About the Chairman & MD

Mr. George Abraham speaking at the Global Diaspora Business Summit

George Abraham, PBM is the Chairman and Managing Director of the GA Group since 2004, which comprises of:

George Abraham & Associates Pte Ltd
Global Indian Business Network Pte Ltd (GIBN)
Asia Pacific Business Pte Ltd

Education

George Abraham, PBM is an alumnus of Raffles Institution, Singapore. He has Postgraduate Degrees in Political Science ( AMU Aligarh, India), Social Science (University of Singapore) and Human Resource Development (George Washington University, USA). He has attended Advance Management Programmes at INSEAD, the Australian Administrative Staff College, International Trade Centre (UNCTAD / WTO) and Asian Productivity Organisation.

Regional and International Work Experience

He has, for over 35 years, worked extensively in the region in various capacities articulating the views of the private sector, forging links and enhancing business prospects of companies and representing these organizations at international fora:

Executive Director of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI)
Hon. Secretary General of the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (SFCCI)
Secretary General of the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASEAN CCI)

He is also a consultant to various UN Agencies (ILO, ESCAP, UNDP and World Bank’s MIGA) in SME development and private sector capacity building in the Asia Pacific, SAARC, Africa and Eastern European countries.

His other past and present appointments on various private and public sector boards include:

Current Chairman of the SME Development Council of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI)
Chairman of the Singapore Committee of the Honda-affiliated international leadership training institute – the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences Forum (IATSS) based in Suzuka, Japan, as a member (1986-2006) and Chairman since 2006
Board Director and Hon. Treasurer, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2020-2022)
Consultant CEO, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2014-2015)
Member of the Resource Panel of the Government Parliamentary Council for Trade & Industry (2007-2009)
Regional Representative of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GACCI) – the apex business body for Georgia (2004-2010)
Member of the Board of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (2003-2005)
Board Director of Singapore Television Twelve Pte Ltd (TV12) (2002-2006)
Regional Representative (ASEAN) of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) (2000-2016)
Chairman of the Feedback Group on Economic Development of Singapore, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) (2000-2007)
Member of the Ministry of National Development Focus Group on land allocation for the Concept Plan Review (2000)
Member of the SME21 Steering Committee of the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (now Enterprise Singapore) (1999-2000)
Member of the Programme Advisory Panel of UN ESCAP (1994-1996)
Member of the Singapore International Foundation Award Committee (1994-1996)
Founding Director and Company Secretary of Parameswara Holdings Ltd, a public company set up for Singapore investments overseas involved in six technologies, infrastructure and logistics projects in India including Singapore Technology Park in Bangalore, India (1993-2003)
ESCAP consultant for the setting up of Regional Investment Information and Promotion Service (RIIPS) in the Asia-Pacific region (1993-1994)
Consultant to the Government of Swaziland (now known as Eswatini) on economic development (1992)
Member of the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis CommHealth (1991-2013)
Member of the G77 Chamber of Commerce Committee (1991-2002)
Member of the National Library Board (NLB), Ministry of Information and the Arts (1991-1995)
Secretary-General of ASEAN-CCI (1990-1991)
Past President of the Rotary Club of Raffles City Singapore where in 1989, he initiated the Dyslexia movement in Singapore
ILO Consultant to the Government of Myanmar for the setting up of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Small and Medium Enterprises development (1989-1991)
Founding Director of Enterprise Promotion Centres Pte Ltd, a company sponsored by the Economic Development Board, Singapore, providing consultancy services to Singapore SMEs (1988-2002)
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) (1987-2004)
Member of the Board of Governors of the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) (1987-1995)
Chairman of Singapore Trade Development Board’s Committee for Development of International Marketing Expertise (1986-1990)

Awards

The Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore (2022)
Awarded the Long Service Award in appreciation of Ten Years of Dedicated Voluntary Service to the Community by the People’s Association (2021)
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO International) Community Service Award, in recognition of his outstanding services to the NRI/PIO community in Singapore and South Asia (2007)
Award from the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, Government of Kerala, India, in appreciation of his outstanding contribution to the socio-economic development of Kerala (2001)
Tribute from the Embassy of Philippines for being instrumental in strengthening the bonds of friendship between the peoples of Singapore and Philippines thru closer trade relations (1992)
Gold Awardee of The Outstanding Young Person of Singapore (TOYP) by the Singapore Jaycees Orchid Chapter (1987)

Gallery of Awards & Appreciations

George Abraham receiving the National Day Award – The Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) conferred by H.E. Halimah Yacob – President of the Republic of Singapore (2022)