Condolence Messages from Our Partners
We are writing at this sad moment in the history of Singapore to express our heartfelt condolences to you, your family and your colleagues at the recent passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Few men can claim to have had a greater impact on their country, their region and indeed the world than the honorable Mr. Lee, who was a true visionary and an unparalleled leader. Though Singapore will sadly celebrate its 50th anniversary this August without the man who laid its foundations and steered it so decisively through most of its half-century of history, Mr. Lee's legacy will be evident in the formidable strength and success of Singapore and its people as it reaches this milestone. The world has much to learn from Mr. Lee's many achievements and will no doubt look to his legacy for inspiration for decades to come. Our thoughts and those of our colleagues at Partners Group are with you at this sad time.
Dr. Peter Wuffli, Andre Frei & Cristoph Rubeli
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Co-CEO & Co-CEO, Partners Group
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On behalf of the entire team at Dimensional Fund Advisors, I would like to express our deepest sorrow and condolences to the Singapore people and the Singapore Government on the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Singapore lost a hero and its founding father; the region lost a strong advocate; the world lost a visionary leader. In addition, our industry lost a strong supporter who understood that finance and investment can help grow the economy and, more importantly, improve the daily lives of ordinary citizens. There is simply no replacement for what Mr. Lee represented and what he contributed to the world. When we chose to set up our Asian office, we were attracted to Singapore because of the foundation Mr. Lee helped to build over the past 60 years - ease of doing business, rule of law, large talent pool, good infrastructure, and great living conditions for everyone. We have a lot to be thankful for because of Mr. Lee. He is truly loved by everyone he touched, and he touched many. Our employees went to pay personal tribute to Mr. Lee last Friday. Looking forward, I want to assure you that we will continue to work hard to help improve investors' investment experience and ultimately help improve ordinary people's lives. That is what Mr. Lee fought for his entire life, and that will be our goal, too.
David G. Booth
Chairman & CEO, Dimensional Fund Advisors
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It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Along with our deepest respect for his achievements, we extend our heartfelt condolences.
Yoshifumi Kato
Representative Director, President, CEO & COO, Keihan Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
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It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Lee's family and to GIC.
Masaya Ueno
President, Keihan Ryutsu Systems Co., Ltd.
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It is with deepest respect and sympathy at the loss of Mr Lee Kuan Yew that we extend our heartfelt condolences.
Kazuyuki Harada
President, Keikyu Corporation
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I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to you and the people of the Republic of Singapore on behalf of Nikko Asset Management Limited. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew will be remembered for his dedication to the prosperity of Singapore.
David J. Semaya
Executive Chairman, Nikko Asset Management Co., Ltd.
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Please accept my belated condolences on the passing of Lee Kuan Yew. His philosophical opinions will, no doubt, be judged variously, every one approving or condemning them accordingly as they happen to coincide or disagree with his own; but concerning his character and conduct there can scarcely be a difference of opinion. He was a model of discipline, integrity and consistency for all of us to admire and follow. Considered over an extended and eventful period of time and in the whole (having read during my youth each of his formative speeches, and carefully observed his achievements along the way), he approached in my mind as near to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man as perhaps the nature of human frailty and circumstance will permit. You all should be so proud to see how far Singapore has come so fast because of your generation's remarkable and enlightened leadership.
R. James Breiding
Managing Director, Naissance Capital & Author, Swiss Made
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On behalf of Apollo Management please may I pass on my deepest condolences on the passing of your Chairman and Founder, Lee Kuan Yew. It is a great loss for your nation. The country of Singapore has achieved so much to be very proud of in 50 short years. So many of these achievements are due to the vision, courage, tenacity and leadership of your modern day Founding Father and First Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He shall be remembered fondly as one of the Great Men of History who worked tirelessly for decades to improve the quality of life for all Singaporeans. It is easy to understand the spontaneous outpouring of grief that has occurred over the past few days as the People of Singapore and admirers around the world have sought to pay their last respects. He leaves behind a wonderful legacy, for all time your Minister Mentor, his values living on in the people and institutions of the great nation that he was instrumental in building.
Leon Black
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Director, Apollo Management
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In 1996, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew came to Beijing for the meeting of the International Council of JP Morgan of which he was a member. I was JP Morgan's chief representative for China at the time. Having retired from prime-minister-ship, Mr. Lee's formal title was Senior Minister. The Council members included a number of former state leaders from different countries.
