Companies stepped up preparedness for power and digital disruptions during business-led Total Defence exercises held under Exercise SG Ready 2026.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad visited two business-led Total Defence (TD) Tabletop Exercises (TTX) on 2 February 2026, held as part of Exercise SG Ready 2026. The exercises focused on strengthening business preparedness for prolonged power disruptions and degraded digital connectivity.
The first exercise was held at Mapletree Business City and brought together 78 companies. It was co-organised by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Nexus, Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). The session highlighted how modern businesses are affected by interconnected risks linked to power outages and digital disruptions. Private sector partners played key roles, with Strongkeep facilitating discussions on responses to power and cyber incidents, while RSM Singapore shared lessons from its internal IT Disaster Recovery exercise.
Speaking at the event, Mr Zaqy stressed that readiness must be continuous. He said that resilience is not only a government responsibility, but a Whole-of-Society effort under Total Defence. He added that Exercise SG Ready helps organisations think through possible disruptions, review their business continuity plans, and strengthen resilience against hybrid threats.
Mr Zaqy also highlighted the growing threat of misinformation and its potential impact on trust, social stability and the economy. He emphasised the importance of vigilance, source verification and Psychological Defence, especially for the business and investor community that relies on a stable and secure Singapore.
SBF Chief Executive Mr Kok Ping Soon reaffirmed SBF’s strong support for Exercise SG Ready, noting that it provides businesses with a valuable platform to review and strengthen contingency plans. Beyond the tabletop exercise, SBF also partnered MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces to conduct a phishing exercise for its members, involving more than 100 SMEs and large companies across several sectors.
In the afternoon, Mr Zaqy visited Quantedge Capital, where Quantedge Capital and Amova Asset Management co-organised a sector-focused TTX for the investment management industry. The exercise involved senior leaders from 13 investment management firms with operations in Singapore. Facilitated by RSM Singapore, the session focused on responses to prolonged power outages and digital disruptions, and included a panel discussion with representatives from SGX Group, the Alternative Investment Management Association and Nexus, MINDEF.
Mr Suhaimi Zainul Abidin, CEO of Quantedge Capital, said the exercise was critical in helping investment management firms prepare for complex and evolving risks. Ms Eleanor Seet, President and Head of Asia ex-Japan at Amova Asset Management, highlighted the importance of deep resilience and industry collaboration in today’s highly connected and technology-dependent markets.
Exercise SG Ready 2026 will be held from 1 to 15 February 2026 across Singapore. Co-led by MINDEF and partners including IMDA, EMA, PA and SCDF, the exercise aims to encourage individuals, communities and organisations to plan for disruptions, prepare to respond, and play their part in strengthening Singapore’s Total Defence.
Source: MINDEF
