A good retirement plan isn't just about finances.
Life doesn't stop at retirement - it's another golden chapter in your life journey. Beyond finances, a good retirement plan starts with finding what you want out of life and taking care of your social, physical and mental well-being.
Inaugurated in 2021, the "Ready for Life" Festival is organised annually to inspire Singaporeans to see retirement as a life stage that is vibrant and meaningful. It features a range of workshops and talks by experts covering various wellness dimensions to help CPF members uncover their passions and learn how to make the most of their CPF as the foundation to pursue their life purpose.
"Ready for Life" Festival
More than 2,200 people attended the first in-person "Ready for Life" Festival held on 7 October 2023 at Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo & Convention Centre. Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, participated in a fireside chat where he shared his personal views on living a life with purpose and planning early for retirement. The Festival featured nine workshops and activity booths covering holistic topics from health, travel, finance, career, to legacy planning and more.
Programme Overview
"Ready for Life" Festival opening forum
Join us to hear more on how to lead a fulfilling life and achieve greater happiness and well-being. Our distinguished speakers will share personal stories and valuable tips on how to pursue your passions, find purpose, and make the most of your time and finances. Hosted by former Channel NewsAsia anchor Yvonne Chan, get ready to be inspired and start planning for a better tomorrow.
Guest of Honour:
Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health
Panellists:
Gregory Chia, Group Director, CPF Board
Alfred Chia, CEO, SingCapital Pte Ltd
Professor Christopher Cheng, Senior Consultant Urologist, Sengkang General Hospital and Singapore General Hospital
John Chong, Founder, Bee Amazed Garden
Building a strong foundation to achieve your retirement goals
From effective utilisation of CPF schemes to steady gains from compounded interest, learn to unlock the full potential of your CPF savings for retirement. To top it off, our speakers will also cover tips and basics of investment for those who are new to investing.
Speaker(s):
Ong Woei Jiin, Director (Retirement Savings), CPF Board
David Ang, CPF volunteer and Managing Director, Bank of Singapore
Thomas Chua, Founder, Steady Compounding
Small actions, big impact: discovering purpose through volunteerism
Find out how you can be part of the fastest growing repair community in Singapore with Repair Kopitiam and tips to live a more sustainable life. After which, be inspired by the changemakers behind Citizen Adventures and SmilesSalamSG as they share what sparked them to take action amidst personal commitments and finding purpose through volunteer work.
Speaker(s):
Azlina Ahmad, Founder, SmilesSalamSG
Cai Yinzhou, Director, Citizen Adventures
Danny Lim, Community Lead (Repair Kopitiam), SL2 Impact Ltd
Self-awareness: the key to effective career planning
In today’s evolving job market, the importance of career planning cannot be overstated. With greater awareness on career values, interests, and skills, you can better navigate and make informed career decisions. Join us to explore the transformative power of self-awareness in crafting a purposeful career plan.
Speaker(s):
Geraldine Chua, Principal Career Coach, Workforce Singapore
Staying the course: building resilience in times of inflation
What do inflation, high interest rates and volatile markets mean for investors? How can investors build portfolio resilience and protect their investments in such times? Hear our industry experts provide an update on the market outlook, discuss different types of investments and share considerations on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing.
Investment outlook and market updates by
Vasu Menon, Managing Director, Investment Strategy, Wealth Management Unit, OCBC Bank
Building a resilient investment portfolio by
Roseline Fong, Head of Insurance and Financial Planning (SEA), HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth
How to hedge against inflation? (Bonds and equities) by
Eddy Loh, Chief Investment Officer, Maybank Group Wealth Management
Go green with ESG investing by
John Lau, Executive Director, Sustainability Lead, Group Personal Financial Services, UOB
A holistic approach to health preservation: unveiling the secrets of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
TCM has been practised for thousands of years and its principles are deeply rooted in the concept of nature, balance and harmony within the body. In this talk, learn how you can take a holistic approach to your well-being with TCM, common misconceptions, and TCM as a preventive measure through acupressure and simple exercises.
Speaker(s):
Ng Hui Ping, Principal Research Officer, Attending Physician, TCM Geriatric Team Leader, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution
Pang Ka Yii, Senior Medical Research Executive, Resident Physician, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution
Legacy planning for the sandwiched generation
Legacy planning is an important aspect of ensuring that your loved ones are well taken care of from life’s uncertainties. Yet, it is often overlooked amidst the challenges of caring for ageing parents and young children. In this session, we will explore the importance of legacy planning and how it can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
Speaker(s):
Liang Weirong, Senior Deputy Director (Nominations and Accounts Closure), CPF Board
Dawn Cher, Founder, SG Budget Babe
Low Seow Ling, Associate Director, Eden Law Corporation
Travelling with family without breaking the bank
Who says travelling as a family needs to be expensive? Join The Travel Intern in exploring the joys of travelling with family and pick up tips to maximise your holiday while saving money. Get ready to hit the road without hitting your savings!