Even though the program included group meetings by all Council members with Jiang Zemin, Li Peng and Zhu Rongji, China's President, Premier and Vice Premier, respectively, Mr. Lee would be whisked away during the Council meetings to privately meet with Jiang and Zhu. Nobody was surprised as all knew that Lee Kuan Yew was held in very high regard by the Chinese leaders and it was understood his advice and views were sought whenever he visited Beijing.
Lee Kuan Yew was personally very familiar with top Chinese leaders. The Council was finally invited to have an audience with Zhu Rongji, after a meeting with Jiang Zemin. As customary for such meetings in China, there are two sofa seats in the center with two rows of sofa chairs stretching out on each side, and the host and the lead guest sit in the center chairs. Mr. Zhu and Mr. Lee took the center seats, and the rest of us sat on one side and Chinese officials on the other.
After we all sat down, a young lady came in to serve tea. When she came to Mr. Lee, Zhu Rongji stopped her and said, "Please bring hot water for Mr. Lee." Apparently Zhu knew Lee preferred plain hot water to any other beverage.
That evening, we had dinner in the Great Hall of People in Beijing. My wife and I were seated at the same table with Lee Kuan Yew and his wife, among a few others. Mr. Lee and his wife were very casual and easy going in their manners and seemed enjoying our company. Although we were chatting casually, all of us at the small table of course held Mr. Lee in awe and were eager to hear him dispensing his wisdom.
At one point during the dinner, we were talking about China's economic reform and development. Then Mr. Lee remarked that it isn't very difficult for a person to rise from rags to riches in 30 years, as there are many examples of such people; but it would be very difficult for a nation to do so in just 30 years.
Of course that was exactly what Singapore had done under Mr. Lee's leadership. Lifting an entire people out of poverty into affluence in a span of 30 years was an accomplishment unrivalled by any national leader in world history.
At that point, I asked him: "Senior Minister, in those 30 years, do you think you ever made a policy mistake that you now regret?"
I felt a kick under my table, as someone must have felt my question was inappropriate. But all sat up, anxious to hear what he had to say.
To our surprise, he answered without a pause: "Yes," he said.
"What was it?" We were somewhat breathless.
"We liberated our women too early," he said.
My wife, Bin, who is usually more blunt than I am, immediately reacted, "How can you say that? Isn't that gender discrimination?"
I looked at Mr. Lee's wife. She was just sitting there, smiling.
Mr. Lee said, "You don't understand. The Chinese tradition of 3000 years cannot be changed overnight. By tradition, Chinese men don't want to marry women smarter than they are, and Chinese women don't want to marry men less smart than they are. We liberated our women and provided them with good education, but we have created a social problem. Now we have many highly educated women who cannot get married because they can't find a husband."
We all laughed. I agreed with Senior Minister. I said at JP Morgan, we also had many highly educated and very smart Chinese young ladies who did not seem able to get married.
Bin wouldn't drop the subject. She said, "Well, if I had never received a higher education and if I had just sat around at home without much to do, I probably would get bored and maybe I would go out to have an affair. If many women did that, that would destabilize families and that would create a social problem, wouldn't it."
Mr. Lee said, "You see? You say so because you are educated. If you weren't educated, you wouldn't even think about it!"
All burst out laughing.
Later someone told me that Lee Kuan Yew's wife had received better grades than him in school and he would seek her counsel even after he became Prime Minister. They were a great couple together, loving and respecting of each other. It certainly did appear that way at the dinner. I have no doubt they also tolerated each other's views even if they might not have always agreed with each other.
On another occasion, as I was walking with him, I asked him why Singapore had selected Suzhou of Jiangsu Province to build an industrial park, as opposed to Yantai of Shandong which had lobbied for the same industrial park. He told me that back in history, two thirds of all jinshi, or those who passed the highest level of imperial examinations throughout dynasties, came from Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. Therefore, those two provinces produce the most and best talents in China. And of course Suzhou is situated right in the middle of those provinces.
He explained that Singaporean Chinese are descendants of the poorest and illiterate Chinese who emigrated to the "South Sea" (another name for Southeast Asia) in the Qing Dynasty to look for a living. Genetically, the talents in China were in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other provinces. He said that Singapore was fortunate that China was in political turmoil as Singapore was developing its economy, so China was never competition. If China had opened its doors 20 years sooner, given all the talents she has, Singapore would not have had a chance to compete with her.
I could later understand Singapore's policy to offer scholarships to the best and brightest Chinese students to go to Singapore to study, with the condition that they must work there for at least two years after graduation. I heard Mr. Lee say at a conference a few years later that most of the Singaporean students who won Olympic competitions for mathematics, science, etc. were such scholarship recipients from China. Singapore was probably one of the first few countries to have adopted policies to encourage immigration by merit.
