In a comprehensive discussion with CNA, Ms. Tan added that if they wanted to take advantage of the uncertainty in the short run, they could do so by hedging interest rates or currencies.  ,
She advised businesses to diversify their supply chains, have other payment options, and have a mix of currencies to reduce risk.  ,
She continued,” Investing in generative artificial intelligence ( GenAI ) helps with productivity, efficiency, and staying relevant in a rapidly digitizing world.”
CHINA HAS CHANGED TO A MORE RESILIENT SYSTEM.
Ms. Tan said Beijing appears to be well-positioned to weather the storm, despite the fact that China has been the hardest hit by Washington by having 145 percent tariffs on Taiwanese products entering the US.  ,
China has learned to “insulate itself” since US President Donald Trump’s second term in office, adding that the nation has “rebelated itself” despite this being a bit of a blow to consumer trust.  ,
She noted that there has been a deliberate effort to make China self-sufficient in terms of power, silicon chips, systems, and food.  ,
Ms. Tan added that she anticipates China to keep funding cutting-edge systems, including robots, drones, biotechnology, and GenAI.
The China development prospects are still there in the long run. You can see the emphasis being put on, and I believe its capacity for self-sufficiency will increase. she stated.
She noted that the second-largest market of the world is now heavily investing in renewable energy-related sectors like batteries and electric cars.  ,
She remarked that China will continue to invest in the economy of Southeast Asia while highlighting the need for both sides to invest heavily in alternative energy.
DBS Q1 Income
Ms. Tan even mentioned the company’s first-quarter findings, which were made public a few hours before the meeting.  ,
DBS ‘ net profit for the first quarter of 2025 decreased by 2 percent on-year to S$ 2.9 billion ( US$ 2.24 billion ), primarily as a result of higher tax expenses. The company’s first profits decline in more than three decades, but it exceeded expectations.
It was Ms. Tan’s first earnings report since she succeeded Piyush Gupta last month as the company’s head.
In addition to rising net interest and payment earnings, the company’s wealth management business experienced strong growth.
We had a strong first quarter, according to Ms. Tan, adding that the bank recorded history fees for money management, loans, and government sales, which equaled a document net profit before tax of S$ 3.44 billion.
She stated that the bank will continue to be flexible and wisely manage risks as uncertainty persists.
She added that, based on lower interest charges, team net interest income is likely to decline this year to levels just slightly below those in 2024.
” With the exception of any significant tariff-induced mishaps,” she said the next quarter appears to be largely firm.  ,
There will be some temporary volatility, she continued, adding that we must remain resilient and ready for the various risks or stressors that may strike us in the coming two or three quarters.  ,
AI USAGE IN DBS
Ms. Tan also discussed how the bank has embraced AI and technology to increase productivity and increase productivity.
She claimed that bank workers have been using DBS-GPT, an inner GenAI tool that automates regular tasks.  ,
People may be guided to publish, synthesize, and summarize important customer information, allowing them to concentrate on more challenging and strategic tasks.
You type of lower the risk because there is always a human in the loop, Ms. Tan said.
” Generative AI is very helpful for assisting with lower-level transactions. Many of the repetitive tasks and labor may be done by the employees. That implies that our employees are more likely to perform better work and perform higher levels of work.
In response to a question about job protection in light of the bank’s plans to reduce 4, 000 jobs over the next three years as AI extremely occupies more roles, Ms. Tan stated that the majority of redundancy will result from natural attrition.  ,
She added that the lender, which employs about 49, 000 people overall, employs about 9, 000 temporary employees and contractors, and has a attrition rate of about 10 % among its permanent employees.