Carol Tan-Fujita

Carol is a strategist and innovation driver with a proven track record in operational and strategic R&D activities at both organisational and governmental levels.

Carol has close to 10 years of experience in public sector organisations in Singapore that focus on research and development (R&D) and driving economic outcomes. In her previous role at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore’s lead government agency for mission-oriented R&D, she led a team responsible for key operational and strategic activities related to organisation- and national-level biomedical initiatives. This included conceptualising and designing a national-level R&D initiative on RNA Therapeutics and Manufacturing that secured close to S$100mil in-principle funding from the government, working with the executive directors of two research institutes to ensure that they are driving translational and commercialisation outcomes, working with researchers to scope scientific proposals to develop industry-ready capabilities, and running a national R&D grant scheme as a programme director. She was also one of the lead secretariats for Singapore's National Biotech Workgroup looking at issues and strategies to grow the biotech ecosystem in Singapore.

Carol was at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry where she worked with various public sector organisations to lead the strategic planning, coordination and operationalisation of the national R&D planning for the Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity Domain. She was also with the Biomedical Sciences Industry Partnership Office, during which she facilitated the engagements of Pharma companies with researchers/clinician-scientists across Singapore to foster industry collaborations, particularly in the areas of immunology and oncology.

Carol is passionate about driving innovation and fostering partnership for health, societal and economic outcomes.