Commemorating 50 years of Resilience, Growth, and Purpose

Drawing from extensive research and interviews with about 90 Temasek staff, alumni, and business partners, By Generations, For Generations takes you behind the scenes of key business deals, offering a rare insider glimpse into the firm’s unique 50-year history.

Part I: Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

Beginnings: Birth of Temasek (1974)

In 1973, the year before Temasek was founded, Singapore as a nation was barely eight years old. The country had clearly picked itself up since independence, first from British colonial rule and later, Malaysia.

However, the Singapore Government was also hampered by a growing stable of companies it had to manage.

Part I: Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

A sleepy start: First Temasek office and staff (1977)

When Margina Lee, one of the first employees at Temasek, joined the company in 1977, her office was in an attic room in what was then Fullerton Building, located next to the Singapore River. It was on the sixth floor, in a windowless room big enough for only four people.

Part I: Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

Tiger Airways: Moving the masses (2003)

Considering that a rising Asian middle-income population would be looking to travel more and at affordable prices in the early-2000s, Temasek took the opportunity to invest in a low-cost carrier, Tiger Airways.

Margaret Lui, former Senior Managing Director in Temasek, was part of the team which handled the investment and sat on the Tiger board.

Part I: Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

Mumbai and Beijing: Breaking new ground (2004)

As Temasek started to look for longer-term investment opportunities, it decided to tap into the emerging Asian economies, including India and China.

Many of these emerging Asian economies were at a similar stage of growth to Singapore’s a few decades earlier. All would offer fresh opportunities for Temasek.

Part II: Crossing the River (2005-2014)

Temasek’s bond issues: Adding new sophisticated stakeholders (2005)

As Temasek grew in size, both in terms of its portfolio and network of partners and stakeholders, it decided to put in place three “public markers” which would always keep Temasek transparent and accountable for its actions. One was to state its portfolio performance in its annual publication, Temasek Review; the second was to obtain credit ratings; and the third was to issue bonds.

Part II: Crossing the River (2005-2014)

Temasek Trust and Temasek Foundation: Institutionalising philanthropy (2007)

While Temasek had already been contributing to the community on an informal basis, both monetarily and through staff volunteer efforts, it decided in 2003 to institute a policy of setting aside a portion of its net-positive returns above its risk-adjusted cost of capital for community gifts.

Part II: Crossing the River (2005-2014)

Developing Mandai: A vision for an eco-future (2014)

To Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Mandai Wildlife Reserve (MWR) is the one project that fulfils all three roles mapped out in the 2012 Temasek Charter – an investor and shareholder, a forward-looking institution, and a trusted steward.

Part III: Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

Sustainability at the Core: Beyond profits (2016)

With the launch of Ecosperity in 2014, Ho Ching, Temasek’s former Executive Director and CEO, already knew that environmental and sustainability issues would have a growing impact, not only on Temasek’s business and how it operates, but on the investment world at large.

Hence, she set the wheels in motion for Temasek’s next big evolution – embedding sustainability within the company.

Part III: Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

The COVID-19 pandemic: “How much is a life worth?” (2020)

The pandemic began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. A month later, on 23 January 2020, Singapore confirmed its first case of the virus, from a man who had arrived from Wuhan. It was clear that this was no ordinary virus, and it had no respect for borders.

Part III: Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

The Purpose Conversation: Why we do the things we do (2021)

Landing on the definition of Temasek’s purpose was a crucial component of its T2030 strategy. This was why the organisation took a year to engage its staff in what it called the Purpose Conversation.

Get a rare insider glimpse into Temasek's 50-year history

By Generations, For Generations charts Temasek’s evolution from its humble beginnings in 1974 as a custodian of state assets to a global investor.

Go behind the scenes of Temasek’s key business deals and find out more about the firm’s unique 50-year history.

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Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

Beginnings: Birth of Temasek (1974)

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The first design of the share certificate (top) issued by Temasek. In 2017, the design of the share certificate was updated (bottom).

Beginnings: Birth of Temasek (1974)

Read more about the beginnings of Temasek (including exclusive interviews).

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In 1973, the year before Temasek was founded, Singapore as a nation was barely eight years old. The country had clearly picked itself up since independence, first from British colonial rule and later, Malaysia.

However, the Singapore Government was also hampered by a growing stable of companies it had to manage.

Most were start-ups, cutting across diverse industries and straining the time and resources of the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

There were other companies like Cerebos, the British manufacturer of Brand’s Essence of Chicken; and minority stakes in retail businesses like Yaohan, a popular but now-defunct Japanese department store.

