SINGAPORE – On Monday (5 August), Temasek announced three new additions to its senior leadership team, including the current Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The move is part of the company’s strategy to continue strengthening its leadership ranks with complementary capabilities and enrich the existing team.
Recruitment for New Positions
Three individuals recruited will occupy newly created positions. Gabriel Lim, who served as Permanent Secretary of MTI since April 2019, will join Temasek on 1 October as Joint Head of Corporate Strategy. Previously, he was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information (now Ministry of Digital Development and Information) and Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In his new role, Gabriel Lim will be responsible for developing key corporate strategies that support the implementation of Temasek’s 2030 strategy. This strategy, which was launched in 2019, serves as a 10-year roadmap for portfolio design, building new technologies and institutional development.
Reasons for selecting Gabriel Lim
Temasek representatives highlighted Lim’s experience in high-level strategy development and stakeholder management in both the public and private sectors as key reasons for his hiring. According to Lim Ming Pey, Joint Head of Corporate Strategy, Gabriel Lim’s network and expertise will help strengthen Temasek’s position in the eyes of key partners and stakeholders.
Read more: Is Singapore’s DSA System Fair? Alleged Bribery Case Sparks Debate on Selection Process
Two New Hires for Portfolio Development
In addition to Gabriel Lim, Temasek also recruited Eng Aik Meng and Dinesh Khanna to lead its portfolio development group from September and October respectively. Eng, founder and CEO of TE Asia Healthcare Partners, has experience in the healthcare and maritime sectors, while Dinesh, Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group, is known for his workforce innovations during his leadership.
Both will work alongside Juliet Teo, the current group leader, to drive value enhancement initiatives in Temasek’s portfolio companies. With nearly 40 per cent of its portfolio value coming from Singapore-based companies, Temasek views this joint leadership as an important step towards meeting future operational challenges.
Holistic Approach to Talent Management
Besides attracting external talent, Temasek also focuses on building its internal talent pipeline. A rotation strategy across markets, sectors and functions is considered important to maintain agility and adaptability amid global challenges.
According to Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay, this move is important for the company to remain relevant in an era of unprecedented global challenges. With a net portfolio of S$389 billion as at 31 March 2024, Temasek continues to play a key role in supporting Singapore’s annual budget through its investment returns.
