RSIS Seminar by Dr Kogila Balakrishnan, Director of Client and Business Development (East Asia), Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick

Seminar Abstract

Technology offsets, a non-conventional trade-financing tool are a huge business investment activity in international defence procurement worth billions of dollars. Governments argue that offsets can act as a catalyst for a nation to leapfrog to a more advanced technological and industrial status. Considering the challenges of globalisation, unfair trade agreements, and current political discontent, there is a strong argument for governments and companies to use offsets as a disruptive innovative process to create a relationship of trust and commitment for sustainable development. Nevertheless, controversy and bad press, largely due to the lack of transparency in offsets policy and implementation has made offsets seem less attractive in recent years.

In this seminar, Dr Kogila Balakrishnan seeks to establish a compelling case for offsets as a policy tool that could achieve high-impact economic, industrial and technological outcomes if the offsets management policy and implementation is transparent and fundamental offsets practice is harmonised and standardised globally.

About the Speaker

Dr Balakrishnan is currently the Director of Client and Business Development (East Asia) at Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick. She began her career in the Malaysian civil service where she was instrumental in the development of national offsets policy. She retired in 2016 as the Under Secretary of the Defence Industry Division at the Ministry of Defence, Malaysia.

Dr Balakrishnan holds a BA (Hons) from University of Malaya, LLB (Hons) degree from the University of London and an MA in Strategy and Diplomacy from the Malaysian National University. She won a Fulbright Scholarship in 2003 and held a Chevening Scholarship during 2004–2007, when she obtained her PhD in Offsets and Technology Policy from the Defence College of Management and Technology, Cranfield University, UK Defence Academy. She has spoken at various international conferences, published journal articles, and book chapters. Her most recent publication is a book titled ‘Technology Offsets in International Defence Procurement’ by Routledge. She presently holds an Adjunct Professorship at the Malaysian National Defence University and continues to advise governments and organisations on offsets policy.