There were even offshoots of the Government, such as the Singapore National Printers. Among the largest of these was Singapore Airlines incorporated in 1972.

As it became increasingly untenable for the Government to be holding and managing these companies directly, a separate holding company was formed.

Four names were suggested for it: Temasek, Colossal, Merlion, and Solar. Hon Sui Sen, then-Minister for Finance, looked through the list and ticked “Temasek”. “Temasek” is derived from the Malay tasik, meaning “body of water”, or the Javanese tumasik, which means “sea town”.

On 25 June 1974, Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited was incorporated under the Singapore Companies Act and the MOF transferred a portfolio of 35 companies and investments with a book value of S$354 million to it. It was headed by two Directors – Chua Kim Yeow and Lim Lin Teng. In August, J Y Pillay came onboard as Temasek’s first Chairman.

Temasek was officially in business.

Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

A sleepy start: First Temasek office and staff (1977)

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Temasek’s first office at the Fullerton Building (now Fullerton Hotel).

A sleepy start: First Temasek office and staff (1977)

Find out more from Margina and other staff on how it was like working at Temasek in its early days.

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When Margina Lee, one of the first employees at Temasek, joined the company in 1977, her office was in an attic room in what was then Fullerton Building, located next to the Singapore River. It was on the sixth floor, in a windowless room big enough for only four people.

Temasek’s first five years, from 1974 to 1979, were mainly administrative and custodial. Its tasks included maintaining books of accounts, executing share transactions, and carrying out secretarial work on board appointments. The 35 companies under Temasek’s wing operated independently and their heads would often bypass Temasek and liaise directly with the Ministry of Finance.

At that time, the settlement of trades in shares had to be done manually. Margina recalled that they had to send instruction letters to banks which would then buy the foreign exchange needed to settle the trade. Banks needed to move quickly and would get short shrift from the forex dealers when they muttered about having to first get the boss’ approval or signature for a decision, or the need to take in three quotes for a job. In those pre-computer times, they also had to ferry signed letters back and forth, making the forex trading process even more arduous.

Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

TIGER AIRWAYS: MOVING THE MASSES (2003)

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Tiger Airways’ aircraft (Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction).

TIGER AIRWAYS: MOVING THE MASSES (2003)

Hear directly from the teams that were involved in Temasek’s other innovative ventures.

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Considering that a rising Asian middle-income population would be looking to travel more and at affordable prices in the early-2000s, Temasek took the opportunity to invest in a low-cost carrier, Tiger Airways.

Margaret Lui, former Senior Managing Director in Temasek, was part of the team which handled the investment and sat on the Tiger board.

The Ryan family, which had started the successful Ryanair, was keen to set up an Asian low-cost carrier. Together with William A Franke, co-founder and managing partner at Indigo Partners, they approached Temasek to be their partner in the venture.

Singapore Airlines took a 49% stake in the venture, but was not responsible for managing the airline. The job of starting up the airline therefore fell to the other shareholders – Indigo Partners; Irelandia Investments, representing the interests of Tony Ryan; and Temasek Holdings.

“We worked on a shoestring budget. The start-up costs for Tiger were very low. With SQ behind it, it had no trouble leasing planes,” Margaret said. “But we had to do a lot ourselves, right down to designing uniforms. The designs for the uniforms were drawn up in our office, and we went searching for fabric ourselves.

“We only had four months to the opening. I wanted tiger stripes (for the uniform), but I was told that it would take a year to design, print, and deliver bales of fabric. So, I told the Tiger team to go to the shops and look for enough tiger-stripe fabric to make scarves. I also decided against having skirts because it would mean we needed stockings and we couldn’t afford that. So I said, ‘stick to pants first!’”

There was also discussion on where to position the tiger image on the plane. One suggestion to place the image at the door was vetoed by a member of the board because it would appear as if the tiger was eating boarding passengers. “So, we pushed the tiger away from the door a little bit and closed its mouth so that it didn’t seem to be leaping and mauling the passengers,” she said.

Tiger Airways was listed in 2010 and Temasek eventually divested from the business in 2014.

Feeling the Stones (1974-2004)

Mumbai and Beijing: Breaking new ground (2004)

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Temasek staff in the Mumbai office (top) and Beijing office (bottom).

Mumbai and Beijing: Breaking new ground (2004)

Read more about Temasek’s initiatives, investments, and partnerships in India and China.

