Foo Mee Har
Encyclopedia
Foo Mee Har is a Singapore
an Member of Parliament
for West Coast GRC. She is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committees of both: 1) Finance and Trade & Industry; and 2) Manpower.
Foo was elected MP in May 2011, standing as one of the five People's Action Party
(PAP) candidates for the West Coast GRC, which garnered 66.6 per cent of votes, winning by a majority of 33.1 per cent or 36,070 votes.
Foo Mee Har is the Global Head of Priority & International Banking, Standard Chartered Bank
. She joined the Bank in 1994 and has since held a number of senior roles across businesses & functions.
in 2010, and was unveiled as PAP's first new female candidate for the Singapore general election, 2011. Foo was the second batch of three new candidates being introduced at the PAP's headquarters in Bedok. During her introduction, Foo said that living abroad gave her the opportunity "to really reflect on Singapore, its government, systems and its processes" and appreciate its unique strengths
In her first rally speech, Foo called on Singaporeans to remember the PAP's track record, and asked Singaporeans to trust the abilities of PAP leaders to lead Singapore out of the many future challenges.
Foo had taken part in various community events and Meet-the-People Sessions
(MPS). Describing her first MPS session as "wonderful" and a "defining moment", Foo said she was inspired by volunteers who paid great attention while listening to the needs of the residents.
In her 1st 30 days as MP, Foo wrote about setting up Ayer Rajah
as a new division, since its merger with West Coast in 2006. She mentioned that she was most encouraged to have grassroots leaders & volunteers who came forward to help set up the new branch.
Besides building the team, Foo mentioned that she also focused efforts on the training of volunteers, reviewing Ayer Rajah
’s community outreach programs to ensure it reaches a wide spectrum of people in the constituency, forming task forces to resolve key local issues and continuing to refine Ayer Rajah
’s weekly MPS process to allow for more personal and quality time for Ayer Rajah residents.
Women's Wing. She was one of the two new office holders inducted into its executive committee, during the Women's Wing investiture in January 2011.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia
, she said, "As a professional woman, I'm hoping that I can contribute to the women's agenda in Singapore. I'm a banker by profession, so hopefully this network can help me reach out to women, especially the professional women, and understand their issues."
, Malaysia (1973–1982) and Loreto Normanhurst
, Sydney
, Australia
(1983–1985). In 1989, she was awarded with a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree by the University of New South Wales
, Australia
, graduating with First Class Honours.
.
Standard Chartered’s Priority Banking has a presence in 26 markets across Asia
, Africa
and the Middle East
, providing a total banking relationship programme to cater to the financial needs of affluent individuals. Foo noted that “by taking a customer-focused approach”, Standard Chartered is “seeing customers voting with their accounts”. Under Foo's leadership, Priority Banking relaunched in 20 markets, customers grew 39%, and customer satisfaction increased by 35% over a year.
In March 2011, Foo was featured in Sunday Times’ Women At The Top series, an eight-part weekly series on successful women in Singapore.
In the interview, Foo revealed how she handled different roles with equanimity, with the writer noting that she had handled at least 10 different portfolios - from human resource to consumer banking to being chief executive officer (CEO) of the bank's operations in Thailand from 2006 to 2008.
In the same interview, Foo spoke about her idea of leadership, which is 'having a vision, making people believe in that vision, and directing their energy into making that vision happen'. Foo added that “good leaders help people achieve what they want, great leaders bring people to achieve what they thought was not possible” and said she preferred the adjective 'achievement-oriented' over 'ambitious' to describe herself.
From 2006-2008, she was President & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) pcl with overall responsibility for the Bank in Thailand. In the bank’s Annual Report for 2006, Foo mentioned that Standard Chartered Bank (Thail) had delivered a set of robust results, with a net profit of Baht 3,008 million, a 63 per cent increase from Baht 1,848 million. Foo also oversaw the successful integration of Standard Chartered Bangkok Branch and Standard Charted Nakornthon Bank to better serve its customers.
From 2003-2005, Mee Har was appointed the Country Head of Consumer Banking in China, spearheading the growth of the Consumer Banking franchise in China.
Mee Har started her career in 1990 as a Management Consultant with Coopers and Lybrand Management Consultants (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) and PA Consulting Group. She later joined Jardine’s shipping group as the Head of HR.