I will never forget those moments with Mr. Lee. I was deeply impressed by him because I have, in fact, never known of another world leader who speaks his mind either in public or in private, without regard for political correctness or fear of controversy. I was impressed by his powerful intellect, his knowledge of history, his keen observation and insight into the smallest social issues and his pragmatism. But more importantly, I was deeply touched by how humble he was and by the fact that he spoke as equals with everyone including this young, low-ranking banker and his even younger wife. He wasn't annoyed in the slightest when I asked him the question some would consider abrupt or even disrespectful, even when Bin challenged and argued with him. He won over all of us not by way of his authority but with his reasoning and charm.
He was a truly great man.
Weijian Shan
Chairman & CEO, PAG Group
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On behalf of Norges Bank Investment Management I wish to convey my deepest condolences to GIC and the Singaporean people on the passing of your Founding Chairman and former Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Lee will be remembered as a visionary leader who transformed Singapore into the dynamic nation it is today. He was also truly an international statesman with influence far outside Singapore's borders. Through my interaction with the people at GIC over the years I have understood what a pivotal role he played throughout the life of your organization, and I am sure his wisdom will be sorely missed. Mr Lee's legacy as a remarkable statesman and individual is sure to live on for generations. At this time of sorrow, our thoughts are with Mr Lee's family and the Singaporean people.
Yngve Slyngstad
CEO, Norges Bank Investment Management
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On behalf of all my colleagues at the Kuwait Investment Authority, please accept my sincerest condolences on the passing of your Founding Chairman, HE Lee Kuan Yew. He was a true global statesman who was the architect behind Singapore's current success. His vision of creating the GIC has been validated through the continued success of your esteemed institution. Please convey my deepest condolences to all at GIC and to the family of HE Lee Kuan Yew.
Bader M. Al Saad
Managing Director, Kuwait Investment Authority
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Please accept our deepest sympathy at the loss of former Prime Minister and GIC Founding Chairman Lee Kuan Yew. We are joined in this sentiment by Tudor colleagues in Singapore and many others globally who work with GIC's alternative investments team. Mr Lee's leadership established GIC as an innovative and exceptionally capable investor and a leader among sovereign wealth funds. We at Tudor are proud to be an investment advisor to the organization he defined and nurtured. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your GIC colleagues and the Singaporean people as this reflective time.
Paul Tudor Jones II & Mark F. Dalton,
Co-Chairman & CIO and Co-Chairman & CEO, Tudor Investment Corporation
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It is with the deepest respect and sympathy that I would like to extend my condolences on the loss of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The world has lost an exemplary leader whose breadth of vision and commitment has made Singapore what it is today. Those close to Mr Lee would not have doubted his ability and courage to achieve his goal, yet to those of us who have observed from afar, these accomplishments are all the more commendable. Modern Singapore is a testament to the vision of Mr Lee. His foresight and remarkable tenacity is echoed in all of Singapore and he has left a legacy for all to remember.
Juan Manuel San Roman Lopez
CEO of Asia Pacific, Banco Santander
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On behalf of The Norinchukin Bank, I would like to express my sincere and deep sorrow on the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The grief of your nation at the loss of its beloved founding father is profound and deeply moving to witness. Like millions the world over, we too share in this grief. Singapore has lost its most faithful and loyal of fathers who has left a precious legacy of peace, prosperity and stability for his people. He has done Singapore proud, and no nation could ask for more. The world has lost one of its most brilliant and wisest of its sons, a wise and powerful global statesman, whose life is a testimony of fortitude, dedication and integrity, and whose advice was sought by world leaders. He has done so much for Asia and Asians. A great man has passed on. We, who remain behind feel a terrible sense of loss as we say farewell to Mr Lee. Please accept our deepest condolences for your loss. We share in Singapore's national mourning. We join with the GIC community and Singapore to honour his memory and his ideals. May he rest in peace. May his ideals, vision and legacy continue to flourish and inspire generations to come.
Yoshio Kono
President & CEO, The Norinchukin Bank
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Please accept my deepest condolences to the GIC on the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, on behalf of The Norinchukin Bank, Singapore branch. We share in Singapore's grief at this great loss. Together with you, we sincerely honour the memory and achievements of Singapore's greatest icon. We have the deepest respect and admiration for this amazing man who dedicated his entire life to the founding of a nation and its continued prosperity, and achieved his goal. He served his country to the very end. Thank you, Mr Lee. May you rest in peace. May we who remain find much strength and inspiration from the life of this great man and his achievements. May we continue to contribute to Singapore.