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As Temasek started to look for longer-term investment opportunities, it decided to tap into the emerging Asian economies, including India and China.

Many of these emerging Asian economies were at a similar stage of growth to Singapore’s a few decades earlier. All would offer fresh opportunities for Temasek.

India

In 2004, Temasek opened an office in Mumbai to keep it close to the ground with business families and the government.

Manish Kejriwal, who was Temasek’s then Senior Managing Director of Investments, International and India, said: “The timing was fortuitous, as the Indian economy was benefiting from strong macroeconomic trends, secular growth, and improved governance. We saw a strong rally in the public markets in subsequent years and also identified a series of attractive private equity opportunities. Equally importantly, we built up one of the strongest local teams ‘in country’ to source ideas, deals, and provide a richer and deeper context to our investment programme.”

Temasek’s initial investment focus in India was on two main fronts: companies that mirrored the growth of the domestic economy in sectors such as banking, telecoms, and automotives; and companies that capitalised on India’s comparative advantage as a globally competitive resource base for products and services, especially in areas such as biopharma and healthcare, information technology, business process outsourcing, and the automotive component sector.

China

Between 1994 and 2004, China’s share of global GDP jumped from around 5% to nearly 9%, while the size of its economy more than tripled. Temasek, like many other foreign investors, had been looking from the sidelines, figuring out how to break into this promising market.

China is not new to Temasek. However, since the 1990s, its investments had always been made as part of a consortium of investors, either with Temasek portfolio companies or Hong Kong-based parties.

Cheo Hock Kuan, then Managing Director, Organisation Development & Corporate Services, said: “What I observed was that our investment colleagues were going in and out of China. But I wondered if going in and out was the way to do it. I always believe that if you want to be serious about any market, you must be there. You cannot be managing by remote control.

“So, I decided to look for a team to focus on China. I wanted seasoned investment professionals, so I spent quite a few months with the search firms, interviewing candidates. But my colleagues didn’t have the time and couldn’t give priority to looking at them. So, I was a bit frustrated by early 2004. And I thought, look, I must get it done.”

In late 2004, she put up her hand to be based in China to set up the Beijing office herself.

Crossing the River (2005-2014)

Temasek’s bond issues: Adding new sophisticated stakeholders (2005)

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Temasek issued its maiden Yankee Bond in 2005.

Temasek’s bond issues: Adding new sophisticated stakeholders (2005)

Read more about other initiatives Temasek took to broaden its stakeholder base.

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As Temasek grew in size, both in terms of its portfolio and network of partners and stakeholders, it decided to put in place three “public markers” which would always keep Temasek transparent and accountable for its actions. One was to state its portfolio performance in its annual publication, Temasek Review; the second was to obtain credit ratings; and the third was to issue bonds.

These public markers reinforce financial discipline, broaden Temasek’s stakeholder base, and facilitate its communications with the wider community.

Temasek issued its maiden Yankee Bond on 15 September 2005. It attracted much attention as it was the first top-rated global bond in Asia, outside of Japan. The 10-year issue was for US$1.75 billion, with a coupon of 4.5% of Temasek-guaranteed fixed-rate, medium-term notes.

Although Temasek did not need to raise capital, the bond issue – and subsequent ones – enabled it to gain financial flexibility. Over time, Temasek would issue bonds of multiple tenors, establishing a yield curve for the local bond market and serving as a useful benchmark for pricing risk.

Crossing the River (2005-2014)

Temasek Trust and Temasek Foundation: Institutionalising philanthropy (2007)

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Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, a beneficiary of Temasek Trust, has reared faster-growing and more resilient sea bass (top) donated to farms which serve as testbeds for how fish grow in open farms. They also created Temasek Rice (bottom), an elite rice variety imbued with traits that allow rice to be grown sustainably using less natural resources.

Temasek Trust and Temasek Foundation: Institutionalising philanthropy (2007)

Read more about the philanthropic work done by Temasek Foundation and Temasek Trust.

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While Temasek had already been contributing to the community on an informal basis, both monetarily and through staff volunteer efforts, it decided in 2003 to institute a policy of setting aside a portion of its net-positive returns above its risk-adjusted cost of capital for community gifts.

In 2007, Temasek Trust (TT) was set up with an initial endowment of S$500 million and a board of trustees from across Asia to independently oversee the management and distribution of Temasek’s philanthropic endowments and gifts.

