Long-term infrastructure is not delivered by systems or processes alone. It is delivered by people, guided by purpose and shaped by culture.
Across Asia-Pacific, infrastructure programmes increasingly span decades. They involve multiple stakeholders, evolving public needs, and growing complexity around cost, risk, sustainability, and governance. In this environment, technical competence is essential — but it is not sufficient.
What ultimately determines outcomes is how decisions are made, how teams collaborate, and whether advisors act with integrity and long-term responsibility. Culture and values are not abstract concepts; they directly influence how risks are assessed, how trade-offs are managed, and how confidently clients can rely on our advice.
At Asia Infrastructure Solutions (AIS), we see our role as trusted advisors with a responsibility that extends beyond financial metrics alone. Purpose guides how we approach cost certainty, risk management, governance, and value creation — particularly in public-interest infrastructure, where impacts extend well beyond project completion. Metro systems that I have worked on across multiple cities are typically designed with a 120-year service life. Future-proofing is therefore essential to ensure these systems continue to serve multiple generations in rapidly evolving urban environments. It is important that owners and developers do not focus solely on reducing capital expenditure at the expense of long-term value creation and system resilience.
A strong culture enables teams to speak up early, challenge assumptions constructively, and act in the long-term interests of clients and communities. It shapes how we collaborate across geographies and disciplines, and how we remain accountable throughout the life of complex programmes.
As infrastructure demands across Asia continue to evolve — driven by urbanisation, climate adaptation, and social needs — leadership must remain grounded in people and purpose. Not as a separate agenda, but as the foundation for sustainable delivery. This is how long-term infrastructure delivers outcomes that endure.
About the Author
Poh Seng Tiok
Co-Lead Managing Director,
GISI Consulting APAC
ST Poh brings almost three decades of experience leading and delivering complex, large-scale infrastructure and capital programmes across Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the wider Asia-Pacific region. He has held senior leadership roles across both client organisations and international consultancies, with a strong track record in regional business management and programme delivery.
A senior infrastructure and consulting leader, ST is recognised for shaping regional strategy, driving sustainable growth, and integrating multi-disciplinary capabilities to deliver long-term value for clients. He brings a strong blend of consultancy and client-side leadership, supported by strengths in commercial strategy and the governance of complex capital programmes.
His professional background spans multiple infrastructure sectors across Asia-Pacific. He began his career at the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA), where he spent 11 years delivering major national infrastructure projects. He has since held senior regional leadership positions at AECOM and Arup and served as Planning and Design Director at Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC), where he led major railway projects.
ST holds a Master of Science (MSc) in International Construction Management and a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Civil Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. He is a registered Professional Civil Engineer in Singapore, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), an ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer (ACPE), a Member of the Institution of Engineers Singapore (MIES), and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (AClArb).
