Why speak with James
The future of work doesn't stop at a desk
James brings an operator's perspective to conversations about training, technology and the people businesses depend on: workers serving customers, moving goods and working on site.
He also has a personal story to tell. His path has taken him from Singapore's central bank to education and entrepreneurship, with a year as a stay-at-home father along the way.
Conversation topics
Three ways into the story
01
The workers missing from the AI conversation
What useful AI-era training looks like for people serving customers, moving goods and working on site.
02
Training beyond the office
How employers can reach workers across shifts, languages and levels of digital confidence.
03
A founder's second career
From public service and reserve management to fatherhood, educational games and building a workforce software business.
Published perspectives
Hear the perspective. Read the work.
CNA · Commentary
Flexible work for frontline workers
An argument for extending the flexibility conversation beyond working from home.
Lianhe Zaobao · Profile
Building for the deskless workforce
A business feature on ArcLab and its focus on accessible training.
The Straits Times · Feature
Flexible work for deskless staff
A feature on how deskless workers and their bosses are making flexible work a win-win.
About James
From public service to building a business
James Chia is the Founder and CEO of ArcLab, a mobile training platform serving employers in Singapore and Malaysia. His work focuses on making workplace learning accessible to frontline teams, including people working across shifts and languages.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, he worked at the Monetary Authority of Singapore in Singapore and London, in Reserve Management and financial sector policy. He also spent a year as a stay-at-home father. A Cornell University graduate, James combines experience in finance, public policy, education and business with a practical interest in how people learn at work.
Interview enquiries
Bring James into the conversation
For media interviews, podcast appearances and commentary enquiries, get in touch with Adrian.
