Leaders

Food security and climate change are some of the most critical current issues and pose a great deal of threat to the very existence of humanity. Currently, these issues have severe impact on food & water scarcity, the global economy as well as inflation.

Being someone who has always been passionate about humanity and wants to make the lives of others better, Pek Yun Ning decided to direct her efforts to the sustainability industry for the benefit of mankind as well as make best use of her time as an entrepreneur­ leading to the establishment of SGP Foods. The firm develops proprietary technology and processes to solve the most pressing problems in food and climate through indoor and outdoor agriculture, carbon credits generation, monitoring and reporting, and various inventive capabilities. Through SGP Foods, Pek aims to help Singapore meet her food and climate goals through sustainability solutions, with technology, science, and innovation forming its core. In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Pek shares her early education and professional experience, the underlying idea behind starting SGP Foods, and much more.

Shed some light on your early educational journey and the prior industry experience that you bring to the table.

I was in the integrated programme during my high school days. I have done both my Master's in Technology Entrepreneurship as well as my BEng in Systems Engineering at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. I have also done my International Diploma in Entrepreneurship at the University of California, Berkeley. I completed my Summer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Previously, I was at an asset management firm where I rotated through various departments, which gave me exposure to both the business as well as technological aspects. I learnt a lot about client requirements and being accountable to clients from the business point of view whereas, from the technology side, I gained rich experience in Data Science, Data Engineering, Automation, and Coding.

What motivated you to establish SGP Foods? Tell us about the underlying idea behind creating the company.

SGP Foods is a resource efficiency technology company that develops proprietary technology as well as processes to solve the most pressing problems in the food and climate sectors. We take a highly innovative and scientific approach towards the development of our technology and processes. Some of our primary focuses include indoor and outdoor agriculture, the carbon credits market, as well as our patented technologies.

I've always been passionate about developing solutions that would benefit humanity. Food security as well as climate change are some of the most pressing problems humanity is facing right now. After discovering my interest in becoming an entrepreneur, I felt that the sustainability industry would be the most impactful to mankind, as well as the best use of my time as an entrepreneur. Being someone who has always been passionate about humanity, I wanted to make the lives of others better, which led me to build a business in the sustainability industry.

Tell us about the key responsibilities that you shoulder as the Founder & CEO of SGP Foods. What are some important features about your expertise as an entrepreneur that you want us to highlight through the article?

As Founder & CEO  of the company, I look after the overall operation as well as a gamut of different aspects. Apart from that, I prepare the vision for the firm, while providing guidance, leadership, as well as strategic directions. I also try to stay abreast of the latest trends and evolutions in the industry to help the firm always stand out as compared to its peers. I look at attracting good talents to join our firm and be a part of our journey as well. Coming to my expertise as a business leader, I am adept at rallying people towards a common cause. I like to help people see new ways of looking at things, and also believe in accelerated learning as well as learning through hands-on experience. I have been blessed to have the bandwidth and time to explore the things that I like during my academic years. I have always been curious about the way things function and enjoy the process of trying new things and making discoveries. While growing up, I was into a lot of competitive sports which instilled the values of teamwork in me and taught me several important attributes such as discipline and focus, which are very much applicable and important in the business world as well. Even having a better understanding of my strengths as well as a better analysis of the market brings out the best in me, enabling me to best function as a leader and an individual.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a business leader?

A major milestone has been starting my entrepreneurial venture. I am blessed to have a wonderful co-founder as well as a strong team. Even I consider my educational journey, where I got to go to MIT as well as the University of California, some of the best universities, a milestone. I spent a significant amount of time in Silicon Valley and then some in Massachusetts. Even in the past few years, I got a chance to spend several months in Britain as well as China and have made several international friends. Another milestone has been building a good stream of revenue for the firm that makes the firm profitable while providing support to the operations as well as further business expansions of the firm.

As for the driving force behind my success, I am thankful to have the right people and role models around me; they inspire and motivate me every day. Having a greater sense of purpose motivates me and drives me in what I do daily as well.

How do you foresee the advancements in data science and data visualization impacting the way businesses make important decisions going forward? What would be your advice  to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

I believe that it is always better to have an evidence based mindset and make data-driven decisions so that every decision is well-substantiated and thought through from multiple angles. This would help us understand people's sentiments, suggestions, and feedback in a more accurate manner, and as a result make more efficient and effective decisions.

Here's my advice to young women and budding entrepreneurs: be courageous, have a clear vision, and believe in yourself. It's important to have supportive people around you too. If you are a business leader or an entrepreneur - while everyone will give you advice, ultimately, it will be you who has to make the final decision. So it is important to have self-confidence and self-belief. There will always be naysayers along the way; you need to have a strong belief and consistently work towards the goal. Finally, you will see light at the end of the tunnel.

“There will always be naysayers along the way; you need to have a strong belief and consistently work towards the goal”

Pek Yun Ning, Founder & CEO,  SGP Foods

Pek is the award-winning founder of SGP Foods, a Singapore-based resource efficiency technology company which focuses on indoor and outdoor agriculture, carbon credits as well as patented technologies to grow sustainability. A passionate believer in humanity, she advocates the usage of technology to empower fellow humankind. A seasoned professional in Data Science, Data Engineering, and Automation, Pek has done her Master's in Technology Entrepreneurship as well as BEng in Systems Engineering at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and her International Diploma in Entrepreneurship at the University of California, Berkeley.

Awards & Recognitions:

.The Singapore SME 500 Award                      

.The Singapore Prestige Class Award    

.Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs Award    

.Money 2.0 - Outstanding Leadership Award    

.Food 2.0 - Best Companies Award