Meet Joyce Kua, Senior Assistant Director at the Industry Division, MCI

MCI’s Industry Division (IND) works to bolster Singapore’s digital economy and establish Singapore as a global node for digital innovation. Joyce and her team partner other agencies and stakeholders to unlock the benefits of digitalisation for companies, both big and small.

Photo by Kenji Soon, Senior Official Photographer, Ministry of Communications and Information
If you would like to play a pivotal role in helping Singapore and Singaporeans seize opportunities in the digital age, read on to find out what it is like to be part of the IND team.
We spoke with Joyce from IND to find out about her #LifeatMCI.
Hi Joyce! Tell us about your work at IND.
Our work at IND is extremely wide-ranging: from helping businesses go digital to promoting research and development in up-and-coming digital technologies to strengthening the pipeline for tech talent.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we have extended funding support through the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to help over 63,000 SMEs go digital (as of March 2021).
In the longer term, we are looking to grow Singapore’s capabilities in technology areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), communications & connectivity, trust technologies (TrustTech) and cybersecurity, just to name a few. Today, we are already seeing how 5G technology can transform sectors. This is an exciting time and will bring many opportunities.
Lastly, growing a strong tech talent pipeline is important if we want to realise our digital ambitions as a nation.
What is a typical workday like?
It is hard to describe a typical day as the work at IND is so varied. But most days involve working closely with internal and external stakeholders to chart the roadmaps for digital innovation and industry transformation.
We also spend a great amount of time talking to tech companies, so that we have a good pulse of what companies are thinking about. For example, exchanging ideas on AI and machine learning technologies, as well as the ethics surrounding the use of such technologies.

Photo by Kenji Soon, Senior Official Photographer, Ministry of Communications and Information
Are there any misconceptions that people might have about the work that your team does?
People tend to associate MCI with Government communications. That continues to be a big part for sure, but our mandate has grown over the years: we now think about how we can grow a dynamic and inclusive digital future for Singapore. And while IND’s focus is on industry development, it is increasingly hard to delink economic considerations from geopolitical, security and social considerations. So, we do spend quite a bit of time navigating issues at the nexus of these considerations and assessing the trade-offs that we may need to make.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?
There is so much to enjoy about my work! Given the multi-faceted nature of the issues we deal with, we get to participate in extremely rich and thought-provoking discussions with a wide range of stakeholders from both the Public and Private sectors.
Looking at the past five to ten years, we have seen tremendous developments in the technology space. For example, the rise of social media and business-to-consumer (B2C) products in the e-commerce and ride hailing space has transformed the way we consume, interact, and play. Imagine what the years ahead will bring as we experiment with new technologies such as AI and 5G, and the digital opportunities that we can uncover for Singapore and Singaporeans.

Photo by Kenji Soon, Senior Official Photographer, Ministry of Communications and Information
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I’ve always loved dining out and discovering new F&B joints. While it’s been a challenging time for the F&B sector, it’s been heartening to see ground-up movements aimed at helping hawker stalls and eateries.
I’ve also developed a newfound appreciation for the outdoors, discovering park connector networks and various hiking trails, such as the Green Corridor.
Photo of Joyce at the Clementi Forest
What advice would you give someone who is applying for a role in your department?
An avid interest in current affairs across different domains is important, especially given the rapid pace of developments that continue to shape Singapore’s digital future.
You also need to be able to embrace ambiguity and be proactive in wanting to drive outcomes. As we experiment with new technologies, it’s hard to predict how things will turn out, so being okay with taking chances and accepting that there are no right or wrong decisions is important.
Lastly, what is one interesting fact about MCI that people might not know about?
Everyone asks about the building we work in as it is so iconic. You’ll always hear “You know the building opposite Clarke Quay with the colourful windows?” Well, a fun fact is that the Old Hill Street Police Station has 927 windows, all painted in rainbow colours as part of the building’s restoration works in 1997. I guess you could say we were “Instagram-ready” even before Instagram existed!
If what you read interests you, join MCI to help Singapore and Singaporeans seize opportunities in the digital age!