Pride and ambition filled The National Museum of Singapore last Friday as SMU-ExD Executive Development marked the graduation of its latest cohort from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Venture Capital & Private Equity (VCPE) Programmes.
The milestone celebration honoured participants who completed these rigorous programmes—drawn from the leading suite of online executive programmes co-created by SMU Executive Development (ExD) and Emeritus—after months of dedicated effort.
A Fireside Chat on Leadership and Transformation
At the heart of the ceremony was a thought-provoking Fireside Chat featuring two distinguished industry leaders:
- Bhanu Murthy, Vice President of Google Cloud Consulting, Japan and Asia Pacific
- Koh Ching Hong, Former CEO and Director of the Board of Fujifilm BI Singapore
Moderated by Dr. Faisal Aman, Programme Director of SMU Executive Development, the conversation offered candid reflections on leadership, transformation and navigating today's complex business landscape—providing graduates with an inspiring send-off into their next chapter.
Voices from the Cohort
Adding a personal dimension to the day, three Emeritus Programme Representatives shared candid stories of their learning journeys:
- Catherine Yong — General Counsel, Overseas Global Legal Department, Triumph Lead (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
- Udhantha Sumathipala — Executive Director, Sumathi Universal (Pvt) Ltd
- Wilford Will L. Wong — Undersecretary, Department of Budget and Management, Philippines
Their reflections served as powerful reminders of how far each learner has come.
Recognising Mentorship and Looking Ahead
The event also celebrated the mentors and partners who made the graduates' success possible. Special appreciation was extended to Success Coach Fredy Aga, Chief Financial Officer at Trust Bank, for the mentorship that kept graduates motivated throughout their journey, and to Daphne Sia from the SMU Office of Alumni Relations, who welcomed the graduates into the SMU associate alumni community.
Executive Director Eddie Tritton closed the day with inspiring words on leading with impact. The occasion was brought to life by emcee Ariba Imam and the dedicated organising committee—Rachel Lee, Susanna Ho, Caslin Lai and Jesline Koh—together with colleagues Aaron Tan, Desmond Ng and Ayden Tay Yewei.
As the newest graduates join a growing community of executive leaders, SMU-ExD celebrates not only their achievement but the impact they are poised to make across industries and borders.
Congratulations to all graduates! Here's to the difference you're about to make.
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- Interested in exploring our online programmes? Reach us at exd@smu.edu.sg.