Women in Business
Programme

A Scale-Up Journey for Women-Led Businesses

Purposeful Growth × Resilient Scale

The Women in Business (WIB) Programme is a 6‑month scale‑up journey designed for women business founders who are leading established companies and preparing for their next phase of growth.

Built in collaboration with UOB SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise), the programme strengthens commercial clarity, leadership capacity, and regional expansion readiness through practical capability-building, strategic mentorship, and access to UOB’s cross‑border ecosystem.

Programme Schedule

Digital Growth & AI for Business Leaders

9:30am - 4:00pm

(Registration starts at 9am)

Microsoft Singapore

182 Cecil St, #13-01, S(069547)

Agenda Overview

This workshop equips women business leaders with practical, accessible ways to harness AI and digital tools to drive sustainable growth.

Designed for founders and decision-makers, the session goes beyond theory to provide a clear digital transformation framework that supports confident decision-making and day-to-day execution.

Through real-world case studies, hands-on demonstrations, and peer learning, participants explore how AI can be applied across key business functions—from marketing and customer engagement to operations and analytics.

9.30am - 10.30am

Frontier Firms: Harnessing AI & GenAI for Business Transformation

microsoft

Tech Discovery: AI & GenAI for Businesses

This segment provides a clear, practical overview of AI and GenAI, focusing on what these technologies can realistically do for businesses today. Participants will be introduced to accessible tools and solutions that can enhance efficiency, augment teams, and scale output—without significantly increasing headcount or complexity.

Envisioning Workshop

Building on the Tech Discovery, this guided workshop helps business owners and leaders translate insights into action. Participants will reflect on their own business challenges and identify where AI can deliver the most impact across operations, marketing, customer engagement, or analytics—leaving with prioritised, business‑relevant use cases rather than abstract ideas.

10.30am - 11.00am

The 5 Focus Areas of Digital Transformation for Growth-Ready Businesses

imda logo

A structured framework session that helps business owners look beyond tools to understand end‑to‑end digital transformation as a strategic growth driver.

Participants gain a clear mental model of how digital and AI capabilities come together across the business to support stronger decision‑making, capability‑building, and long‑term sustainable growth.

11:00am - 11:40am

Fireside Chat: SMEs on AI Adoption

To build confidence among business owners through peer learning, experience sharing and practical, honest advice towards adopting AI, especially for SMEs

11:40am - 1:00pm

Lunch and Networking

1.00pm - 2.00pm

Breakout Rooms

Participants can select one breakout track that they feel are most relevant to their business needs

1. AI for Marketing

This session introduces how businesses can use AI to strengthen their marketing efforts—improving visibility, engagement and conversion while managing time and resource constraints.

Participants will explore how AI can support content creation, campaign optimisation and audience targeting, enabling more effective marketing across digital channels without the need for large teams or complex systems.

2. AI for Customer Engagement

Leverage easy-to-use AI-enabled platforms to strengthen digital presence, streamline marketing and sales activities, and deliver more personalised customer experiences at scale.

Participants will learn how AI-powered customer insights, data and segmentation can be applied to understand customer behaviour and optimise engagement across key digital touchpoints—from first interaction to conversion and retention.

partners hubspot
partners inextlabs
3. AI for Business Processes and Productivity Automation

This session focuses on how businesses can apply AI and automation to streamline internal processes, reduce manual workload and improve day-to-day productivity across different business functions and industries.

2:00pm - 2:30pm

Sharing session by UOB

eelen lim 1
Eelen Lim
Programme Director
UOB FinLab and Ecosystem Partnership

This session will share how UOB FinLab supports SMEs, including women-led businesses, in adopting AI within their business operations. Participants will learn how this initiatives supports businesses throughout their AI adoption journey – from building AI awareness and identifying relevant business use cases, to connecting with trusted AI solution partners.

They will also explore different adoption pathways such as Proof-of-Concept (PoC) development and understand how financing and ecosystem support can help turn AI ideas into action.

2:30pm - 4:00pm

1-1 Clinics

The 1‑1 Clinics provide participants with targeted, practical guidance to support their individual AI adoption journeys.

