APO forges strategic initiatives and global partnerships to drive productivity

The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) reaffirmed its commitment to addressing pressing productivity challenges with the announcement of several strategic initiatives and partnerships. These efforts leverage global expertise and collaborative efforts to improve productivity and drive sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

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OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann (L) and APO Secretary General Dr. Indra (R) (Photo: Business Wire)

In a recent landmark collaboration, the APO has joined forces with the prestigious Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) to launch an intensive, tailor-made executive leadership program for National Productivity Organizations (NPOs). This program was held at INSEAD’s European Campus in Fontainebleau, France from April 29 to May 3, 2024 and was attended by 12 executive officers leading respective NPOs led by eight global thought leaders and practitioners. Notable figures included Alexandra Roulet, former advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron, and Phillipe Aghion, founder of the New Growth Theory, who addressed emerging productivity challenges and strategic methods for solving them, with an emphasis on prosperity through technological innovation.

The inaugural remarks of APO Secretary General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata at the launch of the program underscored the critical need for the Asia-Pacific region to address productivity challenges with resilience and innovation. The leadership framework adopts a business-oriented perspective to formulate initiatives for sustainable productivity and inclusive growth. The participating NPO leaders will finalize their proposals for productivity initiatives within three months under the guidance and facilitation of Professor Philip Parker from INSEAD.

On May 1, a strategic meeting took place in Paris between APO Secretary General Dr. Indra and Secretary General Mathias Cormann of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The discussion was also attended by other OECD officials such as Andreas Schaal, Director of the Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate; Paul Schreyer, Director of the Statistics and Data Directorate; and Thomas Schnöll, Deputy Chief of Staff, focused on deeper cooperation in the areas of productivity improvement, sustainability and innovation. This marked an important step in the renewal of cooperation between the APO and the OECD, in particular in pursuing joint projects in the field of productivity measurement and statistics.

Building on its membership of the OECD Global Forum on Productivity (GFP) since 2020, the APO on May 2 strengthened its commitment with GFP management, aimed at increasing the capacity of APO members in productivity analysis and policy formulation. Both parties confirmed their commitment to use the CFP as a platform for policy exchange and research collaboration.

The series of high-level talks culminated on May 3 in a productive discussion between Secretary General Dr. Indra and General Rapporteur of the French National Council for Productivity, Alain Durre. They explored opportunities for collaboration, including strengthening policy advisory projects and facilitating productivity research exchanges.

These strategic initiatives and partnerships underscore the APO’s commitment to equipping its members with the tools and expertise to address complex productivity challenges and drive sustainable development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

About the APO

The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) is a regional intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region through mutual cooperation. It is non-political, non-profit and non-discriminatory. Established in 1961 with eight founding members, the APO currently includes 21 member economies: Bangladesh; Cambodia; the ROC; Fiji; Hong-Kong; India; Indonesia; IR Iran; Japan; the skirt; Lao PDR; Malaysia; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; the Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Turkey; and Vietnam.

The APO shapes the future of the region by promoting the socio-economic development of its members through national policy advisory services, as a think tank, institutional capacity building initiatives and knowledge sharing to increase productivity.

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