Customer-centricity in digital transformation is foundational to success – Deloitte’s Cheong Chew Wai

He emphasised innovation, agility, customer-centricity, and security as key drivers of digital transformation and business success.

As industries rapidly evolve, businesses face the challenge of integrating advanced technologies whilst staying competitive and resilient. They must prioritise customer-centric strategies and collaboration to drive meaningful digital transformation.

Offering valuable insights is Cheong Chew Wai, Technology & Transformation Partner at Deloitte Southeast Asia, who has 20 years of expertise in business and technology consulting. He specialises in business, operations, and digital transformation, with a focus on the Government and Public Services sector.

As a versatile senior leader, he has led large-scale digital transformation programmes and has helped numerous clients in their digital transformation journeys. His work includes collaborating with government agencies to modernise service delivery and streamline operations, with the aim of improving citizen engagement, enhancing social care integration, and making an impact on the community.

As a judge at the SBR Technological Excellence Awards 2025, Chew Wai emphasises that excellence in digital transformation is driven by customer-centricity, innovation, agility, and a resilient, secure foundation for sustainable growth and long-term success.

In your view, what are the key factors that drive technological excellence in today’s business environment, and how can companies distinguish themselves?

Technological excellence in today’s fast-evolving business landscape is driven by many factors, but there are three critical factors in my opinion.

Firstly, fostering a culture of innovation enables companies to develop new solutions, improve products and processes, and address current business challenges whilst positioning themselves for future success. Innovation drives differentiation and helps businesses remain competitive.

Secondly, agility and adaptability are essential in navigating market shifts and technological advancements. Organisations that embrace flexibility can respond effectively to challenges, capitalise on emerging opportunities, and maintain resilience in a dynamic environment.

Lastly, leveraging data insights empowers businesses to make informed, precise decisions. By understanding customer behaviour, optimising operations, and identifying growth opportunities, companies can enhance efficiency and deliver superior customer experiences.

Excelling in these areas enables companies to not only achieve technological excellence but also distinguish themselves in a competitive marketplace, ensuring sustainable growth and long-term success.

In what ways should companies approach challenges posed by adopting advanced technologies?

Adopting a people-centric, structured, and iterative approach is essential for successfully integrating advanced technologies into business operations. Before implementation, it is important to ensure that the technology adopted is fit for purpose and aligned with business goals. A phased and agile implementation approach allows for testing, learning, and refining before scaling up, thus minimising risks and ensuring smoother transitions.

It is equally important to establish effective change management to foster adoption and acceptance across the organisation, coupled with upskilling teams to equip employees with the necessary expertise to leverage new technologies effectively.

How important is integrating customer-centricity in the digital transformation process of businesses?

Integrating customer-centricity in digital transformation is not just important—it is foundational to success. By ensuring that digital initiatives are aligned with customer needs, preferences, and behaviours, businesses can create experiences that truly resonate with their target audience. Placing the customer at the core of decision-making ensures that every technological advancement or process improvement is purpose-driven.

In addition, this approach fosters deeper customer loyalty, enhances user satisfaction, and strengthens trust, as customers feel understood and valued. By addressing real customer pain points and delivering tailored solutions, businesses can then maximise the return on their digital transformation investments, ultimately gaining a competitive edge. Hence, a customer-centric transformation not only generates more business value but also positions organisations as leaders in delivering impactful and meaningful innovation.

What are the best practices you would recommend for businesses to ensure robust security whilst embracing digital innovation?

To ensure robust security whilst embracing digital innovation, businesses should adopt a proactive and multi-layered approach. Implementing strong cybersecurity frameworks, such as zero-trust architecture, is essential to minimise risks. This involves verifying every access request, encrypting sensitive data, and ensuring secure communication channels. Regularly updating software and systems to address vulnerabilities, coupled with continuous monitoring and threat detection, further fortifies defences against evolving cyber threats.

A key best practice is adopting a security-by-design approach, where robust security measures are integrated into every stage of the digital innovation process. From the initial phase of conceptualisation to product development and deployment, security should be prioritised and integrated into the design, architecture, and implementation processes. By addressing potential security issues early, businesses can minimise vulnerabilities, reduce risk exposure, and ensure that security is an integral part of their digital transformation journey.

How can companies in Singapore foster stronger partnerships with different businesses to drive innovation?

Building trust and aligning strategic goals are critical to successful partnerships that drive innovation. Companies should work towards a shared vision for how a partnership can evolve over time, and prioritise open, transparent communication to ensure both parties are aligned on expectations, objectives, and outcomes. This clarity creates a strong foundation for collaboration and allows for a more seamless working relationship.

Companies should also leverage government initiatives and collaborative programmes that support innovation. Engaging in open innovation platforms and joint ventures allows businesses to harness diverse expertise to unlock new solutions and technologies.

What are the key criteria and expectations you have for this year’s nomination entries, and how do you believe these criteria reflect the evolving trends and innovations in the technology industry?

I look forward to seeing innovative, sustainable, and customer-centric digital solutions that bring substantial value to businesses whilst making a positive impact on Singapore, its people, and the communities in which we live.

These criteria are essential for staying competitive in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment and for maintaining a leading edge amidst a rapidly evolving technological landscape.