Toru Wada
Regional Head for Asia & Oceania and General Manager, The Norinchukin Bank, Singapore Branch
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When I read the news of the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, my first thoughts went to his family members and to his team members. I did not have the honor of knowing him but I remember all the discussions I had with Kok Song and the way he was describing this unique person who built the foundations of Singapore. Over the last few days, I have understood the way Mr Lee inspired Singaporeans with all his accomplishments over the last decades. Singapore is today a unique country in the world and GIC one of the largest institutions in the industry.
Stephane Goursat
Managing Director & Head of Financial Engineering Asia Pacific Prime Services, Societe Generale
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On behalf of Wendel and its Executive Board, I would like to express our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the Prime Minister, the Lee family and to the people of Singapore on the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Lee was a true visionary and one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. More specifically, he was instrumental in establishing and fostering the strong relationship between France and Singapore, which also began with Singapore's founding in 1965. These close bilateral tires played an important role in Wendel establishing its Asia-Pacific headquarters here in 2013. Mr. Lee's remarkable achievements can be seen not only in the way that Singapore has been transformed over the past 50 years, but also in the strong spirit and deep commitment of its people, who will no doubt continue to drive the development of this unique nation.
Bruno Fritsch
CEO, Wendel Singapore Pte Ltd
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These days, we commit to memory a legacy fulfilled in the country the World recognizes as Singapore. A well-established business and financial hub today and a place which our Asia Pacific office proudly calls home. And Singapore is not the Singapore of today without the big ideas of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. I had the honour of meeting Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in 1992 during his first official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnam's Former Prime Minister (Mr. Vo Van Kiet). He inspired me with his insights and foresight but what struck me most was his unwavering determination to see Singapore succeed. I have also learned a lot from him via his books about the roadmap to building up the model Singapore. On behalf of the FPT, I extend my heartfelt and sincere condolences to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's family and to the people of Singapore.
Dr. Truong Gia Binh
Chairman, FPT Group
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On behalf of the management and staff at Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, Singapore branch, I would like to convey our most heartfelt condolences to the management and staff of GIC on the passing of the founding Chairman of GIC and the founding father of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Lee Kuan Yew was indeed a great statesman and will truly be remembered by one and all for generations to come as the remarkable leader of Singapore. Thanks to his vision, determination and leadership, Singapore is one of the most important and successful countries in the world today. Singapore may have lost its founding father, but the strong foundation that he has laid will ensure Singapore's continued success. We have full confidence that Singapore will continue to strive and grow from strength to strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with all staff of GIC and all Singaporeans during this time of sorrow.
Masaru Matsuo
Executive Officer & General Manager, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
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On behalf of my family and colleagues, I want to extend you and the GIC community our deepest sympathy for the death of the honourable Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. It is not a sad day just for Singaporeans. We are deeply saddened by the loss of a great mind that gave your country not only its independence but a firm path to intellectual, cultural and financial prosperity. His legacy as a remarkable political figure, a far-sighted strategist for Singapore as well as greater Asia and a dedicated leader for GIC as Founding Chairman shall live on with the valuable lessons he leaves behind. The example he set for world peace will not be forgotten and outlive his lifetime. All who knew him are enriched by his memory. His family, the GIC community and the people of Singapore can be justly proud of his great and timeless leadership. May his soul rest in peace.
Dr. Erman Ilicak
Chairman, Ronesans Holding A.S.
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Please allow me to express in the deepest and sincerest way possible - to you and all your colleagues at the GIC - my profound condolences over the death of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Few men in history have had such formative effects on their country and their era. The father of a great nation - the longest serving Prime Minister in history - the only leader ever to bring a country from third to first world status in a single generation - an unsurpassed orator - a family man of unmatched integrity. While the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew is impossible to overstate, it is left to those of us behind to make sure it endures. All of us at BlackRock are committed to making certain his ideals and aspirations are everlasting. It is the minimum tribute we could offer to one man who has accomplished so much.
Laurence D. Fink
Chairman & CEO, BlackRock
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We saw the news of Lee Kuan Yew's passing; this must be a sad time for Singapore to lose a Founding Father. He is an individual who had made such a significant impact and enormous contribution, not just to Singapore, but to the entire world. We at THL would like to send our deepest sympathy to the entire GIC organization. Our thoughts are with you and your countrymen.
Anthony J. DiNovi & Scott M. Sperling
Co-Presidents, THL Partners
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We would like to express our sympathies to GIC and Singapore for the recent passing of your First Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. He was truly a great man; admired by us and the world for his extraordinary accomplishments as well as his admirable and selfless love for Singapore and his countrymen. Singapore is truly lucky to have had such a leader.
