APS launches Singapore chapter to kick off ambitious global expansion programme
25th March 2018 | Journal Of Sales Transformation
Panel discussion: Engage. Empower. Elevate.
The Association of Professional Sales (APS) launched its first overseas chapter on 1 March as part of expansion plans in Asia. Held at the Central Public Library in Singapore, the theme of the event was “Redefining the Sales Profession – Engage. Empower. Elevate”.
The packed programme was opened by Venkat Subramanyan, Board Member and Director, Sales Effectiveness and Execution Excellence, Tripura Multinational. He explored “Redefining the Sales Profession – Why Now?” Martin Mackay, President and GM Asia Pacific and Japan, CA Technologies, followed with a discussion of “Sales as a Profession”, while Dr Philip Squire, APS Trustee & CEO, Consalia, explained why he supported the association with his presentation “APS – the chartered body for sales”.
Continuing the “Engage. Empower. Elevate” theme, a panel session saw Neelam Dhawan, Supervisory Board Member, Philips and Former VP, Global Industries, Strategic Alliances and Inside Sales, APJ, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, join Mackay and Dr Squire discussing three key questions:
- In your own experience, how is the sales function viewed in organisations today, and in particular how are selling skills developed in the team?
- Why have you chosen to support the APS and how do you think it will change things?
- How do you recommend the audience starts to engage with the APS to improve the sales function?
Over 50 delegates attended this first event for the Singapore chapter and included representatives from Gartner, KPMG, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Philips, SAP, and Juniper Networks.
A spokesperson for the APS told the Journal: “We are already attracting great interest from organisations in Asia and, in short order, the APS will be opening in India, Cambodia, Australia and New Zealand. We are also examining our growth options in Africa, Europe, and America.