Q&A With Lennard Yong: How AI Is Changing Corporate Services?

Lennard Yong, Group CEO of Ascentium, on automation, advisory, and the future of compliance

How is AI shifting corporate services from reactive to proactive?

A: Historically, client engagement in corporate services relied on proprietary systems and offline interactions. Our vision is to centralise all client-related data - emails, WhatsApp, WeChat conversations - into a unified data lake. From there, we apply generative AI and, eventually, agentic AI to create tailored service permutations for clients. This shift moves us from reactive compliance to proactive, anticipatory solutions.

How does AI help maintain quality and consistency across multiple jurisdictions?

A: One of our BUs in the Middle East has embraced AI, and the results are compelling: about a 70% increase in productivity and faster client turnaround times. We’re leveraging these learnings to scale AI adoption across Ascentium’s global operations.

Will automation replace human expertise in corporate services?

A: AI is an enabler, not a replacement. At Ascentium, we remain a people-led organisation with technology as a support system. Our goal is to empower our teams to focus on advisory work, the value-added part that clients truly appreciate, while machines handle repetitive tasks.

Where will AI take corporate services in the next 3–5 years?

A: The journey starts with consolidating client data into a data lake. Once workflows are digitised, we can introduce predictive models and agentic AI. Imagine an AI that not only answers questions like “What’s the corporate tax rate in Singapore?” but also anticipates your needs, alerting you 30 days before a filing deadline, scheduling meetings, and sending relevant documents based on your recent M&A activity. This level of foresight will transform compliance into a seamless, proactive experience, so that our team can always be a step or few steps ahead to anticipate the clients’ needs.

What's the bottom line on AI and the future of professional services?

A: I’m optimistic. AI will redefine workflows, elevate client engagement, and allow professionals to focus on what truly matters, advisory and strategic guidance. The future is about collaboration between humans and technology, not competition.

Conclusion

AI is raising the bar for what clients can expect from corporate services: faster turnaround, fewer errors, and advice that gets ahead of your needs rather than responding to them. At Ascentium, our teams combine that technological edge with the human expertise that no model can replace.