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UOB AI Ready Changemakers Summit
A high-impact, half-day experience for SMEs ready to move beyond AI hype and into real-world adoption — from first proof of concept to confident scaling.
The F&B and Retail Reset: Turning Growth into Profit
Calling all F&B and Retail Business Owners: Join us for an engaging session where industry leaders and operators unpack the realities of scaling F&B and retail businesses in today’s high-cost environment and share practical strategies to turn growth into sustainable profit.
Gain practical insights that SME owners and operators can apply immediately to improve profitability, strengthen operations, and scale more effectively in today’s challenging environment.
This masterclass will help you discover:
- Why profits aren’t keeping up with growth
- What breaks when you scale and how to fix it
- How to streamline operations and regain control
- Practical ways to optimise manpower and use digital tools and AI effectively
This masterclass is part of UOB SkillsFuture Queen Bee’s SME Elevate Programme, in collaboration with fellow Queen Bee, Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Programme Highlights
Learn how F&B and retail businesses can redesign their operations, leverage technology, and build stronger foundations to grow sustainably – while staying agile in a rapidly evolving market.
- 1:00pm – 1:30pm
Registration
- 1:30pm – 1:40pm
Opening Address
Paul Kan
Country Head
SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise)
UOB
SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise)
UOB
- 1:40pm – 2:10pm
Scaling Without Losing Your Soul: Lessons from Building a Regional Brand
- Realities of scaling in F&B and retail (costs, manpower, profitability challenges)
- Driving efficiency through stronger systems and technology
- Achieving sustainable growth while protecting brand and quality
Adrien Desbaillets
CEO and Co-Founder
Saladstop
Saladstop
- 2:10pm – 3:00pm
Growth Pains: What No One Tells You About Scaling
- Hidden challenges and complexities behind business growth
- Real-world trade-offs, decisions, and scaling missteps
- Leveraging technology while preserving brand identity and control
Moderated by:
Marianne Tan
First Vice President
FinLab & Ecosystems Partnerships
UOB
FinLab & Ecosystems Partnerships
UOB
Speakers:
Jaryl Sim
Director
Mega Collective
Mega Collective
Joyce Chung
Founder
Guilt Free Food
Guilt Free Food
Maggie Chan
Founder
Jaedals
Jaedals
Nicole Choo
Business Development & Digital Consultant
Openminds
Openminds
- 3:00pm – 3:40pm
Upskilling with AI: Practical Workflows and Content Creation
- Streamlining business processes through AI-driven automation
- Enhancing storytelling and content creation with GenAI tools
- Applying AI techniques to boost productivity and creativity
Ahsan Uddin Shan
Senior Lecturer
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Sophia An
Senior Lecturer
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
- 3:40pm – 3:50pm
Next steps to digitalisation for F&B: The F&B AI and Digital Integration Programme
- Driving F&B growth with UOB-supported digital solutions and upskilling
- Accessing UOB preferential rates and government funding (up to 50%)
- Streamlining operations through UOB-backed system integration
Benedict Tay
Head of CED & Ecosystem Partnerships
SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise) Singapore
UOB
SME Banking (Emerging Enterprise) Singapore
UOB
- 3:50pm – 4:10pm
Designing Adaptive Retail Organisations in the Age of AI Boundary Crossing, Future-Oriented Learning & Human-Centred Work Redesign
- Learn how to redesign work for effective human–AI collaboration
- Gain practical approaches to build agile and resilient teams
- Understand how to drive continuous learning in a rapidly changing environment
Tommie Chen
Director (Acting)
Partnership & Market Development Division
Institute for Adult Learning
Partnership & Market Development Division
Institute for Adult Learning
- 4:10pm – 4:30pm
Service Design in the Age of AI
- Learn how to redesign customer journeys using AI without losing the human touch
- Discover where AI can enhance key service touchpoints across the customer lifecycle
- Gain practical insights on integrating AI into service models and avoiding common pitfalls
Michael Tan
CEO
Singapore Productivity Centre
Singapore Productivity Centre
- 4:30pm – 5:00pm
Networking and Refreshments
Co-Organised with:
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