In its early days of economic development, Singapore was in dire need of professional leadership and managerial know-how. In 1964, Dr Richard Eu Keng Mun was invited by the Economic Development Board (EDB) to spin off and grow its management training unit through the formation of a dedicated management institute. Against this backdrop, the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) started operations with the social mission of advancing management excellence and developing manpower in support of Singapore’s growth. Since then, SIM has grown in tandem with Singapore, responding and innovating to meet manpower needs at different phases of its development.
SIM began life on November 28, 1964 as a not-for-profit membership institution with the mission of developing Singapore’s managerial and manpower pool.
At its inception, SIM’s objectives were to:
Prepare first-class managers through courses and conferences
Conduct research into the composition and special needs of management in Singapore
Disseminate material on latest management techniques and systems
Provide a meeting centre to foster the advancement of the “art and science of management”
(Bill Lim Chew Swee, first executive director)