Driving commercial and political engagement between Asia, the Middle East and Europe
Driving commercial and political engagement between Asia, the Middle East and Europe
Driving commercial and political engagement between Asia, the Middle East and Europe
The head of Temasek, Ho Ching, received the prestigious Asia House Asian Business Leaders Award at a gala dinner in London’s Banqueting House.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive of the S$223-billion investment company was handed the Award in recognition of her impressive business credentials and her moral leadership and service to society.
Making the presentation on Monday, October 27, Stuart Gulliver, Group Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings, said Temasek’s mission had always been underpinned by integrity, meritocracy, respect, trust, teamwork and doing things today with one eye on tomorrow.
“No-one embodies this ethos more than its Chief Executive, Ho Ching,” Gulliver said.
To watch the video of the event click below:-
Gulliver said that since Ho Ching became chief executive 10 years ago, the value of Temasek’s portfolio had doubled and the diversification of the organisation’s investments had accelerated.
“By increasing its Asia exposure outside Singapore six-fold and by more than doubling its exposure beyond Asia, she has turned Temasek into a truly global company,” Gulliver said.
“In so doing, she has positioned Temasek to benefit from sustainable returns over the long-term, whilst also providing capital that is supporting economic development overseas and strengthening economic links between Asia and the rest of the world.”
He added that Ho Ching’s commitment to building a responsible business was evident in the way that she championed issues such as transparency, probity and good governance.
VIPs and guests at the ABLA dinner in London’s sumptuous 17th century Banqueting House
Gulliver praised Ho Ching’s role in increasing its range of community projects in areas like education and healthcare and extending Temasek’s reach into important new areas like disaster response preparation.
“Ho Ching’s passion for helping others – especially children – can be seen in the charities in Singapore that she supports in a personal capacity. These include the Assisi Hospice, where she is a Patron, and the Trailblazer Foundation, of which she is the founding Chairman.
“She is a role model for others to follow, in Asia and beyond,” Gulliver said.
To watch Stuart Gulliver’s speech and to see him presenting Ms Ho with her award click below:-
UK Minister of State Hugo Swire said Ho Ching’s achievements in global business and at the helm of one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds were almost unparalleled and congratulated her on her award. Click here for the full text of his speech and click here for coverage by Nikkei’s Asian Review.
The dinner was attended by over 250 senior business leaders, political figures, Asian Heads of Mission in London and opinion formers. For a slideshow of the event, click on the image below:
The annual Asia House Asian Business Leaders Award recognises those individuals who embody the ‘Servant Leader’: they can demonstrate economic success and professional excellence accompanied by moral leadership and service to society. For more information, click here.
Previous recipients of the Asia House Asian Business Leaders Award (ABLA) include: Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro; Lubna Olayan, CEO of the Olayan Financing Company; Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Group; Vikram Singh Mehta, Chairman of Shell India; and Jack Ma, Chairman and Founder of Alibaba.com.
Ho Ching spoke about how North America and Europe were markets of increasing interest to Temasek in a separate rare interview with Asia House. To read what else she had to say about Temasek’s future goals and aspirations click here.
David Cowell is a freelance journalist working for Asia House.