L. Josephine G. Yap
President, CEO & Director, Filinvest Group
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I was greatly saddened when I received the news of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's passing. We have all benefited greatly from his vision, inspirational leadership and many contributions to Singapore and the world. He leaves behind a great legacy and although he will be greatly missed, he will never be forgotten. On behalf of all of us at BMC Software, in Singapore and worldwide, please accept my condolences.
Robert E. Beauchamp
Chairman & CEO, BMC Software
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When I heard the sad news early Monday morning, I posted a tribute to LKY on my Facebook page, and it attracted many comments from my friends. "He was one of a kind in this world", "There goes another great man! Singapore is Singapore because of you!", "The Philippines need a visionary like you!", "I could only wish that we had a leader like him", "Arguably the greatest nation builder, visionary, leader and thinker of all time", etc. I paid my respects at the Singapore Embassy this week and signed the Book of Condolences. The Embassy staff were teary-eyed, wishing they could go home to pay tribute, but were instructed to remain on station. My thoughts are with all of you at GIC during this time of loss.
Vincent S. Perez
Chairman & Founder, Merritt Partners
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Please accept my deepest condolences for your country and GIC on the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. My colleagues and I were much saddened to hear the news this morning, and would like to offer our sympathies at this time of national mourning for Singapore. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew shall forever be regarded as one of the most outstanding politicians of the 20th century. For the global financial community, he will be remembered as a brilliant financier whose unique formula made Singapore into an international business and financial center. His complete devotion to see Singapore succeed has left a distinctive mark in history, and the next generations will follow through with keeping the future bright for the country. We know that Mr. Lee will be greatly missed by your company as well. His contributions to founding GIC and making it one of the best financial institutions in the world have been immense. No doubt GIC will continue to thrive under the foundation Mr. Lee Kuan Yew has laid for the organization.
Hongchul (Hank) Ahn
Chairman & CEO, Korea Investment Corporation
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The passing of Singapore's first Prime Minister and former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is felt across the world, especially in Asia, where our mutual bonds are closest. Over the years, the enduring economic ties between Singapore and Japan have no doubt been the fruit of his endless endeavor and spirit. His visionary insight leaves behind the legacy of a first world nation in the heart of Asia and a history from which many can draw inspiration. The void remaining serves to remind us of his immense presence across the region. Please allow me to convey my condolences to your organization and join your nation in mourning as we remember this great and influential Asian leader together.
Atsushi Saito
Group CEO, Japan Exchange Group, Inc.
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I was deeply saddened by the new of the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, who had also served as the Chairman of GIC, and the Senior Advisor and Chairman of the International Advisory Board of GIC. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has described Mr. Lee Kuan Yew as "a great Asian leader who laid the foundation for the prosperity of Singapore today", a sentiment which I share as well. His leadership and vision contributed hugely to the growth of GIC and the economy of Singapore. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. joins with everyone in Singapore in honouring the life and memory of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
Takashi Hibino
President & CEO, Daiwa Securities Group Inc.
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I wanted to express my deepest condolences to you on the passing of Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. I was honored to have met him and am humbled by his ability to lead and inspire the people of Singapore. He was a man of integrity who led with conviction and purpose and left an indelible mark as a leader. He was a great example to us all and captured our hearts and minds. He will truly be missed.
Vikram Pandit
Chairman, TGG Group
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Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of Singapore's Founding Father and first Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He will always be remembered with great respect worldwide for his legacy and the great institutions he built in Singapore to guarantee lasting prosperity for its citizens.
Jeremy Llewelyn
Principal, Black River & CEO, Black River Asset Management UK Ltd
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On behalf of GE Real Estate, I would like to pass our condolences at the passing of Singapore's first prime minister and GIC's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. We have lost a true visionary and a great statesman. I would like to express my deepest sympathy for this loss.
Rush Desai
Managing Director, GE Real Estate
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The National Pension Service Fund Management Center extends our solemn condolences for the loss of your Founding Chairman and one of the most influential political figures in Asia, His Excellency Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore. His Excellency Mr. Lee Kuan Yew was not only highly respected by the people of Singapore but also a world-class leader who is credited with building Singapore into one of the wealthiest nations in the world. His charismatic and exemplary leadership will be dearly missed and we firmly believe that His Excellency Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's legacy will keep Singapore exceptional and successful for many years to come. We convey our deepest sympathy to your Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and his family and our thoughts are with you all and the people of the Republic of Singapore during this difficult time.
