Singapore Institute of International Affairs

What Singapore Institute of International Affairs does

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) is an independent, non-profit policy think tank founded in 1962 and headquartered in Singapore, focused on the research, analysis, and discussion of regional and international affairs. Its remit centers on ASEAN geopolitics, sustainability, digital economy issues, and the broader Asia-Pacific, with secondary coverage extending to China, the United States, the EU, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and — increasingly — Africa. SIIA is governed by a Chairman (Simon Tay) and Council Members, with an Executive Director (Nicholas Fang), Assistant Director (Aaron Choo), Senior Research Fellow (Parag Khanna), and a broader staff of 11–50 personnel based at its Orchard Road office in the International Involvement Hub.

The institute operates a platform-plus-services model. Core products include (i) recurring publications — Special Reports, Conference Highlights, Insights, Commentaries, and the annual Haze Outlook report; (ii) flagship events — the ASEAN & Asia Forum (18th edition), Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (13th edition), Singapore Green Dialogue, and the Emerging Leaders Network; (iii) premium member-only resources — Chairman's Notes, Situation Briefings, News Scans, and Country Updates; (iv) webinars and recorded expert discussions; and (v) advisory services on ASEAN, sustainability, and digital economy topics. Strategic partnerships with the ASEAN-ISIS network, World Resources Institute Indonesia, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and the Middle East Institute anchor its research and convening activities.

SIIA's revenue model is built on tiered corporate and individual membership subscriptions (annual billing), event registration and sponsorship, advisory engagements, and one-time publication sales, supplemented by donations. Its go-to-market is sales-led and network-driven, leveraging direct outreach to corporations, government entities, and individual professionals with interests in international affairs. Marketing channels span flagship events, content marketing, LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook presence, email newsletters, and earned media in regional outlets such as CNA, Lianhe Zaobao, The Business Times, and Dan Tri. The organization holds no patents, has no disclosed technology stack beyond a standard web presence, and is not publicly listed.

Name

Singapore Institute of International Affairs

Legal name

Singapore Institute of International Affairs

Website

https://siiaonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs is an independent, non-profit think tank founded in 1962 that produces policy research, convenes flagship forums, and provides advisory and premium intelligence products on ASEAN affairs, sustainability, and broader Asia-Pacific geopolitics for corporate members, governments, and individual professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The organization generates revenue through membership subscriptions with tiered access to resources, events, and premium content including Chairman's Notes, Situation Briefings, News Scans, and Country Updates.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue is generated from hosting conferences, seminars, webinars, workshops, and dialogues including flagship events like the ASEAN & Asia Forum and Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources.
3. Advisory Services: The organization offers advisory services on topics spanning ASEAN, sustainability, and digital economy issues.
4. Publications: Revenue from special reports, conference highlights, and published analysis on regional and international issues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) is an independent policy think tank that produces research publications, policy analyses, and convening dialogues on ASEAN, sustainability, and international affairs. It operates a membership-based platform offering tiered access to premium resources (Chairman's Notes, Country Updates, Situation Briefings), hosts flagship conferences and webinars, and delivers advisory services to corporate, government, and individual members.

