“On what grounds?” – Singaporeans question Mandai Park’s decision to appoint DBS CEO as board chair

SINGAPORE: The recent appointment of DBS Group CEO Piyush Gupta as the new board chairman of Mandai Park Holdings has ignited a wave of skepticism and criticism among Singaporeans online. Many are questioning the rationale behind the decision, expressing doubts about Mr Gupta’s suitability for the role.

Mandai Park Holdings, a Temasek portfolio company and the parent company of Mandai Wildlife Group, which operates Singapore’s renowned wildlife parks, announced Mr Gupta’s appointment on Friday (31 May).

The company asserting that he will bring his extensive experience to its board and contribute to its mission of promoting “sustainability, education, and conservation contributions in Singapore and across the Southeast Asia region.”

Mr Gupta said in a press statement: “I believe that along with climate change, nature and biodiversity loss are among the most pressing challenges for the planet. The Mandai Wildlife Group seeks to help find solutions to these problems.”

He added: “Being deeply committed to these causes, I am delighted to accept this appointment and to journey with the group in amplifying its influence as a bastion of good for nature.”

Public reaction to the appointment, however, has been predominantly negative. Social media platforms have been flooded with comments questioning his qualifications for the role, given his background in banking rather than environmental or educational sectors.

One Facebook user, Douglas Teck Yong Yap, asked in a comment that drew several likes: “Wtf…on what grounds? His expertise? They can’t find a single Singaporean who is qualified to hold that position?”

Christopher Puan, also on Facebook, criticized the decision by highlighting the apparent mismatch between Mr Gupta’s banking experience and the conservation-focused responsibilities of the role.

He questioned: “What a disgrace, what does a banker know about education, conservation and sustainability? Why not get a professor from NUS or NTU to sit on the board to advise on such matters? What about professionals working in NGOs focusing on these topics?”

Another Facebook user, Ong Lee Wah, raised concerns about the financial burden of Mr Gupta’s compensation, questioning its impact on the organization’s sustainability efforts: “He’s expensive just sitting on board, how to sustain paying him…not sure how he can contribute to education and conservation?”

These sentiments were echoed by others online. Some speculated, tongue in cheek, that the wildlife park prices may go up with Mr Gupta at the helm while others asked sarcastically whether his recent pay cut at DBS – due to a spate of service outages – was the reason he is now “moonlighting” at Mandai Park.

Facebook user Shafie Salleh quipped, “Be prepared for higher ticket charges soon.” In another well-liked comment on Facebook that highlighted the disconnect between the company’s decision and public perception, Jeffrey Lim said in a jibe: “Oh ya no one else in SG is capable of doing the job!”

TISG/