  • Personalised guidance based on participants’ specific business challenges and readiness
  • Practical advice on adopting AI in a structured, manageable way
  • Clear next steps to translate learning into action beyond the session

Strategic Growth & Mentorship Kick‑Off Day

9:30am - 4:00pm

(Registration starts at 9am)

Name

Address

Agenda Overview

This integrated session brings together strategic clarity and meaningful connection to kick off the mentorship phase of the Women in Business Programme.

Participants build on earlier insights by sharpening growth and expansion decisions, before transitioning into structured mentor conversations.

The day is designed to help founders clarify priorities, deepen reflection, and connect with mentors who can best support their business transformation journey ahead.

9.30am - 12.30pm

Strategic Differentiation & AI Decision Guardrails

Patrick Ng Spark Launchpad 1
Patrick Ng
Innovation Director
Spark Launchpad

This session helps founders make confident growth decisions by identifying practical differentiation strategies that do not rely on radical innovation. Participants explore how existing strengths, new customer segments, and scalable business models can support expansion across ASEAN markets.

The session also covers key AI decision guardrails, highlighting the risks, governance, and compliance considerations business leaders must manage as AI is integrated into their operations.

12:30pm - 1:45pm

Lunch and Networking

1.45pm - 1.50pm

Welcome address and session overview

shannon lung 1
Shannon Lung
Head of UOB FinLab and Ecosystem Partnership
UOB

1.50pm - 2.10pm

SkillsFuture Singapore: Mentorship Grant Overview

uob sme networking day marianne tan
Marianne Tan
Programme Director
UOB FinLab and Ecosystem Partnership

An overview of the SkillsFuture Mentorship Grant, highlighting how structured mentorship can be supported beyond the programme.

This segment is informational in nature, helping business leaders understand available pathways to deepen advisory support as they scale.

2:10pm - 2:40pm

Meet the Mentors

Meet the programme mentors and learn about their areas of expertise and experience. This segment helps participants identify potential alignment based on their current business priorities and transformation focus.

2:40pm - 4:00pm

Mentor Conversations: Guided & Open

A structured yet flexible session that combines focused group discussions with open mentor exchanges, helping founders identify the right mentorship fit for their growth and transformation goals.

Sessions Details:

  • 2:40pm – 3:10pm – Guided Conversations
  • 3:10pm – 3:40pm – Open Mentor Exchange

3:40pm - 4:30pm

Closing and Networking

Capstone Day - From Strategy to Opportunity: Expansion, Insight & Community

29 Sep (Tues)

2:00pm - 8:00pm

The Foundry Table

30 Bencoolen St, S(189621)

Agenda Overview

The Capstone Day brings the Women in Business Programme to a close by linking strategy, market insight, and community.

Participants sharpen their expansion and pitching narratives, ground their growth plans with ASEAN market perspectives, and connect with mentors and alumni through meaningful peer exchange.

Designed as both a culmination and a bridge forward, the day reinforces clarity, confidence, and community as founders step into their next phase of growth.

2.00pm - 4.00pm

Business Expansion Strategy and Pitching for Growth

Patrick Ng Spark Launchpad 1
Patrick Ng
Innovation Director
Spark Launchpad

Learn how to articulate and pitch your expansion strategy clearly to investors, partners, distributors, and banks—especially in overseas markets.

This session focuses on brand storytelling as a differentiation lever in price‑competitive ASEAN environments and helps founders structure a compelling growth narrative.

Participants also get guided practice in pitching their differentiated expansion plans, with a brief focus on trademarks for overseas readiness.

4.00pm - 5.00pm

ASEAN Market Insights & Economic Outlook

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This session provides participants with practical macro and market insights to ground their expansion decisions.

Translating regional economic trends into SME‑relevant implications, the session covers consumer demand patterns, operating considerations, and market risks across key ASEAN economies.

The discussion equips founders with a broader perspective to validate expansion plans and make more informed, risk‑aware growth decisions.

5:00pm - 5:30pm

Break and Preparation for Networking Night

A short transition break allowing participants to reset after the learning sessions, while alumni and mentors arrive for the evening programme.

Light refreshments are served as the space shifts from a workshop environment to a relaxed community setting.

