Inaugural Director, Longevity Societies and Economies Institute (LSEI)
REF:8167
A premier university in Asia, Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU’s mission is to generate leading-edge research with global impact and to produce broad-based, creative, and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU’s education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative, and project-based approach to learning.
Longevity Societies and Economies Institute (LSEI) is a new university-level strategic initiative and the third in a suite of high-impact institutes focused on Asian cities empowered by digitalisation and designed for sustainability. It brings together and expands ageing-related work across SMU.
SMU invites applications for the position of Inaugural Director of the LSEI. This is a senior academic leadership role, offering a unique opportunity to lead a world-class Institute that will explore how individuals, communities, and economies should evolve and thrive in the face of ageing demographics, i.e., all of us living longer lives. The Institute will leverage SMU's existing strengths, including our Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA), and interdisciplinary expertise, as well as recruit new faculty members, to address the concept of a Longevity Economy, which reframes ageing as a catalyst for systems innovation, growth, and renewal. To harness these socio-economic opportunities, LSEI will focus on managing successful transitions of ageing societies to achieve economically and socially sustainable outcomes by building a longevity economy and fostering a longevity society in the context of public and social infrastructure and broader sociocultural norms that support healthy lifestyles and greater social, financial, physical, and mental well-being.
The inaugural Director will shape and develop the Institute’s strategy and research programme, building on its research pillars in line with SMU’s broader strategic priorities. The Institute’s research agenda will be structured around two core pillars: Building Longevity Economies and Cultivating Holistic Well-being, which will draw on capabilities in SMU across a range of disciplines, including economics, sociology, psychology, computing and information systems, marketing, and public policy, among others. The inaugural Director will enjoy international standing for contributions to the study of demographic transitions and ageing societies, will bring a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and success in developing and delivering leading-edge research agendas, will engage local policy platforms and international fora on our research findings and insights, and will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for the Institute that advances research excellence and strengthens its impact by fostering partnerships with government, industry, and research institutions in Singapore and internationally.
HOW TO APPLY
SMU will be supported in this appointment process by the executive search firm Perrett Laver. The search firm will support the SMU Search Committee in the discharge of its duties both to assist in the assessment of candidates against the requirements for the role and to identify the widest possible field of qualified candidates.
Application documentation should include (in electronic form): a cover letter describing relevant management and leadership experiences, teaching and research interests (and how they relate to one or more of the envisioned research pillars of the Institute), and a full curriculum vitae.
If you wish to discuss this role further in confidence, please contact Dr Jolin Lai at Jolin.Lai@perrettlaver.com.
For more information and to submit your application, please quote reference 8167.
The deadline for applications is 20 January 2026.
