Portfolio Forecast 2025: What's in A Word, Part 3

DR KEVIN CHUA
Co-founder, Dr Kevin Chua Medical & Aesthetics

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Anti-aging

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
The use of Artificial Intelligence will certainly surface in various forms and we see it playing a transformative role in the aesthetics industry. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or above, and the demand for anti-aging treatments will grow significantly as the population ages and younger individuals prioritise preventative skincare.

AI in aesthetics can help streamline this entire process with hyper-personalized, data-driven solutions including predictive analyses for the prevention of visible signs of ageing, and the identification of advanced anti-ageing treatments for our patients to ensure that they receive the most effective care to maintain their youth for longer. We are proud to be the first clinic in Singapore to pioneer AI in aesthetics, empowering our patients to make informed decisions and achieve their desired long-term goals.

GUY COOKE
Director, Advisory Services, WATG

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Diversity

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
Going into 2025, we forecast that Southeast Asia’s tourism destinations are set to benefit from growing demand from a diverse set of markets, particularly large populations with increasing propensity to travel and ability to spend. With the return of Chinese tourists, growing numbers of Indian and Middle Eastern visitors, as well as strong domestic and short-haul demand, the outlook is promising for the region’s hospitality space. In a world that sometimes feels increasingly divided, and somewhat fraught, having that diversity of guests from around the world coming together to share joyful hospitality experiences feels significant and hopeful.

Catering to a diverse set of guest needs and expectations is a core consideration in the way we help to devise and deliver our hospitality projects. Geographic, demographic, and psychographic differences all need to be factored into the curation of a guest experience that needs to feel bespoke and hyper personalized. On one hand, we look at how we can effectively segment the guest experience to cater to these differences and in other ways how we can bring people together through inclusive experiences that draw upon shared interests, such as the prevalent expectation for authentic, locally driven experiences. Getting this balance right and solving this puzzle ultimately cultivates a deeper sense of guest satisfaction, increases revenue, and builds brand loyalty.

MIKE HECKER
CEO & Founder, BE WTR

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Be

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
The world needs to be more genuine. With the current state of affairs in the world, we see more consumers seeking authenticity and transparency in everything – this goes for politics, business, friendships, and for food and drinks – the industry where we are active. Water should be a short journey. We can’t continue to ship in water from the end of the world when you can get a premium, fully circular, and sustainable solution with BE WTR. So BE, and BE real.

SACHIN DOSHI
Founder & Group CEO, Weave Living

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Authenticity

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
Looking ahead to 2025, I foresee a transformative shift in the Asia Pacific living sector. The industry is set to embrace owner-operator models, blending asset ownership with hands-on management to drive exceptional returns. This evolution presents Weave Living with a unique opportunity to lead the market.

Key factors driving this change include growing investor recognition of operational excellence's impact on commercial outcomes, surging demand for flexible, amenity-rich living spaces, and consolidation potential in the fragmented sector in the region.

Weave Living's strategic roadmap focuses on aggressive expansion, aiming to grow our portfolio to over 10,000 units across key Asia Pacific gateway cities. We'll continually challenge ourselves to improve and to set new benchmarks for product and operational leadership. Strategic alliances with large, global investors will fuel our growth. Meanwhile, substantial investments in advanced technology will maximize the value of our assets and enhance resident experience. Through this approach, we aim to shape the future of urban living in Asia Pacific.

HEATHER THOMAS
Director, Flex Studio Hong Kong & Singapore

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Elevation

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
2025 promises to usher in an exciting new chapter for Wellness, and indeed, “elevation” is a key factor. As consumers are increasingly educated on the concept of wellness, their very definition begins to sharpen and become more sophisticated. The elevated definition of wellness takes on a more holistic way of looking at one’s life. Wellness isn’t just about looking good and running faster; wellness is also about waking with a sense of purpose and therefore being motivated to start your day doing what you love; it’s about being part of a supportive community  which stimulates oxytocin production; wellness is about physical independence, delaying admission into assisted living facilities and the associated financial price tag, and finally I would add lifelong learning as a benchmark of wellness – cognitive stimulation triggers neural pathways, a key component of antiaging. To this end, I see a significant evolution in how wellness is perceived, marketed, and consumed.

