Philomena Aw - Director (Strategy), PMO-CG and Director, Public Service Media Office, MDDI

Started my career as a Foreign Service Officer in MFA, spending 7 years covering Malaysia both in HQ and KL, before moving on portfolios covering Thailand/Philippines/Myanmar, and then China. Later seconded to PM’s office as Dy PPS before joining PMO-SG, first in Strategic Planning and now in Geo- Strategic Policy and Social Resilience.

I used to spend nights watching Netflix, EPL (YNWA) and playing Diablo and WOW. Now every night is a battle of wits and means trying to tuck three girls to bed and struggling to keep awake after that

Happy to share my experience transiting from a line ministry that operates at the frontline of geopolitics to now doing coordination and planning in the centre of government (TLDR: from one with clear remit and ground read to one that seeks to find policy gaps and buy-in from agencies).

Equally happy to share my “insider-outsider” perspectives of Singapore having dealt quite a bit with a country that has shaped our history, existence and identity, as well as our place in the world dealing with a big power.