Social Mobility Singapore Deep Dive

Amol Gupte is the Asia South Head for Citi. Appointed to the role in September 2023, Amol is responsible for the leadership of Citi's business in six Southeast Asian markets (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), and three Subcontinent markets (India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Prior to this, Amol served as the ASEAN Head and Citi Country Officer (CCO) for Singapore since 2016.

Asia South is an important growth area for Citi, having been in the region since 1902. As a leading financial institution, Citi brings the strength of its global network across its key business areas in Services, Markets, Banking and Wealth. Amol is based in Singapore also focuses on creating greater connectivity cross Citi to deliver the full capability of the firm to clients.

AmoI is a 35-year Citi veteran and has held a number of senior positions globally. Prior to moving to Singapore from Hong Kong, he was the Region Head for the Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) business in Asia Pacific from 2012-16. He was based in New York from 2007-12 as the Region Head of TTS, North America and was based in London from 2003-07 as the Head of Payments for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Before that, he ran the Cash Management business for Western Europe. Prior to moving to EMEA, he was the Head of Transaction Services business for the Indian sub-continent. Prior to joining Transaction Services, Amol was with Citi's Consumer Business in India where he held roles in sales, product management and treasury.

Amol holds a Master of Business Administration from Bombay University.

Clarence Ching is the Founder and Executive Director of Access, a social mobility charity established in January 2019 to provide career exposure opportunities for disadvantaged students in Singapore. In his capacity, he spearheads and oversees all aspects of the organisation, including operations, finances, programmes, staff and volunteers. Additionally, he drives strategic planning, fundraising initiatives and cultivates stakeholder relationships to fulfil Access’ mission of providing early intervention support to students in need.

Previously, Clarence served as an APAC Public Policy Fellow at X (formerly known as Twitter), where he focused on social impact work and policy issues concerning government officials, regulators and civil society organisations. He also gained invaluable experience in the public and non-profit sectors, including the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. Additionally, he served as Secretarial Assistant to Minister of State Alvin Tan.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Clarence used to dedicate his free time to assisting elderly individuals and low-income families in the Kreta Ayer - Kim Seng community - a commitment he upheld for nearly a decade. He was also actively involved in the Moulmein - Cairnhill community, where he served as a Member of the Citizens Consultative Committee.

Clarence has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics with Honours from Durham University, United Kingdom, and holds a Diploma in Business and Social Entrepreneurship from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Nathan Peng Li is an assistant professor of political science (education) at Singapore Management University (SMU) where he teaches and conducts research on issues around social mobility, the political economy of inequality and how to foster more equal opportunities using different policy tools. His work is largely based in Southeast Asia, especially Singapore.   

Dr Tommie Chen is currently with the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), an autonomous institution of Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). As Head of Partnerships, Tommie leads a dedicated team to identify, negotiate and formalise high-impact strategic partnerships with industry leaders, organisations and corporate entities to broaden the institution's network and reach. He also drives initiatives to explore and enter high-potential markets, clients and industries, including creating business strategies that align with institutional goals and respond to emerging trends. The ultimate goal is to go through an end-to-end journey with this ecosystem of strategically-curated partners for impactful transformation, bringing together key stakeholders to innovate and co-produce solutions within the life-long learning ecosystem. 

The majority of Tommie's professional journey was spent on education-related endeavours in Ministry of Education (MOE) as well as in a non-profit organisation. An experienced facilitator, over the years, he has established multiple links with research, industry and government and has already access to a pipeline of partnerships through his association with businesses, educational institutions and alumni networks. 

He has a PhD in Computational Linguistics from the National University of Singapore.

As Chief Executive Officer, Janet drives the overall strategic direction and sustainability of Community Business.   

With over 40 years of work experience, Janet has built a successful career as a senior leader covering a broad range of disciplines. Prior to joining Community Business in 2019 as the Chief Operating Officer, she led strategic business planning, programme management, corporate governance, change management, organisational effectiveness and talent development. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Janet is now based in Hong Kong. 

Janet specialises in strategic leadership, organisational development, and fostering inclusive environments, leading Community Business in its mission to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across Asia. She works with teams to open channels of communication, develop talent, and create inclusive environments that drive organisational success. 

Other Information: 

Janet holds a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences from Swinburne University of Technology and an Advanced Diploma in Programme and Project Management. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, alumni of The Women's Foundation Mentoring Programme of Hong Kong, and a member of the 30% Club of Hong Kong Steering Committee.