businesschief.asia 147SINGAPORE POOLS PRIVATE LIMITED
Yeo Teck Guan discusses change management,
COVID-19, and the digital transformation of Singapore’s
state-owned gambling organisation.PRODUCED BY:
KRISTOPHER PALMERWRITTEN BY:
HARRY MENEARY
eo Teck Guan is a man on a mission.
Since joining Singapore Pools -
Singapore’s state-owned gambling
non-profit - in 2012, Yeo has worked tirelessly
to enact a complete digital overview of the
organisation’s capabilities and strategy. “Digital
transformation is key. So it has been important
to figure out how Singapore Pools, as a very
traditional company with a long history, could
leverage technology,” he explains. “Along the
way we've learned a lot about how best to
shape the customer experience and better
support our customers.”
This month, we sat down with Yeo to discuss
the ongoing digital transformation strategy
he is spearheading, enhancing Singapore
Pools to be a more agile, digitally-
empowered business.
A Safer Bet
When Singapore gained its independence in
1965, the new government found itself faced
with a number of challenges, one of which
being illegal gambling. However, the new
government was aware that a blanket ban - like
Prohibition in the United States - would simply
drive those activities underground, putting
more money in the pockets of triads and illegal
bookkeepers, creating an unsafe experience for
Singaporeans looking to bet.
“During that time there were a lot of illegal
activities, including gambling, that were causing
problems for the country,” explains Yeo. “So, in
1968, the government set up Singapore Pools
to provide people who wanted to bet with
a safe and trusted means to do so, and to use
the funds to support our community.”DIGITALLY
CULTURE AND CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE
TRANSFORMING