Dentons Rodyk hosted its annual thought leadership event on 31 October 2022 and made its biggest in-person return since the pandemic. Co-organised under the auspices of the Singapore Management University Yong Pung How School of Law’s Centre for Commercial Law in Asia, the event was conducted in a hybrid format, with more than 200 guests attending in person and live viewers tuning in virtually from more than a dozen different countries.

This year’s Dialogue was titled “Building a Safe and Inclusive Digital World Together: Vision and Transformation” and brought together a distinguished panel comprising:

• Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information, Second Minister of Home Affairs, Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity Republic of Singapore
• Mr Glenn Gore, Group CEO, LemmaTree and Affinidi
• Professor Locknie Hsu, Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University
• Mr Hsu Li Chuan, Senior Partner, Dentons Rodyk
• Mr Gilbert Leong, Senior Partner, Dentons Rodyk

Technology Redefining The Way We Work

Dentons’ Global Vice Chair and ASEAN CEO Gerald Singham spoke about how technology can transcend the limitations of communication and make lives more efficient but at the same time have detrimental effects. “Digitalisation is redefining how we all interact, connect, work and conduct business. The need for a coherent plan to manage the impact of digitalisation on society and the environment is absolutely crucial in order for us to be a step ahead and avoid potential pitfalls. Today’s thought leadership event will discuss how innovation and collaboration based on a clear vision is paramount in helping Singapore and the wider region navigate the challenges, manage the risks and harness the full benefits of digitalisation,” Gerald said in his opening remarks.

Singapore’s National Approach to Building a Safer Digital World

Guest of Honour Minister Teo touched on the importance of taking a calibrated approach when dealing with online harms, adopting a multi-stakeholder approach and keeping a close eye on emerging technologies such as Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. “Safety and inclusion in Digital Singapore are worthy goals. which reflect our long- standing values as a society where people don’t live in fear of being attacked or violated, and those who need more support get it. We will need steadfast commitment and thoughtful interventions including laws and regulations to make it work. More importantly, it is the effort of everyone in society helping each other to gain confidence and stay safe online,” Minister Teo said.

The event concluded with an insightful panel discussion on how digitalisation during the pandemic brought about unprecedented growth, new commercial opportunities and profound societal benefits but at the same time, brought to the fore risks and gaps in the digital world such as cyberattacks, privacy concerns and unequal access to technology.

Find out more about the Dentons Rodyk Dialogue 2022 here.

About Dentons Rodyk

Dentons Rodyk is one of Singapore's biggest law firms and part of the world’s largest, with a team of around 200 lawyers offering clients a full suite of legal services necessary to do business locally and globally. With over 160 years of establishment, consistently ranked highly in leading publications, we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality advice to our clients while maintaining strong working relationships with key public sector agencies and leading organisations in the private sector. Our combination with global law firm Dentons, makes us part of the world’s largest law firm with more than 12,500 professionals in over 160 locations in more than 80 countries.

Designed to be different, Dentons Rodyk can help you grow, protect, operate and finance your business. Our polycentric and purpose-driven approach, together with our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and ESG, ensures we challenge the status quo to stay focused on what matters most to you.

The first global pan-ASEAN law firm, Dentons ASEAN has an established history in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore and will continue to grow our presence through combinations with exceptional local firms across the ASEAN region and help clients navigate change wherever they are located.

In the new dynamic decade, clients continue to be confronted with complex scenarios and want to work with a purpose-driven law firm that has the experience and confidence to help them thrive at wherever they are located. Through our combinations with firms that are leaders in their respective communities and local markets, along with the partner firms in Dentons’ Nextlaw Referral Network, Dentons is ideally positioned to support our clients everywhere in ASEAN and around the globe.