Speaker(s):
Edelyn Chua, HR Manager and Writer, The Travel Intern
Hendric Tay, Co-founder and Content Creator, The Travel Intern
Lo-CAL delights: trim the calories for delicious local food
Everyone is talking about counting calories - carbohydrates, protein, and fat. How does one enjoy a meal that is tasty and yet low in calories? Pick up tips on how you can make Lo-CAL meals yummy for better calorie planning!
Speaker(s):
Fiona Chia, Principal Nutritionist, Health Can Be Fun
Opening forum
Gregory Chia
Group Director (Retirement Income), Central Provident Fund Board
Gregory is the Group Director of Retirement Income at the Central Provident Fund Board. He has been instrumental in shaping key CPF policies to strengthen Singapore's retirement income system, including CPF LIFE and the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme. Prior to joining the Board in 2011, Mr Chia served in the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Manpower and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).
Alfred Chia
CEO, SingCapital Pte Ltd
With over 30 years of experience in the Financial Advisory Industry, Alfred has served both Individuals and Corporations, providing expert financial advice and solutions to meet their unique needs and goals. Passionate about education, he actively shares his knowledge with others. He was also the President of the Financial Planning Association of Singapore (FPAS) from 2019 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in advancing the financial planning profession and fostering collaboration within the industry.
Professor Christopher Cheng
Senior Consultant (Urologist), Sengkang General Hospital and Singapore General Hospital
Prof Cheng underwent surgery and radiation for prostate cancer in 2017 and published his experience in the book 'I thought I knew' which has also been translated into Chinese. Besides being awarded the National Outstanding Clinician Award at the National Medical Excellence Awards 2017 and other prestigious awards, Prof Cheng has over 90 publications in local and international journals on Prostate Cancers, Bladder Cancers and Stone Diseases. He also spearheaded the development of robotic urological surgery in 2003, and was also the founding CEO of the Sengkang General Hospital.
John Chong
Founder, Bee Amazed Garden
John is an avid beekeeper with the mission to make Singapore bee-friendly. He founded Bee Amazed Garden in 2017 and conducts community and corporate workshops to educate people about bees. He is a fellow of the Singapore University of Social Sciences and has a rooftop apiary at the university. Prior to his pursuit of passion, John served in the Ministry of Education for 37 years as a teacher and Vice-Principal.
Building a strong foundation to achieve your retirement goals
Ong Woei Jiin
Director (Retirement Savings), Central Provident Fund Board
As the Director of the Retirement Savings Department in CPF Board, Woei Jiin leads a vibrant team of officers enabling Singaporeans to build a foundation for retirement through their CPF via the CPF Retirement Planning Service, CPF top-ups, matching grants and home monetisation schemes.
David Ang
CPF volunteer and Managing Director, Bank of Singapore
David Ang has been volunteering with CPF Board since 2021 to share his advanced knowledge on CPF and financial planning. He is currently a Managing Director, managing an Indonesia team of 10 members at Bank of Singapore. David also helps to set up the on-shore Private Banking Unit for OCBCNISP in Indonesia. Having been in the banking industry since 1995, David is well-versed in setting up family office, family trust, banking products such as foreign exchange, managed investment portfolio, equities, and more.
Thomas Chua
Founder, Steady Compounding
Thomas Chua is the founder of SteadyCompounding.com, where he invests and writes about business breakdowns, investment concepts, and timeless lessons from super investors.
Small actions, big impact: discovering purpose through volunteerism
Azlina Ahmad
Founder, SmilesSalamSG
Mother of three children, Azlina started SmilesSalamSG with her husband for the family to do good together. It started in 2018 when they planned their first overseas volunteering trip to expose their children to the harsh living conditions in rural Cambodia. Due to the pandemic, they shifted their focus to food insecurity and started the first pop-up grocery in their own neighbourhood in 2020. The initiative was well received and now has 4 pop-up grocery locations.
Cai Yinzhou
Director, Citizen Adventures
Yinzhou is a social entrepreneur at the intersections of Singapore's demographic challenge. Growing up in Geylang, he witnessed first-hand the challenges faced by the marginalised communities. Those experiences ignited a passion for creating positive change in Singapore through social initiatives and sustainable development. Today he holds 2 jobs - conducting tours around social issues in Geylang and Dakota Crescent and working in the eldercare sector.
Danny Lim
Community Lead (Repair Kopitiam), SL2 Impact Ltd
Danny is an engineer and has run his own business in repairs. Being in a technical position in many companies as well as his own, Danny sees the impact of how repair can bring benefits to individuals and corporations. Now with SL2 Impact, Danny administrates and drives the effort of Repair Kopitiam, a movement founded in 2014 to spread the repair culture to tackle the growing consumerism and the buy-and-throw-away culture.
Self-awareness: the key to effective career planning
Geraldine Chua
Principal Career Coach, Workforce Singapore
Geraldine is a Certified Career Practitioner and Career Development Facilitator under Workforce Singapore (WSG) Career Development Framework, and a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach. Equipped with 14 years of career coaching experience and 8 years of Social Service experience, she has helped more than 3,000 jobseekers from diverse backgrounds. She also mentors a team of career coaches under her care.
