecosystem and lend their expertise to Southeast Asia’s transition into a low-carbon future.

More Top Universities Than Any Other Country

Swiss Ambassador H.E. Frank Grütter spoke about Switzerland having more top-200 universities per capita than any other country in the world. This includes the presence of four Swiss universities in Singapore, making the city-state the only foreign country in the world with four Swiss universities’ campuses. Economic liberalism, good education, trust, and honesty give us a partial answer to why Switzerland and Singapore both are so successful.