Ironically, perhaps the two biggest influencer groups to emerge in the wellness space are Gen Z, who prioritize wellness over partying, and over 60 baby boomers, who want tangible, yet organic anti-ageing solutions. Different generations, same objectives. Gen Z consumers, who once filled “the bottom of the pyramid” in terms of spending power and loyalty, are hungry for real wellness knowledge, have spending power and are committed to achieving physical and mental well-being. They also seek job fulfilment AND financial independence.  These rising stars want excellence in health care, travel experiences and bespoke fitness conditioning. Similarly, baby boomers are curious, lifelong learners who historically have been at the mercy of their silo-thinking doctors. Not so anymore. They want to understand holistic physiology, and seek out functional medicine and wellness practitioners, to navigate and coordinate their physical and mental journeys onwards.

DANNY WONG
CEO, Work+Store

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Innovate

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
Looking forward into 2025, the storage industry will play an increasingly significant role in the retail sector, ultimately as a complementary partner to aid in cost efficiency, business continuity, and scalability. Beyond supporting businesses across sectors in decluttering their office and retail spaces, we recognize that retail businesses in particular are on the constant lookout for ways to pass on cost-savings to end-customers. The industry would need to come up with effective price strategies to stay competitive in the market.

This can be achieved through an increased reliance on flexible storage solutions that serve as an essential role to business forecasting strategies. Traditional fixed long-term storage space leases no longer work – month-on-month sales can differ greatly, and businesses cannot afford to be tied down to fixed spaces for extended periods. With lease flexibility like Work+Store’s, retail businesses can now upsize or downsize on a monthly basis, ensuring that their inventory management is optimised and costs are effectively managed, passing these savings to customers to remain price competitive. ‘Innovate’ holds great meaning as it signifies that one must constantly evolve to contribute and pave the way forward.

JEREMY ONG
Senior Manager, LHN Energy

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Relentless

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
Singapore has seen great strides in solar deployment, but more can be done to reach its 2030 target of at least 2,000 megawatt-peak. Moving forward into 2025, we expect the solar power market to tap more into strata buildings – a hugely overlooked segment of properties when considering photovoltaic (PV) panel installations. Strata buildings make up a significant proportion of properties in Singapore, but have individually owned units that typically rely on their own electricity retailers for energy consumption. Because of this nature, it may not even occur to strata building owners that they can in fact, harness solar energy to power their common areas – which use up a massive amount of electricity daily. Nonetheless, we do foresee an industry shift towards greater awareness in the coming year.

The word ‘relentless’ serves as a timely reminder on the vast opportunities that such energy resources can hold. By tapping into solar energy, we can meet growing energy demands while mitigating climate change, also ensuring energy security for our future generations. Building upon our recent Power Purchase Agreement with Textile Centre, we are very excited to working more collaboratively with such strata building owners to harness more solar energy, especially as this resource becomes increasingly critical in national efforts to promote sustainable development.

GLENN GORE
CEO, Affinidi

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Anarchist

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
The democratization of data and rise of expert AI systems are poised to reshape the landscape of knowledge and education. This transformation hinges not only on open access to information, but also on the reclamation of data ownership by individuals.  As the world moves toward greater trust, transparency, and decentralized data management, users will gain control over their personal information, choosing when, how, and with whom to share it. This shift mirrors the impact Wikipedia had over two decades ago, where knowledge became a communal resource rather than a privilege of the few. Expert AI systems will build on this foundation, offering personalized, real-time answers while respecting user privacy and data autonomy. 

In this context, "anarchy" is less about chaos and more about shifting away from centralized power structures to enhance individuals’ autonomy over their personal data. This approach to data governance aligns with decentralization principles, moving data storage and distribution rights to individuals to serve their own needs. ⁠This marks a revolutionary shift from present data management practices; reminding us that bold actions are sometimes necessary to improve the status quo and drive meaningful impact. 

FRANCIS THANGASAMY
Managing Director, Lumen Technologies APAC

Share one word that resonates and holds a special meaning for you.
Belief

What positive industry forecast do you foresee for 2025 and how does this word help in turning that prediction into a reality?
AI-Driven Transformation Accelerates: Increased interest in AI technologies, will propel a surge in demand for robust enterprise networks, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity frameworks to support AI deployment in 2025. Companies will rely on trusted networks like Lumen’s to enable seamless data flows, ensuring business continuity and operational efficiency in the AI-driven economy.

Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage: 2025 will witness an expanded focus on proactive security strategies, including advanced threat detection and managed security services. Organizations will prioritize comprehensive security frameworks that integrate seamlessly with cloud and network solutions, protecting their AI-driven infrastructure.

Cloud-First Strategies Dominate: APAC businesses will continue their shift to cloud-first strategies. Enterprises will increasingly leverage cloud migration and modernization services to future-proof operations, optimize costs, and enable rapid scalability in line with AI initiatives.