Wan Sun Hong
Chief Investment Officer, National Pension Service of Korea
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I wish to express my most profound condolence for the loss of ex-Prime Minister and Founding Father of the Nation, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, one of the most influential figures not only in Asia but also across the globe. I firmly believe his foundation and ideals will keep Singapore exceptional and successful for the next decades.
Lee, Yoonpyo
Managing Director &Head; of Investment Strategy, National Pension Service of Korea
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It was with great sadness that I learned about the passing away of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, founder and long-standing Prime Minister of Singapore and a most impressive personality whom I personally admired very much. His legacy is fantastic and unparalleled and I am convinced that the present generation will successfully further build on it.
I humbly allow myself to join the line of mourners and express my deep sympathy.
Dr. Joerg Wolle
President & CEO, DKSH Holding Ltd.
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My deepest condolences for the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. It's a great loss not only for Singapore, but also for the entire world and humanity. May his legacy live on.
Arif P. Rachmat
CEO, Triputra Agro
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A word of sympathy to you and your Singapore colleagues for the loss of Lee Kuan Yew. He was one of the great leaders of our time. No doubt his moral authority and courage, even in days when priorities evolve, and with a new generation, will be missed.
Andre Francois-Poncet
Senior Advisor, BC Partners
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On behalf of EIM Capital, I would like to extend my sincerest condolences on the passing of the Honorable Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. We are confident that the legacy of Mr. Lee will be remembered for generations to come. Mr. Lee was an example to the international community of leadership and long-term vision, which allowed him to help build the pillars of modern Singapore and transform it into an example for all nations around the world. We are honored to have such a high example of fortitude and determination towards economic development and prosperity in his co-nationals, whom will sustain his legacy for many generations to come. Please accept our deepest sympathy.
Francisco de la Concha Hamdan
CEO, EIM Capital
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On behalf of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, I would like to extend our deepest condolences for the passing of Lee Kuan Yew. We share in the sadness of the people of Singapore for the loss of one of the great leaders of our time. He was a true visionary who lay the foundation for what is now one of the great financial centres of the world. His work in establishing GIC is but just one testament to his considerable foresight. As the founding Chairman of GIC, Mr. Lee showed the world the immense value in long-term investing, and for this we at CPPIB are truly grateful. Mr. Lee will be sincerely missed.
Mark Wiseman
President & CEO, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
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Mr. Lee Kuan Yew was a pioneering leader and an inspiration to many. His passion, commitment and vision are well-known. He is aptly accredited for Singapore's clean governance and economic liberalization. It is his progressive views, charismatic leadership and valorous spirit to do what is right for the nation that makes Singapore an admired international business and financial center. I was fortunate enough to have met Mr. Lee Kuan Yew on a number of occasions in Singapore and India. To this day, I remember and cherish some of those special moments. Please accept my sincere condolences. He will be fondly remembered as one of the greatest statesmen that the world has ever seen.
Deepak S. Parekh
Chairman, HDFC Ltd & Member, GIC International Advisory Board
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I've spent the evening reading the continuing media coverage of Lee Kuan Yew and his life-long contribution to Singapore and wanted to simply say that I am sincerely sorry for your loss. I know that, in addition to all the great many things he built and achieved, Mr. Lee was the founding chairman of GIC and played a key role in your organization for many years. I covered Mr. Lee as a journalist in the early 1990s when he travelled in Southeast Asia. And I watched Singapore go from strength to strength over the years, often in contrast to its neighbours. Please accept my condolences and know that while not Singaporean, I join you in honouring Mr. Lee's vision, commitment and the legacy of success that he left in the Singapore of today.
Michael Di Cicco
Partner, Head of APAC Private Equity & Real Estate
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We are very saddened to hear of the passing on Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He was admired as an inspirational leader and the 'father' of Singapore's prosperity and positioning globally as a country of strength and influence. Our condolences and thoughts are with you both, as well as with GIC and the people of Singapore more broadly.
Andrew Roberts, Robert Bakewell and Steve Ashe
Managing Director & CEO, CFO and General Manager, Investor Relations & External Affairs
Arrium Mining and Materials
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My condolences on Singapore's loss. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew was a strong leader - his legacy will live on for years to come.
Gary Cohn
President & COO, Goldman Sachs
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It is with deep sadness I share the sorrow of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's passing. GIC was born on his vision and the tenets of thrift, value and strong governance that is the foundation of Singapore's success.
Shanti Sen
Partner, EFP Capital LLP
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I should like to express my sincere condolences at the passing of Lee Kuan Yew. I believe he was one of the world's greatest leaders of the twentieth century, who made a difference to so many people's lives, who achieved and inspired generations and whose legacy will live on in the memories of a nation. My thoughts are with you, your family and Singapore at this sad time.