Staying the course: building resilience in times of inflation
Vasu Menon
Managing Director, Investment Strategy, Wealth Management Unit, OCBC Bank
Vasu is the Managing Director, Investment Strategy at OCBC's Wealth Management unit. He has more than three decades of experience. Vasu speaks regularly at seminars and is sought-after by the media for his insights. In 2017, he was conferred the designation "Fellow for Wealth Management" by the IBF - a title conferred upon industry veterans who have demonstrated mastery of a profession and exemplify thought leadership and commitment to industry development.
Roseline Fong
Head of Insurance and Financial Planning (SEA), HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth
Roseline is the Head of Insurance and Financial Planning SEA in HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth. An industry veteran, she was conferred IBF Fellow Award 2022 and is currently an adjunct instructor at WMI. She is also Immediate Past President of FPAS and is on the Exco for more than 7 years now. Roseline holds a MSc from NTU, BSc from NUS and is a qualified TEP, CFP, ChFC and CLU.
Eddy Loh
Chief Investment Officer, Maybank Group Wealth Management
Eddy is the Chief Investment Officer of Maybank Group Wealth Management with over 20 years of experience and is responsible for the bank's investment and asset allocation strategy. He has worked at other financial institutions such as Bank of Singapore, Barclays, DBS and Merrill Lynch. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Ivey School of Business and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
John Lau
Executive Director, Sustainability Lead, Group Personal Financial Services, UOB
John is currently managing the Wealth Management Treasury business for UOB’s Personal Financial Services Division. His portfolio includes product management, solution advisory, sales specialists and treasury dealing. He has more than 19 years of experience spanning across multiple asset classes. He is also the Sustainability Lead for Group Personal Financial Services; supporting the bank’s aspiration to be the leading bank in ASEAN promoting sustainable living, payments and investments for its consumer bank clients.
A holistic approach to health preservation: unveiling the secrets of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Ng Hui Ping
Principal Research Officer, Attending Physician and TCM Geriatric Team Leader, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution
Physician Ng is a registered TCM Practitioner with TCM Practitioners Board, registered pharmacist with Singapore Pharmacy Council, and lectures part-time for the "Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture" course at the Singapore College of TCM (SCTCM). She studied TCM in SCTCM, further studied acupuncture master course at the China Medical University, Taiwan, as well as pharmacy at the National University of Singapore. With more than 15 years of clinical experience, she focuses on TCM acupuncture and moxibustion and TCM geriatric diseases.
Pang Ka Yii
Senior Medical Research Executive and Resident Physician, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution
Physician Pang is a registered TCM Practitioner with TCM Practitioners Board and studied the Double Degree in Biomedical Sciences & Chinese Medicine at the Nanyang Technological University. Her area of focus is on pain management, sub-health and gynaecology conditioning.
Legacy planning for the sandwiched generation
Liang Weirong
Senior Deputy Director (Nominations and Accounts Closure), Central Provident Fund Board
Weirong is a Senior Deputy Director in the Nominations and Accounts Closure Department in CPF Board. He shares a passion to get more CPF members to plan ahead for the well-being of their loved ones when they are no longer around. He was also part of the team that rolled out the successful online nomination service.
Dawn Cher
Founder, SG Budget Babe
Dawn, otherwise known as SG Budget Babe, is Singapore's top female personal finance and lifestyle blogger with over 19 million reads and counting. Her work has been featured by many government statutory boards, as well as in mainstream media including the Straits Times, Channel News Asia, AsiaOne, MoneyFM and more. Dawn writes on personal finance issues that strike home for many Singaporeans, including how to save more money, earn extra income, CPF insurance and investing in the stock market.
Low Seow Ling
Associate Director, Eden Law Corporation
Seow Ling has been an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court since July 2013. She is especially interested in formulating sustainable estate planning solutions for singles, families with special needs members, and elderly individuals. She is also passionate about representing the interests of individuals who do not have family members to rely on to be their proxy decision makers, and working with families that require professional assistance to handle the assets of their loved ones.
Travelling with family without breaking the bank
Hendric Tay
Co-founder and Content Creator, The Travel Intern
Hendric believes that life is too short to need to wait for retirement before travelling more. He hopes to inspire more people to step out of their comfort zones and live more today.
Edelyn Chua
HR Manager and Writer, The Travel Intern
Edelyn, unlike her boss, is looking forward to retirement so she can take her CPF savings and travel the world without time constraints.
Lo-CAL delights: trim the calories for delicious local food
Fiona Chia
Principal Nutritionist, Health Can Be Fun
Fiona's nutrition principles in living in a fast-paced society are about going back to basics with a key focus on cooking. Through fun education, she strives to help everyone achieve a greater quality of health!
In collaboration with
Supporting partners
"Ready for Life" Festival
Terms and Conditions for "Ready for Life" Festival 2023 (PDF, 129 KB)