5:30pm - 8:00pm

Women in Business (WIB) Community Evening

The WIB Community Evening brings together the current cohort, programme alumni, mentors, and ecosystem partners to close the programme through shared experience and connection.

The evening features lightly facilitated peer exchanges and organic networking, creating space for candid conversations, knowledge sharing, and relationship‑building across cohorts.

Alumni contribute practical insights from their growth journeys, offering perspective and encouragement, while participants deepen connections within the WIB community beyond the formal programme.

Programme Kickoff

10:00am - 1:00pm

The Foundry Table

30 Bencoolen St, S(189621)

10:00am - 10:10am

Opening Address by UOB FinLab

shannon lung 1
Shannon Lung
Head of UOB FinLab and Ecosystem Partnership

10:10am - 10:20am

UOB Business Outlook 2026 Insights

stella chua
Stella Chua
Head of Strategic Alliance
UOB SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise)

10:20am - 10:40am

Financial Resilience for Business

alina chuah
Alina Chuah
Team Head
UOB SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise)

10:40am - 11:00am

From Awareness to Action: Government Grants That Support SMEs

deepa suppiah
Deepa d/o Suppiah
Senior Business Advisor
SME Centre@SICCI

11:00am - 11:50am

Foundations for Scale: Leading with Clarity, Confidence and Commercial Discipline

This fireside chat is a conversational and experience-driven session that explores how businesses like Manna Group scale responsibly amidst economic uncertainty, with a focus on strategic clarity, leadership confidence, and commercial discipline. 

11:50am - 1:00pm

Lunch and Networking

10:00am - 5:00pm

Lifelong Learning Institute

Level 1-02, 11 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408601

Business Resilience Fundamentals: Winning The Bottom Line

Learn how to uncover the true drivers of profitability, identify margin leakages, and apply unit-economics thinking to make better pricing, investment and growth decisions.

Designed to help leaders strengthen resilience and scale intentionally – not just grow revenue.

10:00am - 5:00pm

Lifelong Learning Institute

Level 2 - 01, 11 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408601

Leadership Identity & Personal Brand for Scale

An immersive session designed for women founders to clarify their leadership identity and strengthen their professional presence as they scale.

Through guided reflection and practical application, participants gain clarity on what they stand for as leaders and translate that into confident, credible visbility that builds trust, influence and partnerships.

This session reframes personal branding as a strategic leadership asset – supporting sustainable growth without superficial self-promotion.

Learning Outcome

  • Build self-awareness & psychological safety: surface strengths, leadership challenges, limiting identities, and blockers to scale through open sharing.
  • Shift mindset for scale: move from “doing everything” to building systems and developing people.
  • Anchor a scalable leader identity: translate the new identity into clear communication, leadership behaviours, and an actionable personal brand aligned with business growth.

10:00am - 3:00pm

Lego Serious Play (LSP) Workshop

  • Leadership Identity & Strengths
  • Understanding Challenges in Scaling Business
  • From Bottleneck to Builder
  • Letting go of OLD Identity
  • Embodying the Next-Level Leader

3:00pm - 3:15pm

Break

3:15pm - 4:00pm

Personal Branding Strategy

  • Personal Branding Canvas Exercise
  • Pair sharing & feedback

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Building a Brand that Grows Beyond You

Practical insights, and next steps for implementation

Panelist:

winnie chan bynd artisan
Winnie Chan
CEO
Bynd Artisan
lee hao ming louken
Lee Hao Ming
CEO
Louken Group
anser aly unilever
Anser Aly
Marketer turned Award‑Winning L&D Practitioner
Unilever

July - Sept | Mentorship Period

Grow with clarity and confidence

Personalised 1-1 mentorship to refine decisions and accelerate growth.