Patrick Ward
Senior Partner & Chairman, UK and Middle East, Partners Group
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I can't let this day pass without honoring Lee Kuan Yew, a great man whom I have followed and admired for nearly 50 years. He was an iconic hero-a character right out of "The Hero with a Thousand Faces"-a role model for leadership whose memory should be maintained so that one can use it to compare others to as a means of maintaining high standards. At this time of his passing, a memory of a dinner I was lucky enough to have had with him at my house comes back like a savored treasure that I know there will be no more of. While it occurred a couple of years ago when his health was failing, he was as bright as ever. A couple of other luminaries who I invited and who had also personally known most of the world's leaders over the last several decades joined me in talking with him about leadership. What we were most interested in was who he thought were the greatest leaders since World War II and why. We asked him because we all agreed that he was one of the greatest leaders of all time and he personally knew all of the major world leaders. He covered all the major ones, both past and current. He was very frank, very logical, and very unconventional in his choices and explanations, so his answers were both surprising and insightful. I won't delve into them all, but I will say that he said Deng Xiaoping was the greatest leader of our lifetimes and explained why. We all could see it and agreed. He explained his criteria, noting that you have to judge the quality of leaders based on how they perform in their circumstances and not by how well they are operating according to the rules that we in the Western democracies have come to take for granted. He explained that leading countries with advanced economies and working legal systems is very different from leading countries where laws are weak and can't be relied on and the power game must be played differently (like Russia and China). We learned a great deal more from him that night that I won't get into. His passing will lead me to reread his thoughts in his words. These gifts are invaluable and there for the taking. I highly recommend them. And I hope we won't lose the memory of this great man who we should use as a point of reference to compare our other leaders to.
Ray Dalio
Founder & CEO, Bridgewater Associates
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We were both saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Besides his role as a key Asian Statesman and Singapore's founding Prime Minister that is extensively written about, we will remember Mr. Lee as the founding Chairman of GIC. Under his stewardship, we watched with admiration GIC's growth through many of the great economic cycles to become one of the largest and most successful sovereign wealth funds in the world. GIC's focus on fundamentals and long-term investing is a legacy of Mr. Lee's legendary far-sighted view. It was under his Chairmanship that GIC became one of our largest and most supportive Partners through the years. We know he will be greatly missed by the GIC family. On behalf of TPG, we wanted to record our deepest condolences and join you and all Singaporeans in remembering Mr. Lee and all that he built over the years through his dedicated and visionary leadership.
David Bonderman & Jim Coulter
Founding Partners, TPG Capital
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I was very saddened to learn of the Minister Mentor's passing. I got to know him through my friend Henry Kissinger. We had a number of lunches and dinners together on his trips to NY over the last 15-20 years. I admired him greatly. I believe I told you a long time ago how impressed I was with his analysis of how we Americans and other Western countries just missed 100% on how to deal with the Moslem world. He suggested strongly we should be focusing on befriending the moderate community instead of fighting the right and the left. He was right then and of course the position is still correct today as time has proven out. He is a big loss to Singapore and leaves a big vacuum in the world's leadership. This a very sad moment for all of us!
Jerry Speyer
Chairman & Co-CEO , Tishman Speyer
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Please allow me to join you and the people of Singapore in mourning the passing of Mr. Lee. I personally believe that Mr. Lee not only founded Singapore as a country and advanced the quality of life for the Singaporean people, he also created a country of global significance and influence, and created a model for future governance which people around the world, both the East and the West, will continue to benefit in many years to come. I still remember the passing of Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1976 when I was two years old, and very vividly those white paper flowers and white ribbons draping over trees and buildings all over China, and the heavy emotional weight draping over people's hearts, when a beloved and iconic leader left us. Like Premier Zhou, it is in people's hearts Mr. Lee will forever live.
Kevin Lu
CEO, Singapore, Partners Group
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It was with great sadness that I heard the news of Lee Kuan Yew's passing this morning. He was an extraordinary man of passion, commitment and vision and the world will be a poorer place without him. I've been privileged to spend a year in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore and what this nation has achieved in 50 years is nothing short of miraculous. His legacy is a great and enduring one. My colleagues join me in sending you our deepest condolences and best wishes.
Mark Hanson
Partner, Hakluyt & Company
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Our partners and everyone here at STIC Investments, Inc. have learned with great sorrow of the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, whom we all in Korea recognize as the founding father of Singapore and respected as the architect of Singapore's prosperity. We wish to convey our most profound feeling of sadness for all the people of Singapore. Please accept our heartfelt sympathy and condolences for the passing of an extraordinary statesman.
