Dear Esteemed Partners, Supporters, Colleagues, and Friends,

As I reflect on my early days as Academic Director, I am excited by the opportunity to lead and build upon the exceptional foundation laid by my predecessor, Dr Patrick Tan. His stewardship has left us with an Institute brimming with excellence in initiatives and programming, complemented by a dedicated and dynamic team of professionals. I extend my deepest gratitude to Patrick for his invaluable contributions to the Institute. Under his leadership, we have forged strong bonds with our stakeholders, navigating through the challenges of an ever-evolving business landscape with resilience and determination.

At ITI, engagement with our stakeholders has been and will remain paramount. Our interactions with industry and government partners provide us with invaluable insights into the complexities they face amidst rapid change. Similarly, our commitment to organising enriching events and co-curricular activities for our students is unwavering, enhancing their educational journey and preparing them for the demands of the modern workforce.

While the pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, I am heartened to witness ITI's resurgence, with our initiatives now thriving more than ever. In 2023 alone, we fostered connections with over 70 industry partners and facilitated engaging activities involving more than 300 students. I hope the following pages of this report will amply demonstrate this. The generosity of our partners, both in donations and time, has been instrumental in our success, allowing us the opportunity to visit and experience cutting-edge facilities, learn business insights and the decision-making processes, and provide invaluable mentorship opportunities.

Our students have risen to the occasion, demonstrating excellence in inter-varsity competitions, securing record numbers of scholarships, and embarking on promising career paths upon graduation. Their achievements stand as a testament to the quality of the MBOT and ITT programmes, but also the support they receive from our industry partners and supporters.

Looking ahead, my vision is to build upon our achievements. We will continuously evolve our programmes to address the growing importance of data analytics and digitalization in today's business landscape. Moreover, we will deepen our discussions on sustainability, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, and the geopolitical forces shaping global industries.

I invite each of you to join us on this journey of innovation and growth. Together, we will empower the next generation of leaders and make a meaningful impact on the world around us.

With warm regards,

Marcus Ang

Associate Professor of Operations Management (Education)

Academic Director, International Trading Institute

Singapore Management University