The Trust started with one main beneficiary, Temasek Foundation (TF), focusing on building human capital and social resilience in the region through collaborations and partnerships.

Benedict Cheong, TF’s former Deputy CEO who is now Chief Systems Integration Officer at TT, said: “When we first started, we looked around and saw that there was much good work being done in the region and we had to carve an area for ourselves to contribute meaningfully. So, we decided on capacity building as well as focusing on institutions. The idea is to leave behind something that can continue to grow and multiply, long after the programmes are concluded.”

In 2009, Temasek Cares was added to pilot community outreach programmes for under-served communities in Singapore. Today, to maximise synergies, these and other entities have come together under the “One TF” umbrella.

Various entities were added over the years, including Stewardship Asia Centre in 2017, dedicated to activating stewardship practices; and Mandai Nature, focused on conservation, in 2020.

Temasek Chairman Lim Boon Heng sees the company’s philanthropic and community work as part of a total ecosystem of responsibility: “We are part of that broader community, so we learn, we earn, and we return. We learn by doing, with some occasional missteps; we earn by taking a long-term view; and we return to our shareholders and to the community. So, as a company we pay taxes like other companies, we pay a dividend to our shareholder, the Government, and we provide funds to help the community.”

Crossing the River (2005-2014)

DEVELOPING MANDAI: A VISION FOR AN ECO-FUTURE (2014)

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Bird Paradise (top) and River Wonders (bottom) (Source: Mandai Wildlife Group).

DEVELOPING MANDAI: A VISION FOR AN ECO-FUTURE (2014)

Read more about the development of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the future plans of the reserve.

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To Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Mandai Wildlife Reserve (MWR) is the one project that fulfils all three roles mapped out in the 2012 Temasek Charter – an investor and shareholder, a forward-looking institution, and a trusted steward.

“People can say, oh what returns will you get? Yes, you may not make as much in returns as you would investing in an MNC. But more importantly, though, we have something that everyone will remember,” Dilhan proclaimed.

The MWR houses five wildlife parks with green public spaces and an eco-friendly resort, offering sustainable and ethical wildlife experiences to the public that not only provide recreation and entertain, but also educate.

The Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, and River Wonders (formerly River Safari) were already on site, while the Jurong Bird Park, renamed Bird Paradise, moved to Mandai in 2023 – a feat which took more than a year of planning and execution as 3,500 birds from 400 species were carefully relocated and acclimatised to their new environment. The fifth attraction, Rainforest Wild, will be built from scratch and will open by 2025.

So, apart from the adventure and leisure elements, what is also important are the educational and conservation components of the reserve. There will be partnerships with institutions to strengthen and enhance wildlife conservation and research.

With this development, MWR could also test-bed and build new scalable capabilities for the future.

Dilhan offered, by way of an example: “We’re trying to figure out now how to bring down ambient temperature in an environmentally friendly way to make it much more pleasant for people to visit during the day because, otherwise, you would only visit between 8.30am and 10am, and then again at 4.30pm and 6.30pm when the weather is cooler. So, how do you bring the temperature down by two to six degrees?

“When we do this, the immediate benefit will be to MWR. But the follow-on benefit is to other parts of Singapore because you could conceivably look into lowering the ambient temperature for all outdoor areas in Singapore.

“So that is the thing about MWR. It allows us to look at concepts and technologies that could have implications beyond Mandai, and if we do succeed, then that’s a plus,” he added.

Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

Sustainability at the Core: Beyond profits (2016)

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Ho Ching, speaking at the Singapore Sustainable Investing & Financing Conference (Day 3 of Ecosperity 2021) on 30 September 2021.

Sustainability at the Core: Beyond profits (2016)

Read more about Temasek’s ESG initiatives, such as Climate Impact X and GenZero.

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK

With the launch of Ecosperity in 2014, Ho Ching, Temasek’s former Executive Director and CEO, already knew that environmental and sustainability issues would have a growing impact, not only on Temasek’s business and how it operates, but on the investment world at large.

Hence, she set the wheels in motion for Temasek’s next big evolution – embedding sustainability within the company.

In a 2018 address at the ASEAN-Australia Business Summit in Sydney, Australia, Ho Ching articulated how businesses could shape a sustainable future by considering three bottom lines – profits, institution, and the community.

