Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, conferred national honours on two business leaders today. The Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award was conferred on Mr Tannowa Tsutomu, Chairman of the Board of Mitsui Chemicals Inc., and Dr Roland Busch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG, during a ceremony held at the Istana.

Mr Png Cheong Boon, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), said: “Under the leadership of Mr Tannowa Tsutomu and Dr Roland Busch, Mitsui Chemicals and Siemens have made significant investments in manufacturing, innovation, and workforce development in Singapore, benefiting our economy, enterprises, and people. The expansion of both Mitsui Chemicals’ and Siemens’ regional hub operations here has strengthened Singapore’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem and reinforced our competitiveness. Thank you for your strong partnership, and congratulations on your award.”

Mr Tannowa Tsutomu

Mr Tannowa Tsutomu is the Chairman of the Board at Mitsui Chemicals Inc., one of Japan’s leading chemical companies. He has been with the company since 1976, and served as its President and CEO from 2014 to 2020.

Since establishing its Singapore presence in 1966, Mitsui Chemicals has made multiple major investments in Singapore collectively valued at over S$1 billion. These include several notable expansions of its high-performance proprietary TAFMER™ elastomer’s production facilities in Mitsui Elastomers Singapore to increase output capacity. Mitsui Chemicals established the SDC Technologies Asia Pacific plant in 2012 to produce specialty optical coatings, following its acquisition of SDC Technologies, a manufacturer of high-performance coating materials used in various applications. In 2016, Mitsui Chemicals started operating its Prime Evolue Singapore facility to manufacture raw materials for high functional sealant film used in powderand liquid packaging.

Mr Tannowa also championed the establishment of Mitsui Chemicals’ Singapore R&DCentre in 2011, the company’s first such facility outside Japan. Working closely withlocal research ecosystem partners, including the Agency of Science, Technology andResearch (A*STAR), the centre supports global research and development (R&D) efforts in advanced materials, while promoting local innovation and sustainabilityinitiatives.

In addition, Mr Tannowa has been a strong advocate for talent and leadership development in Singapore, providing local employees with overseas posting opportunities across Mitsui Chemicals’ global operations. The company has also collaborated with EDB to offer scholarships for Singapore-based students to pursue a master’s degree at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. To date, four students have graduated from this scholarship programme.

Mitsui Chemicals has established deep roots in Singapore with its Asia Pacific regional headquarters, R&D, and manufacturing activities anchored here. Mr Tannowa has been instrumental in growing Mitsui Chemicals’ strategic presence and operational footprint in Singapore, making significant contributions to the country’s economic growth.

On being conferred the Award, Mr Tannowa said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for the friendship and trust that the Singapore Government and our employees have cultivated over the years. Since the establishment of our adhesives manufacturing company in 1966, Singapore has served as the hub of our business in Asia Pacific. We have spearheaded numerous business developments, including the expansion of our elastomers plant.”

Dr Roland Busch

Dr Roland Busch joined Siemens AG in 1994, and served in various leadership roles before taking on his current position as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2021. As the leader of a global technology company, Dr Busch has played a central role in the company’s continued investments in innovation and sharpened focus in core areas such as smart infrastructure, digital industries, mobility, and healthcare.

10. In 2023, Siemens announced plans to build a S$293 million high-tech factory in Singapore to produce industrial automation and digitalisation technologies. This 400-person facility will be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, utilising digital twins and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve production efficiency, raise quality, and reduce resource use. The investment reinforces Singapore’s role as a key node in Siemens’ global supply chain.

Under Dr Busch’s leadership, Siemens has contributed to the modernising and upgrading of Singapore’s public transport systems, through the deployment of technologies such as Industrial 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. During his tenure as Chief Technology Officer, Siemens also launched its Digitalisation Hub in 2017 and its Advanced Manufacturing Transformation Centre in 2020. Both of these workforce development initiatives have promoted digital capability building in Singapore.

Dr Busch has also been a supporter of partnerships with Singapore’s public agencies and academic institutions. These include Siemens’ research and training collaborations with Nanyang Technological University and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, in areas such as digitalisation and AI. As a SkillsFuture Queen Bee, Siemens actively mentors manufacturing sector organisations in their digital transformation. Dr Busch also contributes actively to national strategies in research and innovation as a member of Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council.

Siemens has been a valuable partner to Singapore for the past 117 years. Today, the company employs around 1,500 people in Singapore across smart infrastructure, digital industries, mobility, and healthcare sectors. Dr Busch’s support and contributions will continue to grow this long-standing partnership.

On being conferred the Award, Dr Busch said: “Siemens and Singapore have grown together, writing a remarkable success story. We haven't just witnessed Singapore's transformation since 1965 – we've been an active partner. Together, we've pioneered breakthrough innovations across Southeast Asia: from semiconductor manufacturing to water technologies R&D, from clinical imaging research to the digital transformation of industries and infrastructure. Singapore is a key hub in our global investment strategy, and we're committed to deepening our presence here.”

About the Awards

Initiated by the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1998, the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award recognises senior business executives for their outstanding contributions to the economic growth of Singapore. Between 1998 and 2024, 51 senior business executives have been conferred the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award.