24 Sep 2025
By Richard Muir, Deputy Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
It’s been a remarkable week in Singapore as Glasgow Chamber of Commerce led a trade delegation for the second consecutive year of growth businesses to one of the world’s most vibrant business hubs. Hosted by our outstanding partners at the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore — with special thanks to David Kelly, Louise Beazor, and Hana Baker — I think our visit has been an exemplar in international collaboration, innovation, and opportunity.
From the moment we arrived, the energy in Singapore was palpable. Day one set the tone with a warm welcome at BritCham’s downtown offices, where we explored why Singapore continues to be the gateway to Southeast Asia’s booming economy. With its strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and thriving ecosystem of global businesses, Singapore is home to cutting-edge sectors including deep tech, fintech, life sciences, maritime, defence, and advanced engineering.
Our Glasgow delegation made up of high growth sector businesses including AI, renewable energy, space , fintech sports made up an amazing cohort including businesses such as Neuranics, Deckchair AI, LuupedIn, Katrick Technologies, ESG Disclose, Fire Arrow and Tots United as well as representatives from University of Strathclyde, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and University Glasgow. The group were delighted to connect with expatriates such as Daisy Radford of ReverseC and Gavin Clarke of Brighton College, before visiting the Urban Redevelopment Authority — a glimpse into Singapore’s visionary approach to city planning and sustainability. The day concluded with bespoke one-to-one business meetings, laying the groundwork for future partnerships.
Day two brought further momentum. Organised by Neil McInnes of Scottish Development International, our session with GlobalScots at the British High Commission was a highlight. Glasgow businesses had the opportunity to pitch directly to experienced Scots embedded in Singapore’s business community. The insights shared were invaluable, and the goodwill in the room was a testament to the strength of our Scots diaspora network.
Following curated meetings across the city, we reconvened at the Economic Development Board with Madeleine Lim, Manager for Energy and Renewables on the Europe Desk. Her deep dive into Singapore’s tech ecosystem reinforced why thousands of overseas companies choose to invest and grow here.
It’s worth remembering that Glasgow’s ties to Singapore run deep. Over a century ago, Glasgow foundry firms like P. & W. MacLellan and Walter MacFarlane & Co. helped shape the city’s infrastructure — from the iconic Cavenagh Bridge to the ironwork of Raffles Hotel. Today, Scots are still building bridges, both literal and metaphorical, across Southeast Asia.
Trade between the UK and Singapore grew by over 5% last year, reaching a value of £23 billion. The UK is now the sixth-largest investor in Singapore, with over 6,000 UK companies operating there. In return, more than 60 Singaporean firms are active in Scotland, and 70 Glasgow Chamber member businesses have a footprint in Singapore — a powerful indicator to our shared economic ambition.
On the final day of our mission, our high-growth sector businesses continued their packed agenda of B2B meetings. Some attended the BritCham Singapore and KPMG joint event exploring opportunities in the Johor Special Economic Zone — a promising cross-border initiative between Singapore and Malaysia. We also visited the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC) at Cleantech Loop, where innovation in aerospace, AI, and sustainability is driving productivity and transformation.
It was a pleasure to be joined by Stephen Fitzpatrick and colleagues from the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, whose presence added depth to our delegation’s engagement with cutting-edge manufacturing.
We closed the mission with the Glasgow Connections networking event, bringing together alumni from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow. The enthusiasm and support from this community were inspiring, and their willingness to help our visiting businesses will be instrumental in amplifying Glasgow’s new Destination Marketing and Management Organisation (DMMO) messaging and business narrative.
The potential for investment from Singapore into Glasgow is significant, and follow-up meetings are already in motion. This trade mission has reaffirmed our belief that Singapore is not just a gateway to ASEAN markets — it’s a strategic partner for Glasgow’s future.
Thank you to all our partners who made this mission a success:
This Trade Mission was supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Chambers of Commerce through the International Trade Partnership project.
This mission has further laid the foundation for deeper collaboration, stronger networks, and new opportunities for Glasgow and Scottish businesses in Southeast Asia. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce will continue to build bridges in Singapore and we look forward to what comes next.
Find out more about our upcoming trade missions to Shanghai and Bremen.
