On the sidelines of the APAC Biomanufacturing Leadership Summit 2026 in Singapore, organised by Charles River, BioSpectrum Asia spoke with Pengfei Chen, Vice President, Healthcare at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). As global pharmaceutical companies continue to expand their manufacturing footprint in Asia Pacific, Singapore has emerged as a trusted destination for advanced biopharmaceutical production. In this conversation, Chen discusses how Singapore’s strong regulatory framework, integrated industry ecosystem, talent development programmes, and investments in artificial intelligence and digital manufacturing are strengthening its role as a strategic hub for global biomanufacturing.
Singapore offers a highly predictable and stable business environment for global biopharmaceutical companies. The country’s strong rule of law, robust intellectual property protection, and transparent regulatory framework provide companies with the certainty they need when establishing long term manufacturing operations.
In addition, Singapore has developed a highly integrated biopharmaceutical ecosystem. Pharmaceutical manufacturers operate alongside service providers, supply chain partners, and research institutions, enabling companies to manufacture and distribute medicines efficiently. This interconnected ecosystem allows organisations to scale operations and collaborate effectively within the country.
Talent development is a major priority for the Singapore Government. We work closely with pharmaceutical companies, universities, and institutes of higher learning to strengthen the talent pipeline for the industry.
One key approach is ensuring that university curricula remain aligned with industry needs. By working directly with academic institutions, we help ensure that graduates develop the technical capabilities required by the biopharmaceutical sector.
In addition, we support career conversion programmes for mid career professionals who are interested in entering the pharmaceutical industry. These initiatives provide individuals with the relevant training and practical experience needed to transition into the sector.
Finally, we collaborate with industry partners on leadership development programmes designed to prepare the next generation of talent for senior roles within the biopharmaceutical ecosystem.
Artificial intelligence and digital manufacturing are becoming critical capabilities for modern pharmaceutical production.
Singapore has launched several initiatives to support companies in adopting these technologies. One example is the AI Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing, where researchers collaborate directly with industry partners to address real world challenges. These projects focus on areas such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and process optimisation.
At the same time, Singapore is developing a new generation of talent that combines expertise in biopharmaceutical manufacturing with knowledge of AI and digital technologies. This multidisciplinary capability will be essential as manufacturing systems become increasingly automated and data driven.
Events such as the APAC Biomanufacturing Leadership Summit are extremely valuable for the industry.
They bring together companies, government representatives, and stakeholders from across the biopharmaceutical ecosystem. These forums create opportunities for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and partnership building.
By enabling stakeholders to share insights and perspectives, these platforms help accelerate collaboration and strengthen the broader biomanufacturing ecosystem across Asia Pacific.
