Philip Yeo is the Institute of Policy Studies' 16th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore. This book is an edited collection of his three IPS-Nathan Lectures, delivered from March to June 2025, and includes highlights of question-and-answer segments with our audience. Mr Yeo shares his bold and unconventional approach to shaping Singapore's economic future, examining the past, present and future of Singapore's economic strategy across three interconnected themes: economic development, research and development (R&D) and innovation, and enterprise growth.

A firm believer in talent development, Mr Yeo has mentored young leaders and established scholarship programmes to cultivate Singapore's next generation of industry pioneers. Reflecting on Singapore's rise as a global manufacturing hub, the role of innovation in driving progress, and the journey of local enterprises expanding internationally, he offers insights into the key drivers of Singapore's economic transformation and the challenges ahead.

About the Author

Mr Philip Yeo is Chairman, Economic Development Innovations Singapore (EDIS), an economic development management services company. Mr Yeo is Chairman of Accuron Technologies, a global technology group with core competencies in precision manufacturing, material processing and systerms design and integration for the aerospace, electronics and medical industries.

He is also Chairman of Advanced MedTech Holdings, a global medical technology leader with a core focus in urology devices and services and Chairman of i-Globe Partners, a Singapore-based Private venture capital fund. He is an independent director on the board of Sunway Group, QAF Limited and Indofood Agri Resources Pte Ltd Chairman.

He was former Chairman of SPRING Singapore which merged with International Enterprise Singapore in April 2018 to form Enterprise Singapore. He was former Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) and Economic Development Board (EDB), and Senior Adviser for Science & Technology in the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Special Adviser for Economic Development in the Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Yeo holds degrees from University of Toronto, Canada (Bachelor of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering), honorary Doctorate in Engineering), University of Singapore (Master of Science (Systems Engineering)), and Harvard University (Master of Business Administration). He has received honorary doctorates from Karolinska Institute, Imperial College London, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and Monash University. He received numerous awards from Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Europe and US.