TEMASEK Holdings chief executive Ho Ching yesterday dismissed rumours in the market about why CEO-designate Charles ‘Chip’ Goodyear had decided not to take the top post.  ‘I think there has been a lot of speculation,’ she said, in her first public words on the topic since Temasek’s shock announcement last week of Mr Goodyear’s resignation. 

Source: ST

Ms Ho was responding to a question at Wednesday’s annual IPS Corporate Associates Lunch, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).  Singapore has been abuzz with speculation over the reasons of Nr Goodyear’s departure.  News agency Reuters reported that Mr Goodyear’s decision was probably made after a board meeting this month at which he suggested proposals and changes that the board did not agree on.

The Wall Street Journal also ran an article citing sources within Temasek who said Mr Goodyear, trying to instil tighter discipline, had fined people for showing up late to internal meetings and had prohibited them from typing messages on their BlackBerrys during meetings.

Temasek had not responded to these rumours and has so far remained tight-lipped on the differences.  In the light of this lack of transparency, one cannot help but be tickled by Miss Ho’s comments:  ‘We look at this speculation sometimes with irritation and sometimes with amusement because all of it is very far away from the truth, including those sources who claimed to be familiar with the situation.’

Miss Ho, why be irritated if you choose to withhold information?  Or do you take delight in our confusion?  Sorry, but we don’t exist for your amusement.

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