# Why We Hire AIAP Graduates — Heineken

- Date: 2026-08-06
- Added: 2026-08-14
- Who: Dr. Ralph Ostertag (Regional CIO (APAC) and Director, Global GenAI Lab) · AI Singapore
- Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hN78mxFW7M
- sgai: https://sgai.md/videos/v080/
- License: sgai-authored content (summaries, translations, analysis) is CC BY 4.0 — attribute and link to sgai.md. Verbatim source text (Hansard, speeches, transcripts, policy documents) remains © its original rights holders and is reproduced for reference only. Terms: https://github.com/meltflake/sgai/blob/main/DATA-LICENSE.md

## Why it matters

AIAP students joining Heineken's global GenAI laboratory core team proves Singapore's talent pipeline has penetrated multinational enterprises' headquarters-level AI strategic decision-making

## Summary

Heineken's Regional CIO discusses how the company is leveraging AI and GenAI Lab to drive its EverGreen 2030 strategy, and the role of AI Apprenticeship Programme graduates in this transformation.

## Full text

© AI Singapore — reproduced for reference only.

My name is Ralph and I'm the regional CIO for Heineken and I also have a global [music] responsibility for the generative AI lab which we launched here in Singapore last year. Now for us, [music] AI is actually a key enabler for our Heineken Evergreen 2030 business strategy. We have three major priorities, accelerate growth, uplift productivity and make our organization future [music] fit. I got to know the AIP trained talents via Lawrence Leo from AI Singapore actually. And AIP engineer shows up differently because of three things. [music] First, they come with a very high competence. They get excellent trainings in the program already. Come with practical experience working with big organizations on complex problems. They're all very humble and hands-on.

[music] Since the AIP trained engineers have joined our team, the impact has been really significant. What I would highly recommend for companies who want to build AI capabilities in Singapore is to leverage [music] the ecosystem and in particular AI Singapore to get the right talents and then in general >> [music] >> from a mindset perspective to think big but then start small, show the power of it and then scale fast.