Register here: https://nlb.libcal.com/event/5903815

Friday (22 May): 7pm - 8pm

Singapore’s rise as a maritime crossroads was not an accident. It was shaped by a predictable, seasonal wind system that governed centuries of trade across the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. The northeast and southwest monsoon winds did more than move ships. They created a global rhythm - one that determined when ships could sail, and when they had to stop. And Singapore sat precisely at the point where ships had to wait. That waiting changed everything. Traders from China, India, and Arabia arrived on different winds and stayed for months until the cycle turned. In that enforced pause, they exchanged goods, shared knowledge, and built networks. Silk and ceramics came from China; spices, timber, and tin from Southeast Asia; and textiles and precious goods from India and Arabia. Singapore became more than a waypoint. It became a marketplace, a meeting point, and a cultural hub.

Then came steam. The winds mattered less but the system endured. The routes, the relationships, the trust. And over time, Singapore transformed from a place that benefited from flows…into one that attracts, shapes, and orchestrates them. Today, Singapore is no longer just well placed. It is indispensable - a hub that channels global flows of goods, energy, and data…without needing to own them.

About Speaker

Richard CY Lim joined the Republic of Singapore Navy in 1976 after graduating with a BSc. (First Class Honours) in Nautical Studies from the University of Southampton UK under a Colombo Plan Scholarship. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral (2 Star) and was Chief of Navy from 1996 to 1999.

Richard retired from the SAF in 1999 and subsequently served in MINDEF as Deputy Secretary (Technology) as well as Chief Executive of the Defence Science and Technology Agency.

After retiring from the public service Richard has held various roles as Chairman of the Maritime Safety at Sea Council, Chairman of the Governing Board of St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, Chairman ST Logistics, and Chairman Energy Market Authority.

He is currently Chairman of Synapxe, Chairman Singapore GASCO and Chairman Meranti Power.