MP Tin Pei Ling leaves Grab after seven months; will join fintech

MEMBER of Parliament (MP) Tin Pei Ling is leaving Grab after seven months on the job, to join a payments-focused fintech company from Oct 1. Her departure follows a public outcry in February over potential conflicts of interest in her role at the ride-hailing company.

Announcing the move in a LinkedIn post on Thursday (Aug 17), Tin said that she will take on a leadership role in strategic partnerships and business development at the unnamed fintech company. She described this as “a more external-facing and commercial role in the tech sector”.

Tin’s initial appointment at Grab in January, as Singapore director of public affairs and policy, drew a public backlash. When it came to light the following month, many people raised questions about potential conflicts of interest with an MP serving as the tech company’s government liaison.

About a week later, Grab announced that Tin would switch to a new role involving corporate development. This was to include “realising synergies across our investments and acquisitions, as well as supporting strategy development”, the company said then.

In her Thursday LinkedIn post, Tin thanked Grab colleagues and said that she looks forward to helping the fintech company in its “product innovation efforts and expansion into key Asia-Pacific markets”. She added that she would share more details after Oct 1.