Foo has been an active champion of employee volunteerism, spearheading participation in a wide range of community programs, including advocacy, outreach and fund-raising for causes such as avoidable blindness, HIV/AIDs and healthy living. She started the inaugural “Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon”, which has become one of the largest sporting events.
She became Singapore citizen in January 2008 after her stint of overseas postings (2003–2008), when she was eligible to apply for citizenship. Foo spoke about 'Singapore being home for the last 21 years' and that she 'want to make a difference to the lives of Singaporeans'.
In an interview with The Straits Times
on September 8, 2008, Foo mentioned that taking up overseas postings in her job was "always a family decision". When Foo was offered the China
position in 2003, her husband, then a general manager of a multinational company, quit his job to take up a China
post with another company so that the family could relocate together.
Being a firm believer that the family should be together for overseas postings, Foo made it a point to help her subordinates when they relocate. Foo added that “given the growth of the business in China
, there were many occasions while I was in China
where I successfully placed spouses within the bank's China operations."
When Foo was offered the CEO post in Thailand
, her family rallied behind her again. Her family settled into Bangkok
at a "historical time" when Thailand
was undergoing political upheaval, including the bloodless coup that ousted then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
. Foo said that "it was business as usual and our entire team stayed in Bangkok throughout the political transition.”
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an Member of Parliament
Members of the Singapore Parliament
The following is a historical list of members for the current and past ten Parliaments of Singapore:-See also:*1st Parliament of Singapore*2nd Parliament of Singapore*3rd Parliament of Singapore*4th Parliament of Singapore*5th Parliament of Singapore...
for West Coast GRC. She is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committees of both: 1) Finance and Trade & Industry; and 2) Manpower.
Foo was elected MP in May 2011, standing as one of the five People's Action Party
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
(PAP) candidates for the West Coast GRC, which garnered 66.6 per cent of votes, winning by a majority of 33.1 per cent or 36,070 votes.
Foo Mee Har is the Global Head of Priority & International Banking, Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
. She joined the Bank in 1994 and has since held a number of senior roles across businesses & functions.
Politics
Foo joined the PAPPeople's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
in 2010, and was unveiled as PAP's first new female candidate for the Singapore general election, 2011. Foo was the second batch of three new candidates being introduced at the PAP's headquarters in Bedok. During her introduction, Foo said that living abroad gave her the opportunity "to really reflect on Singapore, its government, systems and its processes" and appreciate its unique strengths
In her first rally speech, Foo called on Singaporeans to remember the PAP's track record, and asked Singaporeans to trust the abilities of PAP leaders to lead Singapore out of the many future challenges.
Foo had taken part in various community events and Meet-the-People Sessions
Meet-the-People Sessions
Meet-the-People Sessions is the name of a feedback/redress system developed in Singapore for citizens to meet their member of parliament. The MPS are usually held once a week...
(MPS). Describing her first MPS session as "wonderful" and a "defining moment", Foo said she was inspired by volunteers who paid great attention while listening to the needs of the residents.
In her 1st 30 days as MP, Foo wrote about setting up Ayer Rajah
Ayer Rajah
For the Telok Ayer Rajah and Ayer Rajah Road in Penang, see Street names of George Town, Penang.Ayer Rajah is an area located in the Queenstown Planning Area in the South-West part of Singapore. It comprises an industrial estate that houses several high-tech corporations and factories...
as a new division, since its merger with West Coast in 2006. She mentioned that she was most encouraged to have grassroots leaders & volunteers who came forward to help set up the new branch.
Besides building the team, Foo mentioned that she also focused efforts on the training of volunteers, reviewing Ayer Rajah
Ayer Rajah
For the Telok Ayer Rajah and Ayer Rajah Road in Penang, see Street names of George Town, Penang.Ayer Rajah is an area located in the Queenstown Planning Area in the South-West part of Singapore. It comprises an industrial estate that houses several high-tech corporations and factories...
’s community outreach programs to ensure it reaches a wide spectrum of people in the constituency, forming task forces to resolve key local issues and continuing to refine Ayer Rajah
Ayer Rajah
For the Telok Ayer Rajah and Ayer Rajah Road in Penang, see Street names of George Town, Penang.Ayer Rajah is an area located in the Queenstown Planning Area in the South-West part of Singapore. It comprises an industrial estate that houses several high-tech corporations and factories...