She said: “We are all familiar with the first bottom line of profits and financial returns – this is the fuel for investments and ultimately for jobs. The second bottom line is our own institution – how we shape our organisational values and build our people. Businesses are in the front line of technological change. In this age of disruption, it must be a shared responsibility between businesses, governments, and our labour movements to help reskill and upskill our workforce for the future. We must help prepare our workforce for the exciting, but unsettling, world of change ahead.

“The third bottom line is our wider community – how we contribute, as businesses, to a fair, equitable, and sustainable future for all; how we find solutions to make a difference, to be more inclusive, to make life better. Hence, businesses must play their part as stewards of our communities for our common good, alongside governments and the civic society.”

Putting words into action, Temasek started embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its systems, guided by its Charter’s stewardship values of doing well, doing right, and doing good.

It started factoring ESG into its investment methodologies, together with the legal and cost of capital “screens” that are deployed regularly. By this time, because of the Paris Agreement, organisations around the world were also starting to think of the impact of climate change. Temasek rode on that momentum.

Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

The COVID-19 pandemic: “How much is a life worth?” (2020)

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As part of Temasek Foundation’s Stay Prepared initiative, free reusable antimicrobial face masks were distributed to the public via vending machines.

The COVID-19 pandemic: “How much is a life worth?” (2020)

Read more about how Temasek managed various issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The pandemic began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. A month later, on 23 January 2020, Singapore confirmed its first case of the virus, from a man who had arrived from Wuhan. It was clear that this was no ordinary virus, and it had no respect for borders.

The immediate concern at the time was supporting Temasek’s staff in countries such as China and India which were in the grip of the disease.

The ability to procure supplies and move nimbly on a large scale would come into play in April 2021 when COVID-19 was spreading quickly in India. The death toll was rising at an alarming rate and hospitals were overwhelmed.

Said Fidah Alsagoff, Vice Chairman of Healthcare & Life Sciences (Global Partnerships): “We were hearing reports that our staff were losing their family members. They were scared. If they went to hospital, they could get COVID. But if they stayed home and got into a respiratory crisis, they could die.

“So, we decided to send over pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators because we had stock. We shipped them within 24 hours and told our staff if they felt uncomfortable, but the oximeter reading was normal, to stay put. But if the reading dropped below a certain point, they were to use the oxygen concentrator. If it remained low, they had to go to hospital because the chance of dying at home would then be significant.

“I remember calling them and they were scared. But they held it together and also created a logistics chain. Just as it was in Shanghai, our hospital investments in India helped look after our people and Temasek’s portfolio companies’ staff.”

Temasek and Temasek Foundation played a strong supporting role in COVID-19 efforts back home. While Temasek conducted many pandemic relief programmes in Singapore – including giving free oximeters, mouth wash, and test kits to households – it is the distribution of face masks that most Singaporeans remember it for.

Surfing the Waves (2015-Present)

The Purpose Conversation: Why we do the things we do (2021)

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In 2021, Temasek defined its purpose as “So every generation prospers”.

The Purpose Conversation: Why we do the things we do (2021)

Hear directly from Temasek staff on what Purpose means to them.

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Landing on the definition of Temasek’s purpose was a crucial component of its T2030 strategy. This was why the organisation took a year to engage its staff in what it called the Purpose Conversation.

Said Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Temasek’s CEO: “Purpose defines who we are and, most importantly, why we do the things we do. Being a purpose-driven organisation and having a clear purpose will drive us to achieve our T2030 objectives and give the impetus for the decisions – which will encompass trade-offs – that we will have to make. Purpose gives life to our culture, underpinned by our values and exhibited by our behaviours.”

Almost 70% of Temasek’s employees across the organisation gave their views, either directly or via online channels. There were more than 750 survey responses, as well as many sessions, workshops, and interviews.

In 2021, the Temasek Purpose statement was finalised: The company exists “so every generation prospers”. And the four actions that undergird this Purpose are building with courage, investing in human potential, catalysing solutions, and growing for generations.

This sense of purpose becomes even more important in an increasingly complex and potentially bifurcated world; and as Temasek prepares to evolve and transform itself again.

As Temasek commemorates its 50th anniversary, it can be sure of only one thing – more change and challenges ahead as the world will only get more complex, not less. But, armed with a collective Purpose and a deep understanding of its core duties, it stands ready.

Temasek today employs people from around the world, with different backgrounds, skillsets, and experiences, all united by a single Purpose.

As it moves ahead into the future, the key to its success depends on its human capital. It also hinges on whether its people can work together as a trusted team – to deliver consistent, if not excellent, quality work, so that every generation prospers.