Tin Pei Ling steps down from Grab

Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling has stepped down as director of corporate development at Grab after just eight months in the role, according to a post by Tin on LinkedIn. She will be moving on to a more external-facing and commercial role in the tech sector from 1 October this year.

"It has been an invaluable experience for me at Grab, as it was an opportunity for me to return to the private sector, to broaden my horizons, hone new skills and allow me to make a contribution in a different way," Tin wrote. "I admire Grab’s social mission – 'to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone'."

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She explained that in her time with Grab, she has had the privilege of meeting many talented Grabbers and has been involved in several projects. "These are meaningful experiences and memories that I will continue to hold dear and be thankful for," she said. 

As she leaves Grab, Tin will be joining a fintech company that aims to pioneer innovative advancements in the payment industry, she said. "I will take on a leadership role in strategic partnerships and business development. I am excited that this new role will give me the opportunity to support the company’s product innovation efforts and expansion into key Asia-Pacific markets," she said. 

Tin's move comes months after public outcry regarding her appointment at Grab. In February this year, Tin joined Grab Singapore as its director of Public Affairs and Policy. A Grab spokesperson confirmed the news to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

The spokesperson added that Tin has deep on-ground understanding of digital economy and smart nation policy, and close ties with the local community. “She will build partnerships and programmes to harness the positive potential of technology to create impact in Singapore,” he said.

However, shortly after, she was moved to a corporate development role within the tech giant following debates on social media about her appointment as the company’s director of public affairs and policy. The news was announced by Tin on her social media accounts as well as in a statement by Grab that Tin posted on her page. Tin wrote on her LinkedIn page that following the recent public attention, she discussed the issue with Grab and agreed that it would be best for her to move into a role that did not involve any government relations in Singapore.

The company said it had come to a "mutual agreement" with Tin on her revised role, after discussions on her career aspirations and evaluating her experience against relevant open roles. “I understand and have long come to accept the public scrutiny that comes with being an MP. But I would never want it to hinder my ability to serve my constituents well as MP, or to do my job at Grab effectively. And this would be the case if my intentions and actions in the future are always called into doubt, whether justified or not,” Tin wrote. She then announced that she will be moving into a new role as director, corporate development.

She added at the point that it was a role that is aligned to her career interests and that will also tap on her past experiences in consulting and corporate strategy.

Prior to joining Grab, Tin, who is the MP for MacPherson, served as the chief executive officer at Business China, a local non-profit organisation that aims to foster Singapore-China relationships. She was in this role since 2018. In a LinkedIn post at the time, Tin announced that she was leaving Business China but that she would be serving on its board and continuing to walk alongside the organisation in the years to come.

Tin also served as the keynote speaker during MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Digital Marketing Asia 2022 conference. During the conference, she noted that the upheavals in the tech scene can be somewhat unsettling. She said that although the world is experiencing "very painful times of deep crisis at this moment", there is always hope and tech industries and firms should take heart.

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