Temasek Holdings The secret of Ho Ching's salary
Ho Ching, wife of PM Lee, was appointed as CEO of Temasek Holdings, the state sovereign fund, in 2004. 

Her salary as CEO has been a secret for 15 years. It has never been published.

Most people assumed that she must have been drawing a very high salary. Some even speculated in the tens or hundreds of millions a year. They draw parallel with the salaries paid to the CEOs of the subsidiaries that are listed in the Singapore Exchange.

How much is her salary, really?

I want to suggest a possibility that is pure speculation. I do not believe that this is the case. But it is a possibility that should be considered.

Suppose her salary is $1 a year.  Maybe not $1, but a modest sum, of a few hundred thousand dollars.

Is this possible? Why not? After all, she does not need the money. Her husband draws a handsome salary as the PM, about $2 million a year. The wealth of the family is extremely large. They live rather frugally.

Suppose she serves as CEO as a way to contribute to the country?

I like to think out of the box. I want to get evidence to confirm or reject the hypothesis. So far, I have not obtained any.

As a science advocate, I keep an open mind. I never reject a hypothesis without evidence. 

If this hypothesis turns out to be true, would it change public opinion about her and the Lee family. Would the people, who had strong feeling against LHL and his family, change their mind and realize that they are not bad after all?

Anyway, this is pure speculation.

Tan Kin Lian

Vote - do you agree that there is a small chance that Ho Ching might be receiving a modest salary as CEO of Temasek Holdings?





 

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