Three chief executives—Loh Chin Hua of Keppel Corporation, Loh Boon Chye of Singapore Exchange (SGX), and Inderbethal Singh Thakral of Thakral Corporation—were honoured with the Investors’ Choice Outstanding CEO Award by the Securities Investors Association (Singapore) on October 21. The recognition highlights their leadership in corporate governance, sustainability, transparency, and shareholder communication.
Keppel’s CEO Loh Chin Hua reflected on the company’s substantial transformation over the past decade. Keppel shifted from a conglomerate with separated businesses to a more focused, asset-light global asset manager and operator. This involved privatising certain listed entities and moving away from traditional project-based operations to owning and managing specialised assets. These strategic changes reduced Keppel’s balance sheet size, enhanced its assets under management, and enabled shareholder capital returns.
Loh underscored the importance of clear communication during multiyear transformations, noting that market trust alone is no longer sufficient; tangible, trackable milestones must be articulated to shareholders to maintain confidence. He also stressed employee engagement as critical, particularly as Keppel integrates artificial intelligence to become an “AI native” company. For Loh, successful CEOs embody agility, a can-do attitude, and the ability to unite stakeholders around a shared vision.
At SGX, CEO Loh Boon Chye has concentrated on expanding the exchange’s business and nurturing the local investment ecosystem. Key initiatives include the Value Unlock programme, which helps listed companies improve investor relations and close valuation gaps. Loh highlighted the collective industry effort in revitalising Singapore’s equities market and emphasised the need for sustained momentum to build long-term market strength.
He pointed to SGX’s broader diversification into foreign exchange and commodities—such as an expanded gold segment—as a response to an evolving global investment environment focused on portfolio risk management. Loh also emphasized the role of transparent communication in fostering good governance, where companies clearly explain their business models and strategic positioning. Regarding leadership traits, he advocated for a collaborative approach that balances decisiveness with empathy and openness to feedback.
Inderbethal Singh Thakral, CEO of Thakral Corporation, described the company’s evolution from digital cameras, a market that collapsed around 2013 with the rise of smartphone photography, to emerging sectors like drones, beauty products, fragrances, and coffee. Thakral’s portfolio also includes real estate investments in countries such as Australia and India.
Thakral attributed resilience to a long-term perspective and a recognition that challenges can create opportunities. He highlighted patience and adaptability as essential qualities for CEOs, advising against frustration in the face of setbacks while maintaining focus on future prospects. The company is considering a spin-off and separate listing of selected lifestyle business units on SGX’s mainboard to support targeted growth. To improve investor engagement, Thakral has joined the Elevate scheme under the Value Unlock programme, aiming to better articulate its strategic vision and growth plans.
Together, these CEOs embody a focus on strategic clarity, sustained communication, and adaptability as central to driving shareholder value and navigating evolving market landscapes.