Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling announced the launch of the Centre for Enterprise Financing Advisory (CEFA), aimed at helping Singapore businesses strengthen financial readiness and explore wider financing options for long-term growth.
The Singapore Government has launched the Centre for Enterprise Financing Advisory (CEFA) to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving their financing capabilities and expanding business opportunities.
Speaking at the official launch event, Ms Low Yen Ling highlighted the important role SMEs play in Singapore’s economy. She said SMEs are key drivers of economic growth and job creation, and the Government remains committed to helping businesses grow, transform, and internationalise.
The event brought together business owners, financial institutions, consultancy firms, and enterprise partners from across Singapore’s business ecosystem.
Ms Low noted that businesses today face increasing challenges due to uncertain global economic conditions, changing trade dynamics, rising costs, market volatility, and geopolitical tensions. She said the Government’s strategy is focused on helping enterprises build strong capabilities to overcome short-term difficulties and remain competitive in the long run.
CEFA was established by the Singapore Business Federation in partnership with Enterprise Singapore. The new centre aims to help businesses strengthen financial readiness, understand financing options, and connect with industry partners.
According to Ms Low, financial readiness includes maintaining strong financial fundamentals, good governance, proper cash flow management, and clear financial reporting. Through CEFA’s advisory services, businesses can assess their financial health, identify gaps, and improve their ability to secure financing on better terms.
The centre will also guide businesses on different financing pathways beyond traditional bank loans. These include asset-based lending, receivables financing, private equity, private credit, and capital market instruments.
Ms Low shared the example of HMI Medical, which expanded from a 300-bed hospital project in Malaysia during the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis into a regional healthcare platform serving nearly four million patients annually. She said the company’s growth was supported by disciplined financing and partnerships with private equity and private credit investors.
CEFA is also working closely with the Association of Banks in Singapore and eight financial institutions including DBS, OCBC, UOB, HSBC, Standard Chartered, CIMB, Maybank, and RHB.
In addition, CEFA is partnering professional and training organisations such as RSM Singapore and ISCA Academy to provide financial capability programmes for enterprises.
New training courses on cash flow management and AI-powered financial forecasting are expected to begin in the second half of 2026.
Ms Low encouraged enterprises to engage CEFA early as part of their long-term growth and transformation plans rather than only seeking help when urgent funding is required.
She expressed confidence that CEFA would strengthen Singapore’s enterprise ecosystem and help businesses finance their future with confidence.
Source: MTI
