Michelle Chern Speaks at UWA Alumni Singapore 2026 on Ethics, AI, and the Future of Work

Nextvestment Head of Growth Michelle Chern took the stage at the University of Western Australia Alumni Singapore 2026 event on 6 May at the Westin Singapore.

The panel was moderated by Professor Mayowa Babalola, Stan Perron Chair in Business Ethics at the UWA Business School. Joining Michelle on stage were Linda Chow, Co-Founder of DB Insights, and Adjunct Professor Richard Hassell, Founding Director and Architect at WOHA.

The conversation covered the complexity of modern working life. Ethics, work-life balance, and the rapid rise of AI are no longer separate conversations for leaders to manage in sequence. Increasingly, they arrive together.

On team culture, hybrid work, and what AI actually changes
When asked how leaders build team culture in a world of hybrid work and AI, Michelle’s answer was grounded in practice rather than theory.

AI, she noted, has materially changed how much gets done. Work that once took days now takes hours. That time saved is not just a productivity gain. It frees people up for the things that actually build relationships.

Hybrid working remains important for that reason. Time with family matters. Work-life balance is not a soft benefit. But presence still has a role. Two or three days in the office each week creates the conditions for the spontaneous moments that structure cannot manufacture. An impromptu lunch. A conversation that would never happen on a call. Those moments compound into culture over time.

The harder truth, Michelle observed, is that no structure guarantees culture. At the end of the day, it comes down to the people. If the team is not naturally sociable, organising gatherings will not create belonging on its own. Culture is not a programme. It is what happens between people who actually want to be around each other.

The institutions that will hold ground are the ones where AI handles the volume while the people behind it remain accountable for the judgement. The technology does not replace that. It creates more room for it.

Over 100 UWA alumni from across Singapore’s business and professional community attended. The depth of the conversation reflected the experience in the room.

Thank you to the University of Western Australia Alumni team for the invitation and for creating the space for this discussion.

If your organisation is thinking through how AI, people, and accountability intersect inside financial services, we would be glad to continue the conversation.

Invite Michelle to speak at your event
Michelle speaks at business and financial services events on AI in wealth management, women in leadership, and the future of professional work. If you would like to invite her to speak or join a panel, please reach out to her directly at michelle@nextvestment.com.