Orient Magazine Issue 73 - September 2019 | Page 35

Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 73 September 2019

In conversation with our past President, Shanker Iyer, FCO, Obe

- recognised that this was a good time to sell with the future in mind. My caveat was to retain the family participation in the firm and we have staff and clients who have been with us more for than 20 years. Fortunately, we found a buyer in Luxembourg that recognised our contribution and was only interested to buy if we stayed in the business. Our business now is considerably bigger as other companies the group owned in Singapore have been combined and the same in Hong Kong.

For my business and me, becoming involved in these various Chamber roles has had a significant outcome, connecting me throughout Singapore in the business and Government communities, as well as establishing my profile with a degree of trust and seniority. Without this level of profile, I have no doubt that the path would have been different.
The highlight of my term was our 50th Anniversary celebrations. I ambitiously suggested that we invite Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to be our Guest of Honor and was delighted that he accepted, it was an amazing event. I was also shocked and delighted to receive an OBE midway through my term as President of the British Chamber and look forward to continuing to participate as a member in the future.