Sam (Sang Bok) Lee and Min Su Sung
Executive Managing Partner and Managing Director
STIC Investments Inc.
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My warmest condolences to you all on this evening where Singapore's father passed away. Lee Kuan Yew's vision and leadership will live on in Singapore's continued success for generations.
Thorkild Juncker
Partner, Capula Investment Management LLP
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We are saddened to hear the news on LKY's passing this morning. The world has lost a visionary leader and of course for Singaporeans, the loss of a great fatherly figure! Our sincere condolences!
Stephen S.S. Wong
Chairman, Chongbang Holdings (International) Limited
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Many thanks for reaching out to us with the sad news, and for enclosing the beautiful words of appreciation for Mr Lee Kuan Yew's contributions to GIC. Please accept my sincere condolences. I will always treasure the talk with him over a dinner in 2007, when GIC hosted the meetings of CIO's from Harvard, Stanford and NBIM. I could sense a unique visionary intellect and passion for governance with integrity and quality, and also a very nice and caring person. I thought Singapore was so incredibly fortunate; a small country that thrived with the leadership of a global giant.
Knut N. Kjaer
Executive Chairman, Trient Asset Management & Member, GIC International Advisory Board
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Sincere condolences to you and all citizens of Singapore. Lee Kuan Yew was among the greatest leaders produced by the twentieth century. I will always prize the memories of the few times I got to speak with him.
Lloyd C. Blankfein
Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs
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I am very, very sad to learn of the news of the death of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. He has been an extraordinary role model to so many people within Singapore; and in turn Singapore has been an extraordinary role model to so many developing/emerging economies as a result of his visionary leadership. My thoughts and prayers are with your colleagues and the people of Singapore.
John Studzinski
Vice Chairman, Investor Relations & Business Development, Blackstone
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On behalf of all of us at Eagle Capital I offer our condolences on the passing Lee Kuan Yew. To those of us observing from outside Singapore, Mr. Lee was a true statesman with profound long-term vision and influence. We are sorry for your loss personally and professionally.
John Holman
Managing Director, Eagle Capital Management
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It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of the founding Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Lee was widely respected as a visionary leader. He transformed Singapore from a tiny nation state with no natural resources to a globally recognised financial powerhouse and thriving trade hub with a successful economy. On a personal note, having lived in Singapore for more than 11 years in total and having read many of his literature, I have always expressed great admiration for this remarkable leader. So, for many years now I have strongly advocated Singapore as a city for us to invest and grow. The progressive deterioration of his health has been on my mind. As such I too visited Singapore General Hospital last Sunday, one day before PMO announced his passing as with many others concerned over his well-being, with a personal well-wishing bouquet to express my concern. It is very sad not only for all Singaporeans but also for all the people in Asia and around the world that we have lost one of the greatest men Asia has ever produced in history. But he was respected all over the world. We pray that his soul may rest in peace and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Singapore.
Masayuki Shimura
Head of Asia Pacific Division, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
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Please accept this condolence letter on our behalf. We are saddened by the loss to Singapore but also to the world, which has lost an example of leadership and a symbol of Singapore, an example to all nations, especially ours.
Francisco de la Concha Hamdan
CEO, EIM Capital
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On behalf of Baring Vostok, I wanted to pass on our condolences at the passing of Singapore's first Prime Minister. He was truly one of the greatest leaders of the last century, and an inspiration for everyone.
Michael Calvey
Founder, Baring Vostok Capital Partners
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I am very sorry to hear about Lee Kuan Yew's death. The world lost a true visionary, the wisest of leaders and a great statesman. You might not recall, but about three years ago you invited me, along with Larry Fink and Kevin Warsh, to have lunch with Lee Kuan Yew in your offices in New York. It was a special honor to meet him and hear his keen insights and deep wisdom. Thank you for this amazing gift.
Tony James
President, Blackstone
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I just wanted to express my sympathies for the passing of your founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. I'm sure this is a reflective week for everyone in Singapore but hopefully one filled with many positive memories of his wonderful accomplishments. I wanted you to know that my thoughts are with you.
Karen Seitz
Founder & Managing Director, Fusion Partners
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It is with great sadness that I have learnt this morning about the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The press, the journalists and major leaders all over the world are unanimous to praise his stateman's vision and his unique role in the history of Singapore. To me, Mr Lee Kuan Yew was an inspiring figure, especially in the way he brought together a leading independent nation with strong values of education and discipline. I will remember this inspiration. Today, I would like to express my deepest sympathy, along with all Ardian employees, for this loss.
Dominique Senequier
CEO, Ardian
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