Press Release
04 July 2023
Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, conferred the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award on Sir James Dyson during a ceremony held at the Istana earlier today.
Mr Png Cheong Boon, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, said, “Sir James Dyson has made remarkable contributions to Singapore’s economy. Under his leadership, Dyson set up its global headquarters and lead manufacturing site here, strengthening Singapore’s competitiveness as a hub for innovation, advanced manufacturing and supply chain. Dyson’s investments have created exciting job opportunities for Singaporeans in fields such as robotics, research and development, and product design. Sir James has also contributed generously to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Singapore, empowering bright young minds to gain vital skills in problem solving, so they can be the design engineers and inventors of the future. I congratulate Sir James on his award, and we look forward to deepening our partnership with Sir James and Dyson for many years to come.”
Sir James Dyson
Sir James is the Founder and Chairman of Dyson. Under his leadership, Dyson’s presence in Singapore has grown from 10 employees in 2007, to over 1,400 staff across its global headquarters, R&D and advanced manufacturing functions.
Sir James was instrumental in Dyson’s decision to set up its global headquarters in Singapore. Today, Dyson’s leadership team is based here, along with global functions such as supply chain, manufacturing, finance, IT and direct retail. Situated at St James Power Station, the Singapore headquarters sits at the heart of Dyson’s global business, powering the development of new Dyson products and technologies.
Singapore also serves as a key hub for Dyson’s innovation and advanced manufacturing activities. Its Singapore R&D teams have contributed to the development of cutting-edge products such as the Dyson Airstrait™ straightener and Dyson 360 Vis Nav™ robot vacuum that are equipped with technology to work more intelligently and effectively. Singapore is also the lead manufacturing site for Dyson Hyperdymium motors, which are its patented digital motors that power most Dyson devices.
With the strong support of Sir James, Dyson continues to grow its Singapore presence. In 2022, Dyson shared plans to expand its Singapore R&D team by more than 250 engineers and scientists, to develop new capabilities in areas such as software, electronics, robotics, AI, machine learning and connectivity. Earlier this year, Dyson also announced plans for a next-generation battery manufacturing facility in Singapore, which will be the company’s most significant advanced manufacturing investment to date.
As a passionate and firm believer in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, Sir James has been investing in the development of young Singaporeans in these fields. In 2022, the James Dyson Foundation announced plans to invest S$3 million to support new STEM programmes in Singapore that will benefit over 100,000 students from primary to tertiary levels.
On being conferred the Award, Sir James said: “Singapore values engineers and technology-focused companies that are investing in the future, its ambitious spirit resonates deeply with Dyson. We are honoured to receive this prestigious award today, it is a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of the Dyson team in Singapore and the unwavering support we have received from the Singapore Government - particularly the EDB. I’m excited to see this partnership reach new levels, as we deepen our advanced manufacturing footprint in Singapore and bring our new battery technology to market.”
About the Award
Initiated by EDB in 1998, the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) recognises senior executives for their outstanding contributions to the economic growth of Singapore. 47 EDB-nominated senior business executives have been conferred the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) between 1998 to 2022.
