Temasek appoints 3 new senior leaders to advance corporate strategy, work with portfolio companies

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s investment company Temasek has appointed three new joiners to its senior leadership bench to advance its corporate strategy and work with its portfolio companies, it said on Aug 5.

Mr Gabriel Lim

, who is currently Permanent Secretary for Policy at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, will join Temasek on Oct 1 as joint head of corporate strategy, alongside Ms Lim Ming Pey, who is also currently chief of staff in the executive office and deputy chief corporate officer.

Mr Lim, 48, comes with deep experience in strategy development and stakeholder management, both in the public sector and from his extensive engagements with the private sector, Temasek said in a statement.

“In this role, Gabriel will help develop and drive key corporate strategies to support the implementation of our T2030 road map. This includes differentiating Temasek from our peers, and strengthening our positioning with partners and key stakeholders,” it said.

The T2030 road map was developed in 2019 by Temasek to guide its strategic planning for the decade, such as its focus on constructing a resilient and forward-looking portfolio that is able to perform through market cycles and provide sustainable returns over the long term.

Another new joiner is corporate veteran and entrepreneur Eng Aik Meng. He will start on Sept 1 and will be the joint head of the Portfolio Development Group, which works closely with the Temasek portfolio companies – Singapore-based firms that account for around 40 per cent of Temasek’s portfolio value.

Temasek chief corporate officer Chan Wai Ching noted in a media briefing that Temasek does not direct its portfolio companies, but partners the boards in value-uplifting activities like corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and even workforce development.

Mr Eng has over 30 years of global experience in the healthcare and maritime industries, and comes with strong business and operating experience, said Temasek. It added that he has a proven track record working with private equity investments that have generated consistent returns and shareholder value. 

He is the co-founder and group chief executive of TE Asia Healthcare Partners, and was previously group chief operating officer at Fortis Healthcare International, overseeing international businesses and leading post-merger integration programmes.

He is also a board member of Sats and held various board positions of TPG Capital’s portfolio companies. Before healthcare, he was also in the maritime industry, as president of American President Lines, a shipping subsidiary of Neptune Orient Lines.

The third new joiner is Mr Dinesh Khanna, who will also be the joint head of the Portfolio Development Group from mid-October. He is currently managing director and senior partner at global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group, or BCG, which he joined in 2002.

He has over 20 years of global strategy consulting experience, spanning numerous industries and regions, Temasek said. He has also worked with leading companies in their business and organisational transformations.

Mr Eng and Mr Khanna are joint heads with Ms Juliet Teo, who has been with Temasek since 1996 and has been involved in shaping various institutional initiatives including organisational structures, talent development and governance framework.

Temasek said: “To prepare ourselves for a rapidly changing world, we take an active approach to ensure that our organisation stays agile, our talent is supported in their professional and personal growth, and we have the right capabilities within the firm to adapt and succeed in the future.”

It added that it is constantly strengthening its leadership bench, and that it develops and rotates leaders to let them deepen domain knowledge and gain exposure for broader leadership positions.

Temasek also brings in external hires who bring complementary or differentiated capabilities, it said.

Ms Chan said: “While it is important to develop our internal leaders, we also bring in external talent to augment and strengthen our bench.”

She added that people like Temasek’s executive director and chief executive officer Dilhan Pillay and deputy chief executive officer Chia Song Hwee are examples of talent who had joined Temasek after achieving professional success in other industries and domains. 

Temasek did not provide the ages of Mr Eng and Mr Khanna but said all three new joiners are in their late 40s to early 50s and they are all Singaporean.

Mr Pillay said: “Reflecting on my own leadership journey in Temasek, I benefited from the multiple roles and exposure gained across our investment, portfolio management, regional market and corporate functions.”

“We want to provide our next-generation leaders with the same opportunities to learn and stretch themselves in various appointments and responsibilities. This is crucial in ensuring that Temasek stays agile and adaptable in an era of unprecedented global challenges,” he added.