SINGAPORE -- Since its founding in 1961, the Singapore Economic Development Board has spearheaded the city-state's industrialization with one critical mission: creating jobs. As Singapore's economy matures, the board's task has changed. Instead of just seeking to attract investments from large foreign companies, the chairman of EDB, Beh Swan Gin, says Singapore can work with companies to build new businesses or to expand market share in Asia. Beh joined the EDB in 1992 and has held various leadership roles, including developing Singapore's biomedical industry, before becoming managing director in 2008, and then chairman in 2014. He spoke with the Nikkei Asian Review. Edited excerpts:
Beh Swan Gin, the chairman of EDB Q: As the EDB led the industrialization of Singapore, industries in focus shifted from chemical to semiconductor to bio-pharmaceutical. What is the next focus?
