14/12/2021

Forbes names Ho Ching as 33rd most powerful woman in the world


#33 Ho Ching:
  • Ho Ching was the CEO of Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek from 2004 to 2021, and helped its portfolio grow to more than $313 billion.
  • In October 2021, Ho Ching was named the next chairman of the Temasek Trust, the entity responsible for Temasek's philanthropic endowments.
  • Temasek was one of the main investors in a $14 billion dollar fundraising round by Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba.
  • Ho is also the wife of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.


The only Singaporean on the list

Coming in at No. 33 on the list is Ho Ching, the only Singaporean on Forbes’ list. While most of us might know her as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s wife, Ho Ching was the CEO of Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek.

She has helped Temasek’s portfolio grow to more than S$381 billion. After 17 years at helm, she stepped down from her role on October 1. She was subsequently announced to be the next chairman of the Temasek Trust, the entity responsible for Temasek’s philanthropic endowments — a role which she will assume in April 2022.

Last year, Ho Ching was also named the 20th most powerful woman outside of the United States by Fortune. It was not her first time on the list — she has consistently appeared on the list for the past five years — ranking eighth in 2016 and 2018, 10th in 2017, and 19th in 2019.


Ho Ching Ranks #33 In Forbes’ World’s Most Powerful Women 2021 List

Ho Ching is best known as Temasek CEO until Oct 2021, as well as being the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. She is also the only Singaporean to be listed on Forbes’ “
The World’s Most Powerful Women 2021” list. Last year, she made it to #30 on the list.

Ho Ching, who stepped down as Temasek CEO in Oct, became the chairman of Temasek Trust, which handles philanthropic endowments. According to a press release, Temasek Trust strives to deliver sustainable funding for the long term well-being and security of communities.

The 68-year-old served as Temasek CEO from 2004, where she handled investments worth billions. Its portfolio has grown to more than $313 billion, according to Forbes.


Ho Ching world's 33rd most powerful woman in 2021
Ho Ching is ranked 33rd on Forbes' list of the world's most powerful women in 2021

The ranking, released on Dec. 7, lists the top 100 women who "are rewriting the rules of business, finance and politics". Ho is listed as the Director of Temasek Trust, a role she took on after stepping down as CEO of Temasek Holdings on Oct. 1 this year. She is also the only Singaporean on the list.

Ho helped Temasek's portfolio grow to "more than US$313 billion (S$427 billion)" when she was CEO, according to her profile on Forbes. Forbes also noted that she is the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Her 33rd placing this year falls slightly behind her 30th placing she received in the 2020 ranking. She has consistently made the list since 2004, according to The Straits Times. At her peak, Ho was ranked third in 2007.


Ho Ching continues to slip down Forbes’ Most Powerful Women list
Though no longer in the top 20, Ho Ching has been ranked on Forbes woman power list every year since she first made it there in 2004

Madam Ho Ching, who recently retired as CEO of Temasek Holdings after 17 years with the sovereign wealth fund, has slid down the Forbes’ Most Powerful Women list for the third year in a row. In 2018, she was ranked 17th, her highest placing on the Forbes list since she was first listed in 2004. She has made the list every single year since.

She stepped down from being CEO of Temasek Holdings on Oct 1, and the same day, Temasek Trust announced that she had been appointed to its board of directors. On  April 1, 2022, she is to succeed the current chairperson, a former senior cabinet minister Mr S Dhanabalan.

She has been on Forbes’ list for 17 of the 18 years since it was first published. Here are her rankings in the past five years:
  • 2017—28th
  • 2018—17th
  • 2019—23rd
  • 2020—30th
  • 2021—33rd


Two Singaporeans in Forbes list of 100 powerful women of 2016
Temasek Holdings chief executive Madam Ho Ching (left) and GGV Capital managing partner Jenny Lee (right) were featured on the Forbes list of 100 powerful women of 2016. PHOTOS: ST FILE, GGV CAPITAL

Forbes magazine released its annual list of 100 most powerful women of 2016, which features two Singaporean names among familiar and upcoming industry leaders in the field of business, entreprenuership, investing, science and philanthropy etc.

Temasek Holdings chief executive Madam Ho Ching, 63, has featured on the list every year since its inception in 2004. This year, she was ranked at No. 30, jumping 15 spots from last year's ranking, despite taking a sabbatical from the investment firm.

Madam Ho Ching has helped guide Temasek to a US$266 billion portfolio by last year, Forbes said, adding that the company has recently signaled its desire to look for opportunities in Europe.


Fortune Names Ho Ching 20th Most Powerful Woman Outside Of US
© Provided by Vulcan Post Fortune Names Ho Ching 20th Most Powerful Woman Outside Of US - Only S'porean To Make The Cut

Fortune has released the 2020 edition of its Most Powerful Women Outside the United States, where a total of 50 women were shortlisted.

The top three on the list are: Emma Walmsley from the United Kingdom, who is also the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, Jessica Tan, CEO of China’s Ping An Group, and Ana Botín, Executive Chairman of Spain’s Banco Santander.

According to Fortune, it “scans the globe” every year, to highlight the most powerful women in business based outside the United States. The list was created 20 years ago, and takes into consideration the size and health of a woman’s business, the arc of her career, as well as her societal and cultural influence.


After 17 years as CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ms Ho Ching finally stepped down on 1 Oct 2021
We look back at her journey from being "Student of the Year" at National Junior College to marrying Singapore's Prime Minister.


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