Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development (JOIN) and Meinhardt (Singapore) Pte Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly explore and deliver digital and smart city projects in third countries, with a special focus on ASEAN nations.
The MOU was formalised at the Meinhardt Group headquarters in Singapore by Tatsuhiko Takesada, president and CEO of JOIN, and Omar Shahzad, group CEO of Meinhardt, in the presence of representatives from the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan (MLIT), the Embassy of Japan in Singapore, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
The signing of this MOU underscores a shared commitment to promoting innovation and sustainable urban development in third countries by leveraging the complementary expertise and synergies of both organisations, and their respective ecosystems. JOIN is able to garner its extensive network and expertise in supporting Japanese infrastructure exports whilst Meinhardt can bring to bear its global leadership in integrated planning, design and project management solutions.
Together, the two parties aim to advance innovative and sustainable urban solutions, especially in the growing sector of digital and smart cities. By exchanging knowledge and resources, the collaboration aims to catalyse transformative projects that prioritise citizen-centric solutions, digitalisation and sustainability.
The collaboration is set against the backdrop of the memorandum of cooperation (MOC) signed between MLIT and SCE in November 2024, which fosters the development of digital and smart cities in ASEAN and other regions. Building on this framework, the MOU will provide a platform for JOIN and Meinhardt to share information, identify synergies and collaborate on projects from the early stages to drive meaningful impact across borders.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone in deepening our engagement with like-minded Japanese partners especially in international markets where Meinhardt Group has strong presence,” said Mr Shahzad. “We see our collaboration with JOIN as an important opportunity to harness our collective capabilities, creating innovative and practical solutions that address urban challenges while ensuring long-term sustainability and commercial viability.”
“We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Meinhardt and working together to encourage both Japanese and Singaporean companies to participate in digital and smart city projects from the upstream stage,” said Mr Takesada.
All images: Meinhardt Group
