From Global Tech Adventures to Homegrown Leadership
With a career spanning over thirty years, Howie Lau has redefined what it means to lead in a world where technology never stands still. His career began with IBM in 1993 and has since taken him across the world, spanning leadership roles at Lenovo, StarHub, IMDA, and now, NCS. Along the way, he has experienced the full spectrum of the tech industry, from hardware and software to telecommunications and regulatory work.
“After American steaks and Chinese dumplings, I’m back to chicken rice,” he laughs, reflecting on his global journey. Today, he is helping grow and transform NCS, Asia’s homegrown technology services leader with more than 13,000 professionals across more than 20 cities.
Why Data is the Bedrock of Transformation
For Howie, technology has always been exhilarating; shaping the way industries, governments, and people live and work. But at the heart of all transformation lies one constant: data.
“Data has always been a key foundation of digital transformation, from the mainframes of yesterday to the AI-driven future of today,” he shares. At NCS, data plays a central role in projects ranging from digital transformation to cyber resilience. As AI adoption accelerates, data has become the bedrock and foundation of AI implementations and digital resilience.
The Next Frontier: AI That Learns, Adapts, and Evolves
Looking ahead, Howie sees enormous opportunity and complexity. With the rapid rise of generative AI, agentic AI, and soon physical AI, the next 5 to 10 years will demand a new kind of professional.
“Building strong capabilities in data and AI is almost a necessary skill for anyone entering the technology sector,” he notes. But he also warns that success will require more than technical brilliance. Ethics, transparency, user experience, and even legal frameworks will become inseparable from analytics and AI.
To thrive, Howie stresses, professionals must cultivate agility and curiosity. “Learning must become second nature, like brushing your teeth. That’s how we stay ahead in a space that will never stop evolving.”
Leading by Example in the AI Era
At NCS, leadership in the age of AI means more than setting vision; it means being hands-on in the trenches. Over the last two years, the company has trained more than 10,000 of its people in AI and data, combining certifications with hands-on project experiences.
“You can’t just watch a video of a gym session and expect to be fit. The same goes for analytics,” Howie explains. “Leaders cast long shadows, so we must lead by example: learning, applying, and investing ahead of the curve to prepare our people for transformation.”
Why NUS MSBA Stands Out
As both an industry leader and an alumnus of NUS Business School, Howie has a unique perspective on the strengths of the NUS Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programme.
“What makes the NUS MSBA unique is its interdisciplinary strength, combining deep technical expertise from NUS Computing with business acumen from NUS Business School. That balance is rare,” he says.
He also highlights the programme’s experiential learning through the Capstone Module, where students tackle real-world business challenges with industry partners like NCS. “The combination of academic excellence and industry engagement is powerful. It prepares students not just to understand analytics, but to apply it meaningfully in organisations.”
Building Future-Ready Analytics Leaders
Howie’s advice for aspiring data professionals is clear: technical skills are critical, but they are not enough.
“Organisations are looking for people who can solve business problems, work with others, and create value. Communication, creativity, adaptability; these are as important as Python or SQL,” he emphasises.
For those considering the NUS MSBA, he adds a personal note of encouragement: “Prepare for the programme’s rigour by solidifying your foundations in maths and programming, but also come ready to collaborate, to experiment, and to grow your network. And most importantly, enjoy the journey. The possibilities with AI and data are amazing. Use the programme as a penalty-free zone to flex your creativity, and emerge ready to make a difference.”
A Shared Mission: Shaping the Future with Data and AI
At its core, the partnership NUS MSBA and its industry partners like NCS is about more than knowledge sharing. It is about shaping a future where data and AI applied with intelligence and humanity – building resilient organisations, empowered professionals, and meaningful impact.
As Howie puts it, “Wielding the sword of data and AI well will require both technological prowess and the creative and humanistic side. It’s not easy, but the possibilities are endless.”
© National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved.
