StanChart on marathon trail for 20 years and counting

THE Marina Bay area will be abuzz with energy throughout the first weekend of December, with some 4,000 people set to take part in 2 days of in-person races at this year's Standard Chartered (StanChart) Singapore Marathon.

Thousands of other runners have already been taking part in different virtual race categories since Nov 3, as the country's largest mass participation sports event takes on a hybrid format for the second straight year due to the pandemic.

But while the look, feel and scale of Singapore's marquee running event isn't quite the same as in the pre-Covid era, what has remained constant all this while is the identity of the event's title sponsor. This year marks the 20th year that StanChart has supported and collaborated with the Singapore Marathon, with the current sponsorship deal lasting until the 2023 edition.

Over coffee at his office, BT Weekend met Patrick Lee - Standard Chartered Bank's Cluster CEO of Singapore and Asean markets - to find out more about this long-standing partnership and his views on how the event has flourished over the years.

Not many sponsors stay on with a single event for 3 or 5 years, much less 20. What's your take on how the association with the marathon has helped the brand grow over these past couple of decades?

We feel very privileged and honoured to have this 20-year history, and it's been nice to see how it has grown in size and relevance - from 6,000 in the first year to 50,000 people at its peak.

The marathon ties in to so many of our values and what we stand for as a bank, our work with the community, and our support for Singapore. We're also probably the oldest bank in the country - we've been around for 160 years - so it's also about the values of longevity and resilience.

To us, marathons represent resilience, going the distance, and determination - and these are all traits that we value and want to be associated with. Sports also foster unity, and it's very important in times like these, and the Singapore Marathon is an important community event.

Yes, it has grown to become a much more inclusive event that everyone can be a part of.

Everyone can participate and enjoy the run. It's open to all, and you don't need any special equipment to be involved - just get a pair of shoes and you're ready to go.

We have constantly looked at opportunities to innovate and experiment with different formats, including introducing the (first) night race (in 2019), to allow it to stay inclusive and enjoyable for both our local and international running community.

Even in a pandemic, the marathon was still held - in different circumstances - in 2020.

Last year, we quickly pivoted to virtual activities to continue keeping runners engaged during challenging times.

(Going ahead with the 2020 edition of the marathon) was a real test and challenge. We could have easily given up and said it's too difficult. But (all the stakeholders) came together and asked how do we make it better, and how do we still carry on?

In the end, we had 100,000 participants over a 6-month period and we still managed to do a virtual run on the actual day. And in line with our Futuremakers community strategy, we donated S$1 million to the Digital for Life national movement, which was raised at last year's marathon grand finale.

With the current 4-year deal lasting until 2023, what would it take to extend the sponsorship?

We have to ask ourselves - as any organisation or sponsor would - is the relevance there? Does this event make a difference, and is it something that aligns with our values?

Generally, whenever it has come to that stage, so far we have said yes. We were very proud to have carried on with the last extension. So at the next review point, we have to sit back and evaluate. But assuming that it still ticks all the boxes, there's no reason why we wouldn't look at doing it again.

In February, it was announced the Singapore Marathon was no longer in the running to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the grouping of the most renowned races in the world. Does this affect the standing and prestige of the event, you think?

It's not the end of the world. We went many years without (that status), and grew from 6,000 to 50,000 runners. It's something nice to have, but we have other priorities to deal with. We have been able to attract very good international runners to Singapore, and we've seen very strong local and regional participation too. I don't think it detracts from the popularity and interest - both from amateur and professional runners.

How have you kept up with your own fitness routine over these past 20 months or so?

I'm quite fortunate to have gotten into a regular running and exercise regime, even before Covid. Exercise has become more important - not just for physical well-being, but also for mental wellness. It helps me deal with stress, and it was a stressful time for a lot of us. I carried on with my regular runs and exercise, and it made me appreciate other things in life too. Since we can't travel for a holiday, we also have time to do more things at home and we value our close friendships a lot more.