AMTD News | AMTD joins hands with University of Waterloo, Canada, iQ4 and Singapore Fintech Association to jointly launch Singapore Cybersecurity Center

Recently, AMTD Charitable Foundation and AMTD Digital (hereinafter collectively referred to as “AMTD”), a one-stop digital solution platform under AMTD Group headquartered in Singapore, jointly with University of Waterloo, Canada, iQ4 and Singapore Fintech Association officially signed a cooperation agreement. All parties jointly launched the establishment of @-WISE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence with Singapore as its permanent headquarters, and EY, Hong Kong Cyberport, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government, and Infinity Power Investment Company provide knowledge consultants and support institutions for the Cybersecurity Center. This new partnership is based on the long-term and in-depth cooperation between AMTD and University of Waterloo, Canada and Singapore Fintech Association. AMTD has previously co-founded the AMTD-University of Waterloo Innovation Center, the AMTD-Waterloo Global Talent Cultivation Program and the AMTD-Singapore Fintech Association Global Fintech Cultivation Program with the University of Waterloo and the Singapore Fintech Association, respectively, aiming to cultivate innovative entrepreneurs in the wave of globalization, enhance their long-term competitiveness and leadership, and cultivate research talents and world-class scholars.

@-WISE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is committed to raising public awareness of the importance of cybersecurity in Singapore's digital platforms, fintech companies, financial institutions and other industries, deepening the cultivation of cybersecurity talents, and building a comprehensive, integrated and innovative cybersecurity ecosystem to cope with the escalating cybersecurity threats faced by enterprises in the process of global digitalization. @-WISE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will promote Singapore to become an international cybersecurity hub in the digital age and continue to contribute to Singapore's vision of a "smart nation".

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@-WISE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will organize an annual cybersecurity summit with Singapore as the first stop, and gradually expand to other places in ASEAN and the Greater Bay Area. This pioneering initiative is another contribution made by AMTD to the cultivation of talents and the construction of network ecosystem in Singapore. It will form a closed loop of technology ecology with the AXSI Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Program, AMTD Global Fintech Cultivation Program, AMTD Fintech Academy of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and ASEAN Financial Innovation Network jointly initiated by AMTD as a founding enterprise member, and jointly promote the innovative development of digital technology in Asia.

The founding members, knowledge advisors and supporting organizations of @-WISE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence include:

⚫ AMTD Digital, headquartered in Singapore, aims to establish a one-stop, comprehensive, cross-market innovative digital solution platform in Asia and other regions;

⚫ AMTD Charity Foundation is a charitable organization founded and chaired by Calvin Choi, Chairman and President of AMTD Group;

⚫ The University of Waterloo in Canada is world-renowned for its innovative scientific research. It has been rated as Canada's most innovative university for 28 consecutive years. Its cutting-edge academic courses and influential research strength are world-renowned;

⚫ iQ4 is a human resource transfer platform that meets the supply/demand of corporate reskilling, realizes applied learning through strategic collaboration between students, academic institutions and the business community, and obtains lifelong learning through the use of "Myhub Pass". "Myhub" is a record of digital skills learning and employment;

⚫ Singapore Fintech Association is a cross-industry non-profit organization. Its purpose is to support the development of Singapore's fintech industry and promote collaboration among participants and stakeholders in Singapore's fintech ecosystem;

⚫ Hong Kong Cyberport is an innovative digital community wholly owned by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, with the vision of becoming a hub for digital technology, thereby creating new economic momentum for Hong Kong;

⚫ EY is a global leader in accounting, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The professional services and industry insights it provides drive the development of global capital markets and economies.

Mr. Calvin Choi, Chairman and President of AMTD Group, said, “As the leading founding member of @-WISE Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, we are pleased to work with the University of Waterloo, Canada, iQ4, and the Singapore FinTech Association, with Hong Kong Cyberport as our technical support and EY as our knowledge advisor, to jointly establish this Cybersecurity Centre with permanent headquarters in Singapore. The ever-increasing and deepening digitalization process has brought great benefits to our economy, making everyone more effectively connected than ever before. However, with the huge amount of data and records on the Internet, it is increasingly important to actively protect all data and records. AMTD will contribute to the @-WISE Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence through the AMTD Spider Web Ecosystem, leveraging its network of resources and global connectivity, and support the construction of digital communities and ecosystems in Singapore and ASEAN, as well as connectivity with the Greater Bay Area and other parts of Asia.”

Sopnendu, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore Mr Mohanty said: “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a digitalisation of many sectors, creating an unprecedented demand for cybersecurity talent around the world. At the same time, it has become the new normal for organisations to deal with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urgently need to strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities to protect technology systems, data and ensure user trust in digitalisation. The @ -WISE Centre of Excellence will accelerate the development of the next generation of cybersecurity workforce, which is a commendable effort and a step in the right direction to enhance capabilities. I congratulate and thank the founding members for their efforts in strengthening Singapore as a centre of excellence in cybersecurity.”

The mission of the @ -WISE Centre of Excellence will be achieved through four pillars:

1) Education: Establishing training programmes to train and certify employees with cybersecurity skills;

2) Thought Leadership: Providing market-tailored cyber risk mitigation products and strategies and organising workshops and roundtables among industry leaders;

3) Collaboration: Building an ecosystem of start-ups in the cybersecurity space and deepening connections between organisations and industries; and

4) Research: Promoting R&D collaborations at international, regional and national levels.