wib mentorship 2

Women in Business
2026 Vibes

Food &
Beverage
One That You’ve Been Eating Since 1999
GAN HUP LEE (1999) PTE LTD
Wholesome, Planet‑Loving Eats
Saute Earth Food Pte Ltd
We Don’t Chicken Out on Quality
Hai Ge Ji Pte Ltd
Fresh from the Oven – Tarts
Mdm Ling Bakery
Childhood Memories, One Pastry at a Time
Uncle Lee Confectionery
Pastries with Precision
Patissier Woo Holdings Pte Ltd
Baked to Be Loved
Butterfingers Pte Ltd (Butter Studio)
Where Concepts Become Cafes
Mega Collective Pte Ltd (cafés & F&B concepts)
Education & Enrichment
Growing Curious Minds
Bluetree Education Pte Ltd
Building Confident Communicators
WRITERS AT WORK ENRICHMENT CENTRE PTE LTD
Where Great Writing Begins
Writers Studio
Grooming Tiny Hands for Future Musicians
Joy Education
Early Genius Builders
Heguru Education Centre Pte Ltd
Playground for Future Tech Innovators
The Lab Education Centre Pte Ltd
Furniture Built for Kids
Kids Haven
Modernising Calligraphy Culture
Inklings Creative Studio
Health, Beauty and Wellness
Wellness from Tradition
Oriental Remedies Group
Bespoke Beauty and Wellness for Glow
A DrBrand Pte Ltd
Breathe. Stretch. Namaste
Hom Yoga
Skincare for Confidence in Every Layer
Skin Belief
Natural Ingredients for Better Living
Kew Organics
Caring for the Wellness of All Mummies
Lady Raffles International Pte Ltd
Purposeful Longevity Care
Ikigai Medical
Science Meets Skin
DR ORA PTE. LTD.
Hospitality & Travel
Handpicking Your Holiday Villa
VILLA FINDER PTE LTD
Design for Excellent Boutique Stays
Nuve Holdings Pte Ltd (Hotel Nuve)
Aviation, Up Close
WingsOverAsia
Industrial, Logistics & Trade
Making Stylish Power Point Tracks
Currentx Pte Ltd
Turning Sunshine into Energy for Eco Purpose
Stellar Industries Pte Ltd
Reliable Packaging for Your Irreplaceable Items
BlackVel Bulk Packagings Pte Ltd
Logistics Made Simple
A2EShip
Connecting Global Trade in Wellness
Iluho International Pte. Ltd.
Professional Services
Big Moments Made Beautiful
Rosette Creative Events Pte Ltd
Design. Build. Deliver
Builtbot Pte Ltd
Crafted Living Spaces
Haus Atelier
Making Words Work like Magic
Whitewords Pte. Ltd.
Weave Engagements and Impressions for Clients
Weave Asia Pte Ltd
Retail, Lifestyle & Consumer Brands
Everyday Active Living
Enso Lifestyle Pte Ltd
Timeless, Priceless
ANDRINA YVETTE
Thoughtfully Arranged Flowers and Moments
The Florte Pte Ltd
Raising Gentle Giant Cats
Oubao Asia (Perfect Maine Coon SG)
Minimal Looks, Maximum Vibes
byCaxs
Comfortable Wear Designed for Daily Life
JERNN INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
Happily Ever After in Style
Z Wedding Design Pte Ltd
Dream Dresses Realised
Odelia Bridal Studio
Timeless Feminine Style, Everyday Elegance
Theory Inc Pte Ltd (Thread Theory)
Blooms with Heart
Petite Fleur SG Pte Ltd
Care for Every Creature
My Animal Dispensary Pte Ltd
Scents You’ll Remember, Especially in Sentosa
jetaime perfumery pte ltd
Ultra‑gentle Things for Tiny Humans
Elly Milley Pte Ltd
Timeless Sparkle Pieces
SIMONE JEWELS PTE. LTD.

Business Needs & Readiness Assessment

Start by understanding your business needs and priorities for a more meaningful scale-up experience.

All things Women

Joewin Tan

Chief Executive Officer, Quant Consulting Group and ACE.SG Women Entrepreneurship Committee (WEC) Member

Joewin Tan is an entrepreneur, speaker, and financial literacy advocate with over a decade of experience building multimillion-dollar ventures.

Known for her expertise on innovative financial strategies and turning failures into successes, she empowers SMEs to master business financial health through her unique ABC Methodology.

Drawing from her journey of overcoming personal and professional adversity, she inspires entrepreneurs and individuals to thrive in challenging times.

Passionate about resilience, she believes entrepreneurship is the ultimate school of life.

