8/08/2024

DBS Bank - DBS in the safe hands of a Singaporean after 30 years! Colonial mentality?

 5 or 6 foreigners have taken over the helm of DBS in the last 30 years, meaning that they could not find a Singaporean worthy to be its CEO till now....but could easily find a foreigner for the job. Finally, a Singaporean is found to be good enough to be the CEO of Singapore's very own bank, a bank founded by Singaporean's money. Tan Su Shan is the CEO to be, come next March. For the moment she would be the deputy CEO until India born new citizen Piyush Gupta retires. Actually it is quite pathetic, a shame, for Singapore to take so long to find a Singapore to run its own bank, as if Singaporeans are dull and no talent. Who's fault is this?

It is more difficult to find a Singaporean to be DBS Bank's CEO than finding one to be Singapore's PM. This, in a way means that this job is more difficult than the PM of Singapore. Or, not important enough that any foreigner also can but not any no talent Singaporean? If the same thinking is applied to political leadership, practically none of the political leaders should be in their positions, as foreigners are deemed to be better than dull Singaporeans.

For once, Singapore's three local banks, founded and built by Singaporeans, would all be returned to the hands of Singaporeans, oops, got to wait until 29 March 2025. For a long while, many Singaporeans must be wondering why there is no Singaporean good enough to be the CEO of DBS. Actually any one of the ministers should be good enough as they are the best of the best Singaporean talents available. Unfortunately they have more important jobs to do as political leaders of Singapore, so cannot be spared for the bank.

Thank goodness, now, finally, they have found Tan Su Shan, and her suitability was even concurred by an independent committee set up specially to find such a candidate. Not sure who were in this independent committee that agreed with the DBS Board of Directors. If they disagreed, then the musical chair for foreigners would continue, and Singapore's top bank would likely to be run by foreigners for another 30 years. I got this notion that if the independent committee have more foreigners, they are likely to find no Singaporeans suitable for the job. Foreigners would always think foreigners good, Singaporeans no good. I think they will think the same about out political leadership too.

Peter Seah would have to be firm to ensure that Su Shan moves into her new role in March without any hitch. Though Su Shan is well respected, well proven as a top banker, the next few months would be critical for a smooth transition for a daughter of Singapore to become the CEO of DBS.

Singapore would be glad to see the bank to be in the safe hands of another Singaporean again. It sends a chill down my spine to think that our national bank is in the hands of foreigners. The Allianz Income saga speaks for this.

9 comments:

  1. It was so difficult to find a suitable Singaporean but so easy to find an unknown foreigner to take care of our money!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Foreigners would condemn Singaporeans as no talent and claimed foreigners are the best. And stupid Singaporeans agree meekly, afraid to protest. And many Singaporeans lost their jobs to foreign fakes and cheats.
    In Goh Keng Swee's time, the foreigners also said so. But he gave them the middle finger and put Singaporeans in charge of all important appointments.
    This is the quality and wisdom of a real leader.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MOM send us a letter requesting or in a way ordering us to take part in their survey.

    Had answered online one over the phone quite a long questionnaire and also even called all listed in list to cfm their status and profiles.

    Yesterday evening recd another call and was told that it would be four interviews instead of just one.

    With Sept, Oct and Dec as the final one.

    Wow, questioned why so many just for a survey?

    Was told that's to really guage the employment scene and for their policies.

    Told the interviewer why no pointed questions of asking Singaporeans of the influx of foreigners that are now in Singapore and competing with jobs for the locals?

    She told me they are here because Singaporeans don't like certain jobs that had to be given to Foreigners.

    I said nonsense!

    Singaporeans definitely have to have a job to be able to survive and also with this cost of high livings and also to buy their BTOs.

    Yes, certain menial jobs are shunned by the locals but why so many high paying other jobs and professions that are given to the foreigners?

    She said no comment!

    The cost of livings for Singaporeans are staggering even at least a hundred over K just for 2 roomed flexi.

    If Singaporeans are going to be just ad hoc partime Parcels and Food Delivery Jobs then how they going to survive in this environment?

    She just said no comment!

    I said MOM Minister is Tan See Leng ah?

    Its ok this coming election we shall send him packing.

    Cheers



    ReplyDelete
  4. Good luck to Su Shan, she will find herself walking into an Indian village. Hope she can turn it back into our Singapore kampong. As for Gupta, he will probably retired back to India after accumulating his wealth here. The GCB here is too expensive, he can build his castle back in his home town (at a fraction of it cost). Employ 10 of his fellow Indian as helper to serve his family without the need to pay maid levy. Buy his roll royce without the need for high coe. Best of all, his children don,t have to serve NS.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Once installed with an Indian chief the said organisation is inevitably indianised. Will need a determined new leadership to rectify.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Need to clear the swamp.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Have to clear the Swarmps. If cannot clear then be drowned by them.

    Usual case of restructuring and reforms.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Singapore where got swamp? Only ponding!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Singaporean bank for Singaporeans !

    ReplyDelete