Enhancing Strategies and Strengthening Governance
The Strategic Planning Office (SPO) advances the collective formulation of corporate priorities, strategies and initiatives in support of MAS’ core objectives.

Over the last year, SPO completed a project to clarify the terms of reference for MAS’ decision-making forums. SPO is presently leading the second phase of the MAS Act Review to enhance corporate governance and allow the organisation to carry out its functions more effectively.

Key events organised by SPO that help shape and support MAS’ priorities and strategies include:

• MAS International Advisory Panel meeting which brought together some of the world’s leading business and financial experts to advise MAS on financial sector strategies.
• Strategic planning exercise for the Management team which developed broad strategic thrusts as well as the business and organisational priorities for MAS for the next five years.
• Annual staff seminar where the Chairman and Managing Director convey the broad business and corporate priorities for the year ahead.

SPO is conducting the second External Perception Survey to measure and track how our stakeholders view our performance and effectiveness as a central bank, regulator and financial sector developer.

SPO rolled out the Database for Innovation and Corporate Excellence in 2004. This organisational development initiative provides a one-stop platform for cross-department sharing of information on organisational excellence, innovation and PS21 initiatives.

Other ongoing organisational development and innovation activities include the Frequent Flying Minds (FFM) staff suggestion scheme, the quarterly i-News bulletin and Innovation Speaker Series, as well as the annual Innovation awards and FFM awards for outstanding staff projects. In the year ahead, SPO will focus on strengthening organisational effectiveness by refining and institutionalising MAS’ Corporate Performance Indicators.