’s weekly MPS process to allow for more personal and quality time for Ayer Rajah residents.
PAP Women's Wing
Foo is the Assistant Secretary to the PAPPeople's Action Party
The People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
Women's Wing. She was one of the two new office holders inducted into its executive committee, during the Women's Wing investiture in January 2011.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia
Channel NewsAsia
Channel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
, she said, "As a professional woman, I'm hoping that I can contribute to the women's agenda in Singapore. I'm a banker by profession, so hopefully this network can help me reach out to women, especially the professional women, and understand their issues."
Education
Foo was educated at Ava Maria Convent School, IpohIpoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
, Malaysia (1973–1982) and Loreto Normanhurst
Loreto Normanhurst
Loreto Normanhurst is a private, Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for girls, located in Normanhurst, a suburb on the upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1983–1985). In 1989, she was awarded with a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree by the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, graduating with First Class Honours.
Career
Foo is the Global Head, Priority and International Banking, Standard Chartered BankStandard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
.
Standard Chartered’s Priority Banking has a presence in 26 markets across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, providing a total banking relationship programme to cater to the financial needs of affluent individuals. Foo noted that “by taking a customer-focused approach”, Standard Chartered is “seeing customers voting with their accounts”. Under Foo's leadership, Priority Banking relaunched in 20 markets, customers grew 39%, and customer satisfaction increased by 35% over a year.
In March 2011, Foo was featured in Sunday Times’ Women At The Top series, an eight-part weekly series on successful women in Singapore.
In the interview, Foo revealed how she handled different roles with equanimity, with the writer noting that she had handled at least 10 different portfolios - from human resource to consumer banking to being chief executive officer (CEO) of the bank's operations in Thailand from 2006 to 2008.
In the same interview, Foo spoke about her idea of leadership, which is 'having a vision, making people believe in that vision, and directing their energy into making that vision happen'. Foo added that “good leaders help people achieve what they want, great leaders bring people to achieve what they thought was not possible” and said she preferred the adjective 'achievement-oriented' over 'ambitious' to describe herself.
From 2006-2008, she was President & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) pcl with overall responsibility for the Bank in Thailand. In the bank’s Annual Report for 2006, Foo mentioned that Standard Chartered Bank (Thail) had delivered a set of robust results, with a net profit of Baht 3,008 million, a 63 per cent increase from Baht 1,848 million. Foo also oversaw the successful integration of Standard Chartered Bangkok Branch and Standard Charted Nakornthon Bank to better serve its customers.
From 2003-2005, Mee Har was appointed the Country Head of Consumer Banking in China, spearheading the growth of the Consumer Banking franchise in China.
Mee Har started her career in 1990 as a Management Consultant with Coopers and Lybrand Management Consultants (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) and PA Consulting Group. She later joined Jardine’s shipping group as the Head of HR.
Foo has been an active champion of employee volunteerism, spearheading participation in a wide range of community programs, including advocacy, outreach and fund-raising for causes such as avoidable blindness, HIV/AIDs and healthy living. She started the inaugural “Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon”, which has become one of the largest sporting events.
Personal life
Married to a Singaporean, Foo lived in Singapore since 1989 after university graduation. They have 2 sons, ages 18 and 16 years.She became Singapore citizen in January 2008 after her stint of overseas postings (2003–2008), when she was eligible to apply for citizenship. Foo spoke about 'Singapore being home for the last 21 years' and that she 'want to make a difference to the lives of Singaporeans'.
In an interview with The Straits Times
The Straits Times
The Straits Times is an English language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore currently owned by Singapore Press Holdings . It is the country's highest-selling paper, with a current daily circulation of nearly 400,000...
on September 8, 2008, Foo mentioned that taking up overseas postings in her job was "always a family decision". When Foo was offered the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
position in 2003, her husband, then a general manager of a multinational company, quit his job to take up a China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
post with another company so that the family could relocate together.
Being a firm believer that the family should be together for overseas postings, Foo made it a point to help her subordinates when they relocate. Foo added that “given the growth of the business in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, there were many occasions while I was in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
where I successfully placed spouses within the bank's China operations."
When Foo was offered the CEO post in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, her family rallied behind her again. Her family settled into Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
at a "historical time" when Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
was undergoing political upheaval, including the bloodless coup that ousted then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
. Foo said that "it was business as usual and our entire team stayed in Bangkok throughout the political transition.”