What is your role and main responsibilities? 

My role as an assistant director at the Europe desk at the Ministry of Trade and Industry is to manage and advance Singapore’s bilateral economic relations with markets in Europe. This involves the promotion and facilitation of bilateral economic cooperation initiatives between Singapore and our European partners to boost trade, attract foreign investment, and expand Singapore’s economic space. I also work closely with our European partners to explore collaboration in new and emerging areas such as the digital and green economy.

What is the most fascinating and/or suprising aspect of your role? 

Being on a bilateral desk means I get to see an overview of all possible topics that we can work with our partner countries. It is definitely eye-opening to learn so many new topics ranging from cross-border digital trade rules to developing low-carbon energy solutions such as carbon capture utilization and storage. It is really a cool experience to be in the same room with many trade diplomats and technical experts to discuss ways we can further bilateral and regional cooperation to create a greener and more inclusive world.

How did your Sciences Po experience help you with the role?

Having Europe as my regional concentration has helped equip me with the right expertise for this role. I work very closely with the EU, so knowledge of how the EU and its institutions operate is extremely useful. I am also grateful for the international exposure I had at Sciences Po, which has made it easier for me to interact and negotiate with my international counterparts.

What advice would you give to others? 

My advice for future graduates is to maximise the resources that Sciences Po has to offer. This includes tapping on the career workshops, networking sessions, as well as attend the debates and conferences that Sciences Po organises. These event serve as useful networking opportunities. The career newsletter is also very useful for looking for internships and jobs. For example, I did an internship at the OECD which I found via the career newsletter. The internship at the OECD was such a good opportunity and learning experience for me, as I could develop my quantitative research skills, as well as learn from the best economists in the world.