Product overview

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) operates as an independent policy think tank offering a suite of knowledge products and services focused on research, analysis, and discussion of regional and international affairs. The organization functions as a platform-plus-services model, combining publications (Special Reports, Conference Highlights, Insights, Commentaries), flagship events (ASEAN & Asia Forum, Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources, Singapore Green Dialogue), premium membership resources (Chairman's Notes, Country Updates, ELN Insights), webinars, and advisory services. The portfolio centers on geopolitical analysis, sustainability research, and economic policy intelligence targeting policymakers, business leaders, and thought leaders across ASEAN and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Publications Research publications including Special Reports, Conference Highlights, Insights, and Commentaries covering regional and international affairs on economics, geopolitics, and sustainability, for corporate, government, and individual members.
• Events and Dialogues Flagship in-person and hybrid events including the ASEAN & Asia Forum (AAF), Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (SWR), and Singapore Green Dialogue (SGD), featuring expert panel discussions on regional policy issues for corporate members, government stakeholders, and policy professionals.
• Chairman's Notes Exclusive member-only analytical notes authored by SIIA Chairman Simon Tay, providing geopolitical analysis, policy commentary, and regional outlook on ASEAN, China, and Southeast Asian countries for corporate and individual members.
• Country Updates Member-exclusive periodic intelligence reports providing updates on political, economic, and policy developments across ASEAN and Asia-Pacific countries, available to SIIA members.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership programme offering corporate and individual tiers with access to exclusive resources, events, publications, networking opportunities, and premium content including Chairman's Notes and Country Updates.
• Webinars Online webinar series featuring expert discussions on international affairs topics, available as premium resources for SIIA corporate members.
• Advisory Services Policy advisory services covering topics such as ASEAN, Sustainability, and Digital Economy, delivered to corporate and government clients through expert consultation.
• Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) Exclusive network and platform for emerging leaders featuring insights, dialogues, and strategic retreats on international affairs and leadership, under the SIIA Emerging Leaders Network programme.
• Haze Outlook Reports Annual flagship report analysing transboundary haze risks and providing outlooks for environmental sustainability in the ASEAN region, used by policymakers, corporate sustainability teams, and the public.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Ambassador Chan Heng CheeminorOthers · 26 August 2024Ambassador-at-Large at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs engaged with SIIA for a dialogue on US-China relations and Singapore's positioning in August 2024.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) IndonesiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIIA collaborates with World Resources Institute Indonesia on food, land, and water issues, particularly in the context of climate adaptation and agricultural resilience in ASEAN. This partnership contributes to workshops and dialogues on sustainability issues affecting the region.
• Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIIA works with PIDS on research and dialogue regarding development issues in ASEAN, particularly in areas of agricultural policy, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The partnership contributes to expert workshops and discussions.
• Middle East Institute (MEI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIIA and the Middle East Institute jointly organized events such as the dialogue on US-Israel-Iran implications for geopolitics and global economy, demonstrating collaboration on international affairs beyond ASEAN.
• ASEAN-ISIS NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIIA is part of the ASEAN-ISIS network of think tanks, which includes affiliates like ISIS Thailand. This network facilitates collaborative policy research and analysis on regional and international issues affecting ASEAN.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lowy Institute: Australia-based international affairs think tank publishing research and commentary with strong Asia-Pacific focus. Comparable as a mid-sized independent think tank producing flagship reports, policy analysis, and high-profile events for corporate and government members.
• Brookings Institution: US-based public policy research organization producing reports, events, and commentary across international affairs, economics, and governance. Directly comparable model combining research, membership-style engagement, and high-profile convening.
• European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR): Pan-European foreign affairs think tank with a pan-EU office network producing policy analysis, commentaries, and convening events. Comparable independent model with membership-supported activities and similar revenue mix.
• ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute: Singapore-based regional studies institute focused on Southeast Asia. Most directly comparable peer: also based in Singapore, also focused on ASEAN policy research, events, and publications, and competes for the same government, corporate, and academic audiences.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Washington DC-based bipartisan think tank covering international affairs, defense, and policy. Comparable in delivering flagship events, policy papers, and country/regional briefings to corporate and government members globally.
• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): London-based independent international affairs think tank offering research, publications, and events on global geopolitics and economics. Directly comparable membership/events/publications business model with global scope and a comparable premium-content offering.
• Middle East Institute: US-based independent think tank on Middle East policy and international affairs. Already an active joint-event partner with SIIA (US-Israel-Iran dialogue), operates a comparable membership/events/publications platform on a regional lens.

Emerging players

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization focused on environment and sustainability, with an active Indonesia office that is a strategic partner of SIIA. Comparable on sustainability/climate research and convening, especially on ASEAN sustainability themes like haze and food-land-water.

Regional players

• ISIS Thailand (Institute of Security and International Studies): Thai counterpart in the ASEAN-ISIS network of security and international affairs think tanks. Sits within SIIA's stated partner network; comparable as a regional ASEAN-focused think tank producing research, events, and policy commentary.

Broad incumbents

• Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (NUS): Singapore-based academic policy school at NUS conducting research and convening on Asian and global governance. Comparable because several SIIA leaders (Simon Tay, Parag Khanna) are affiliated; competes for ASEAN policy mind-share and corporate engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/siia_tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/think.siia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/singapore-institute-of-international-affairs

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Singapore Institute of International Affairs