This partnership between ASAE, SECB, a group under the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the lead government agency for business events in Singapore and SBF as Singapore’s Apex Business Chamber representing local trade associations and chambers, establishes a collaborative framework between the three organizations to advance leadership development, association education and foster cross-cultural knowledge sharing and expand global engagement opportunities for association professionals.

This collaboration strategically builds on last year’s launch of ASAE’s “Associations Going Global” toolkit supported by the SECB and provides ASAE members and US-based association community a connection to Asia through SBF’s strong regional networks at a critical time, as associations navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

 

Key areas of collaboration include:

ASAE Association Workshop at Trade Associations and Chambers (TAC) Summit Singapore 2026

ASAE will collaborate with SBF and SECB to curate and cocreate a 1-day education programme as part of the TAC Summit 2026 (May 2026 – TBC) and bring together ASAE leadership and members for insights and knowledge exchange. TAC Summit is SBF’s flagship event for local and regional association professionals that attracted more than 200 participants in 2025.  

Strategic Capacity Building

As part of a strategy to further professionalize and develop the association sector in Singapore and the region, and connect association leaders from the U.S. and Singapore, ASAE and SBF will identify skill gaps in Singapore’s association sector and explore future initiatives to address them. 

“This agreement underscores our shared commitment to building a stronger global association ecosystem,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. “We are excited to deepen our partnership with SECB and SBF, bring new leadership development opportunities to association professionals, and position Singapore as a dynamic destination for international collaboration and innovation.”

Eileen Lee, Senior Vice President Americas, SECB emphasized, "This collaboration elevates our long-standing Global Destination partnership with ASAE. By bringing together ASAE’s association management education and content with SBF’s Singapore networks regional reach, we are poised to foster innovative solutions, create new opportunities and catalyze critical knowledge exchange. Asia remains one of the fastest-growing economic regions. Understanding these opportunities and establishing networks will be essential to an association’s global strategy. Singapore is uniquely positioned to serve as the gateway and Global-Asia node for associations.” 

Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive Officer, SBF said, “This collaboration marks an important step in strengthening the global association landscape, with Singapore as a strategic hub for cross-cultural exchange and regional connectivity. By harnessing ASAE’s expertise, SECB’s strategic positioning, and SBF’s deep networks in the region, we are creating meaningful pathways for knowledge exchange, leadership development, and international collaboration. As the voice of Singapore’s trade associations and chambers, SBF is proud to contribute to strengthening Asia’s role in the global association ecosystem and positioning Singapore as a vital gateway for global engagement.”

 

About ASAE

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at Welcome to ASAE — American Society of Association Executives (asaecenter.org)

 

About Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau

As the lead agency for the business events sector in Singapore, the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau^TM, a group under the Singapore Tourism Board, is responsible for shaping and retaining Singapore’s exceptional reputation as one of the world’s best business events destinations. Our mission is to grow, nurture and reinforce Singapore’s reputation as a dynamic business events destination by drawing on its extensive network of people, technology and ideas to facilitate the delivery of memorable and high-quality meetings.

For more information, visit: www.visitsingapore.com/mice/en/why-singapore/about-secb

 

About Singapore Business Federation

Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is the apex business chamber with over 32,000 members across diverse industries. With a vision to advance Singapore towards a globally competitive and sustainable economy, SBF mobilises the business community to be future-ready and magnify transformation opportunities through policy advocacy, partnership platforms and capability programmes.

For more information, please visit: www.sbf.org.sg.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

ASAE: Chris Vest, CAE, +1 202-626-2798, cvest@asaecenter.org

SECB: Ashlea Flowers +1 267 475 6492, STB@praytell.com

SBF:  Benjamin Ng +65 9438 6955, Benjamin.ng@sbf.org.sg