Saddened by the news of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s passing, by Sunny Verghese, Olam International

    Blog

    All at Olam are deeply saddened by the news of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s passing this morning in Singapore.

    Mr. Lee, the Founding Father of Singapore was a visionary leader whose impact on Singapore has been profound and transformational. His farsightedness, example, and sacrifice have created the Singapore miracle which, in my view, will endure for generations. His long-term vision, nation building, fostering a culture of meritocracy, building a green Singapore, and institutionalising a succession plan were some of the hallmarks of what made the real difference and set him apart as a rare leader.

    As we come to terms with the loss of this once in a generation leader, we at Olam will strive to keep his legacy alive and honour his spirit. May his soul rest in peace.

    Author

    Sunny Verghese Executive Director, Co-Founder and Group CEO

    Sunny Verghese was with the Kewalram Chanrai Group (KC Group) for over two decades and in 1989 was mandated to start the Company with a view to building an agricultural-products business for the KC Group. Before joining the KC Group, he worked for Unilever in India. Mr Verghese previously chaired CitySpring Infrastructure Management Pte Ltd, a listed Business Trust in Singapore and was also a Commissioner of the Business & Sustainable Development Commission (BSDC). He has won several awards including ‘Outstanding Chief Executive’ at theSingapore Business Awards in 2007, ‘Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ for Singapore in 2008 and ‘Best CEO of the Year 2011’ at the Singapore Corporate Awards. He was also awarded the Public Service Medal by the Government of the Republic of Singapore in 2010.

    At the beginning of 2018, Sunny Verghese officially took up his role as the new Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the global, CEO-led organisation dedicated to accelerating the transition to a sustainable world.

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