Ratna Juita

Founder & CEO, The Mindgem, LinkedIn Top Voice

Ratna Juita is a TEDx speaker, facilitator and coach. She empowers individuals and organisations to discover their inner gem so they can shine brightly and make a positive impact in their lives and community they serve.

She co-authored Book “Women Empowered: Personal Journeys to Become Empowered Women” sharing her powerful story of transformation.

Her work is rooted in a personal journey of overcoming imposter syndrome and burnout, which now fuels her mission to empower others to design a life and career on their own terms.

Drawing from her extensive background in Account management, Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Project Management, Career Coaching, Training and Facilitation, Ratna brings a wealth of expertise to her training and coaching sessions.

Her experiential and practical trainings are designed to help people rise above stress, cultivate resilience, and elevate their presence in the workplace and beyond.

Ratna is a trusted partner to global organisations such as Indeed, AIA, Apple, Van Cleef & Arpels, Yokogawa, Grab, Visa, PayPal, SAP, Singtel, and SPH Media. She also works extensively with educational institutions like NUS, NTU, ESSEC Business School, and Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), delivering impactful programs to professionals, students, and leaders alike.

She holds multiple certifications, including:

  • Licensed NLP Practitioner (USA)
  • Certified LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator
  • Team Psychological Safety Certified Facilitator
  • Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA)
  • Certified Facilitator of Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue)

Ratna has been featured 3x times by Channel News Asia, and recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice.

She delivers impactful programs in Resilience and Well-Being, LinkedIn Personal Branding for Lead Generation, Emotional Intelligence, and Mindful Communication, empowering individuals and organisations with the tools to thrive in today’s dynamic workplace.

Her trainings empower participants to build emotional agility, communicate with clarity and compassion, strengthen their professional presence, and cultivate meaningful, authentic connections that drive both personal and organisational growth.

Belicia Constance Tan

Group General Manager, Manna Pot Food Services & Event Solutions

As a General Manager with extensive experience in the hospitality industry, I am proud to have led six successful companies and established several brands over the past nine years; Manna Pot Catering, Flora Artisan, Divine Artisan, Manna Weddings, The White Tiffin, and Manna Bistro & Grill.

As a second-generation business owner, my career in the hospitality industry began in 2015 as a wedding salesperson at Manna Pot Catering, a catering company founded by my mum in 2002, where I quickly developed a passion for event planning and catering. Whilst working with wedding clients, I developed a goal to expand our catering services and develop the range of wedding food catering options with the likes of live stations and dessert stations to provide a one-stop solution for our clients. I took the initiative to diversify the business, resulting in the launch of additional companies such as Flora Artisan, a floristry and styling company, Divine Artisan, an artisanal bakery so that our clients could enjoy a seamless service experience with us.

My vision is to create a personalised, fuss-free experience for our clients, particularly for wedding couples. I wanted to ensure that our clients did not have to worry about coordinating with multiple vendors for their events. By providing a range of services under one umbrella, we could ensure that every detail was taken care of, from the catering to the flowers and decor.

In 2020, when COVID-19 struck, business came to a halt, we then launched our wedding planning arm Manna Weddings, where we oversee the planning and execution of weddings. We took the opportunity to collaborate with other wedding vendors to create an all-in-one wedding experience. Today, we work closely with our clients to understand their vision and preferences, and our team of dedicated wedding professionals ensures that every detail is taken care of to create a memorable experience.

Our restaurants brand, The White Tiffin was first founded in 2018 because of my mum, aka the founder’s passion and love for good food & the rising retail demand from our catering clients to taste our food without having to specially cater for the food at an event.

At The White Tiffin, we offer a unique Peranakan-inspired dining experience. Our chefs are passionate about cooking with love and using fresh ingredients to create a mix of traditional and innovative dishes. Today, we have four outlets in Singapore, three in malls and one in a hotel and further expansion plans in place in the near future. At Manna Bistro & Grill, our western restaurant we serve delicious Western food, including handcrafted pasta made from scratch, which is helmed by my sister whom is a culinary expert. As a family business, we take pride in delivering exceptional food and service to our customers.

Throughout my career, I have been committed to driving growth and innovation in the hospitality and wedding industry and have a proven track record of leading teams, exceeding customer expectations, and delivering exceptional service and experiences.