Temasek hires senior managing director in critical strategic role
Temasek has hired Russell Tham as a senior managing director for its enterprise development group and its strategy office. He joined in May and is part of Temasek’s senior leadership team, according to a spokesperson for the investment firm.
Tham’s hire is proof that you do not need to have worked for another financial institution to land a senior job at Temasek. His previous role was at Singapore-based ST Engineering, where he spent two years as president for new enterprises and ventures, according to his LinkedIn profile.
This experience likely helped make Tham a good fit for his new job. Tham’s unit at Temasek, the enterprise development group (EDG), is similarly focused on “identifying and developing new business enterprises” that have the potential to be global, regional or domestic champions, according to Temasek’s website. Tham and his colleagues must also stay abreast with “innovation and macro business trends”.
EDG was founded in 2013 because Temasek wanted a separate group dedicated to new market opportunities, and focused on companies that are already operating and have strong revenue streams, but need an extra boost.
Prior to ST Engineering, Tham was at Applied Materials, the US semiconductor services giant, for more than 23 years. Tham, who has a Mechanical Engineering degree from NUS, joined the firm’s Singapore office in 1994 as regional general manager for South East Asia. He most recently spent nine years as regional president for South East Asia, and corporate VP of new growth markets.
Outside of his day jobs, Tham brings a wealth of high-level voluntary experience to his new position. He is currently a member of Singapore’s Future Economy Council, deputy chairman of the board of governors at Temasek Polytechnic, and a board member of the Energy Market Authority.
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