PAP MP Tin Pei Ling steps down from Grab’s Corporate Development role to pursue new tech sector leadership position

SINGAPORE: Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling has officially stepped down from her position as the director of Corporate Development at Grab after serving eight months in the role.

Through a post on her LinkedIn profile, she conveyed this choice and revealed her move to a career role in a tech sector that places a stronger emphasis on external interactions and commercial responsibilities.

The People’s Action Party (PAP) MP for Macpherson SMC expresses that “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 also noted her appreciation for Grab’s social mission, which centres on propelling Southeast Asia’s progress by fostering economic empowerment for all.

She stated that during her time at Grab, she had the privilege of meeting many talented “Grabbers” with exceptional personalities and actively participating in several of their projects. “These are meaningful experiences and memories that I will continue to hold dear and be thankful for,” she said.

Tin mentioned that she will soon be joining a fintech company that aims to pioneer innovative advancements in the payment industry.

She explained that she will take on a leadership role in the strategic partnership and business development of the company. “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,” Tin shared on her post.

Her employment is set to begin on the 1st of October this year.

Tin’s previous redeployment by Grab

Previously, Tin had originally joined Grab Singapore as its director of Public Affairs and Policy, on Feb this year,

This decision was said to be largely influenced by her comprehensive grasp of the digital economy and smart nation policy from a grassroots perspective, as well as her strong connections with the local community.

“She will build partnership and programmes to harness the positive potential of technology to create impact in Singapore,” as reported by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE by a spokesperson.

However, shortly after that, she was redeployed to a different department by Grab Singapore due to public opinion over potential conflicts of interest that could arise from her dual roles as a Member of Parliament and as the Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Grab.

She shared the announcement on her social media profiles and also made it known through a statement by Grab that Tin posted on her LinkedIn page.

Tin explained that after the recent increase in public attention, she engaged in discussions with Grab and together they concluded that it would be most suitable for her to transition to a position that doesn’t entail any involvement in government relations in Singapore.

“I informed the PAP of my possible employment and nature of the role at Grab in mid 2022, and then formally informed the PAP in September 2022 about my appointment. They did not object.” She said. “(However) following the recent public attention, Grab and I discussed and agreed that it would be best for me to move into a role that did not involve any government relations in Singapore.”

“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.”

Subsequent to that announcement, Ms Tin revealed her plans to transition to a fresh role as the Director of Corporate Development instead. She said that it is a position that corresponds with her career interests and will leverage her previous experiences in consulting and corporate strategy.

Prior to this, Tin used to serve as the chief executive officer at Business China, a Singapore non-profit organisation cultivating Singapore-China relationships and headed by PAP Ministers and MPs.

She also spent a year as group director of corporate strategy at Jing King Technology Group, now known as Adera Global from May 2017 to May 2018. The Singapore global company is involved in data security, artificial intelligence and automation.

Tin had spent a couple of years as a full-time MP at Marine Parade GRC after she was elected to Parliament in 2011 and resigned from her job at Ernst and Young.

She has been a Member of Parliament in Singapore since 2011, and currently serve as the Chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Communications & Information, and is a member of the GPC for Culture, Community & Youth.