Business
‘Boardroom Knockout’: How Singapore’s investor watchdog fights for minority shareholders
By Ifham Nizam
The story of David Gerald and the work he has done for minority investors has been nothing short of extraordinary. Here is a man who had no experience in investing, or in stock markets, but was willing to risk his reputation to stand up against the Malaysian government, internationally known author, Aaron Low said. The author of a landmark book titled, ‘Boardroom Knockout’, featuring share market issues, Low spoke to The Island Financial Review recently in an exclusive interview.
Extracts from the interview:
Q: What inspired you to tell the story of David Gerald’s early experiences centering on injustice in Ceylon and on how they shaped his career and mission?
A: The reason why he did so is simple: justice. When the Malaysian government shut down the Central Limit Order, a system that facilitated the trading of Malaysian shares by Singaporean investors, more than 172,000 investors in Singapore found their funds locked up and frozen in a foreign land. The total? More than S$7 billion.
I asked him why he would even contemplate such a move. After all, he was already in his 50s and approaching what would be the prime of his career as a litigator. He told me that he has always been inspired by a sense of justice. When he was a boy growing up in Ceylon, he saw a group of soldiers brutally assaulting a young man, who was also deaf and mute. Shocked, Gerald wanted to do something for the youth but was frozen by fear. That, he said, was a turning point and he swore he would not let anyone down again – even if that meant taking on a foreign government.
Q: How did David Gerald’s legal work under Singapore’s celebrated criminal lawyer, David Marshall, influence his later advocacy for small investors?
A: If the incident with the youth in Ceylon sparked his desire to pursue justice, his work with David Marshall brought the fight for justice to life. Marshall was Gerald’s mentor and the epitome of what it was to be a criminal justice lawyer. His passion for legal work and commitment to his clients inspired Gerald to do the same.
You can see this in the work he does at SIAS – all of it is geared towards helping the mom and pop investors, who are not the most sophisticated of stock market players.
Q: The founding of SIAS in 1999 was a pivotal moment for small investors in Singapore. What were the biggest challenges SIAS faced when tackling the CLOB issue with Malaysia?
A: The biggest issue that SIAS faced was that they couldn’t even get the Malaysian government to engage them! I mean, it’s not surprising right? Why would the federal government of Malaysia want to even pay attention to a small group of amateurs?
So the first thing that SIAS needed to do was to get recognition that it was a serious player that represented the aggrieved investors. Gerald knew this, which was why one of the first things he did was to get thousands of people to sign up as SIAS investors.
The second big challenge was that the issue was toxic cocktail of tense history between Singapore and Malaysia as well as anti-foreigner sentiments, in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis.
Q: Could you elaborate on SIAS’s approach to resolving corporate governance issues, especially its preference for negotiation over litigation?
A: SIAS has become such an important institution in Singapore’s corporate landscape. Let me put it this way: Asians hate public confrontation. Losing face is as bad as losing money – and in an ugly public fight, chances are both parties will lose both.
Instead, perhaps inspired by consultative communalism, SIAS has decided to go with a “let’s talk about it” approach. Part of the reason why it did so was simply the recognition that SIAS was never going to be so well-resourced to take on corporations that had hundreds of millions of dollars in its bank accounts to fight off lawsuits.
Another, and arguably, more important reason, is that seeking consensus has the highest probability of achieving something when nothing else works. The truth is that angry minority investors turning up at corporate annual general meetings is a common sight. But it is also common that these same investors hardly get anything for their troubles, except maybe that they feel good for a few minutes venting their frustrations in the open.
SIAS prefers to work with companies behind closed doors, over tea and not threats, to resolve issues amicably. SIAS can do so because it carries the weight of thousands of minority shareholders with them; companies also much prefer talking to a rational party rather than emotional angry individuals. This way, the hope is that a compromise may be met. Maybe the company won’t pay the book value of $10 for a company but it is willing to up its price to $7.50 from $5 if SIAS can broker a deal with investors.
I think corporates like to deal with them, while minority investors trust SIAS. This balance is not an easy one to achieve and it took SIAS many years before it could find its equilibrium.
Q: What lessons can today’s corporate leaders and investors learn from SIAS’s unique approach to resolving conflicts outside courtrooms?
A: That life is nothing but a series of compromises because we are all deeply flawed in one way or another. No one is perfect and even good people do bad things in a time of weakness and temptation.
So instead of judging, approach each situation with empathy, honesty and truth. It’s a high ideal but sometimes laying all your chips on the table is the best way to resolve the worst of conflicts.
Two groundbreaking reports launched by the Pathfinder Foundation in collaboration with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission have laid out a practical vision for Sri Lanka’s economic future, pinpointing the mineral and clean energy sectors as twin engines for sustainable growth and investment.
The reports, unveiled on December 17 in Colombo, present actionable roadmaps for project developers and technology providers, positioning Sri Lanka as an emerging frontier in the global clean energy and critical minerals supply chain.
Key content from the minerals report:
Sri Lanka’s largely underutilised mineral sector holds significant potential, with resources increasingly vital to global industries. The country boasts high-purity graphite, rare earth elements (REEs), mineral sands, and phosphate – all critical for electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, and high-tech manufacturing.
While current mineral exports are around USD 389 million, the International Trade Centre estimates a potential of USD 778 million, with primary data suggesting the true figure could reach USD 2 billion. To capture this value, the report stresses moving beyond exporting raw materials to domestic refining and beneficiation.
A key strategic recommendation is deeper regional collaboration, particularly under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). It highlights an opportunity for Sri Lanka to partner with India’s booming automotive and clean energy sectors, where demand for REEs and permanent magnets is soaring. This could involve upstream Indian investment in Sri Lankan REE resources or exports of rare earth oxides for India’s EV, wind, and electronics industries.
Key content from Clean Energy report:
Parallel to its mineral potential, Sri Lanka is pursuing an ambitious transition to clean energy, targeting carbon neutrality by 2050. The country’s renewable energy sector offers a diverse range of investment and trade opportunities for international stakeholders, spanning large-scale utility projects, distributed generation, and service-based collaborations.
Specific opportunities include utility-scale solar and wind projects, offshore wind resource mapping, and rooftop solar in urban corridors. There is also growing momentum for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to stabilise the grid, green hydrogen pilot plants, and the development of net-zero industrial parks powered entirely by renewables.
The reports highlight a powerful synergy: Sri Lanka’s minerals are essential for the very clean technologies it seeks to deploy. For instance, its phosphate can be used in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, while its high-purity quartz is vital for solar-grade silicon.
Australia is identified as a key partner in both sectors. Australian Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services (METS) firms can provide cutting-edge, sustainable mining technology, while Australian expertise in smart grids, BESS, and green hydrogen aligns with Sri Lanka’s long-term energy strategy.
While outlining vast potential, the reports also acknowledge challenges, including regulatory complexities, infrastructure gaps, and the need for enhanced skills development. Proposed solutions include modernising approval processes, developing a national critical minerals strategy, and fostering public-private partnerships.
The consensus from keynote speakers at the event – including Pathfinder Foundation Chairman Bernard Goonetilleke, Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth, and senior representatives from academia, government, and Austrade – was clear. Their collective insight underscored the reports’ central thesis: Sri Lanka is presented with a unique, synergistic opportunity. By strategically developing its mineral wealth and accelerating its clean energy transition in tandem, the nation can attract significant foreign investment, create high-value jobs, and secure a competitive position in the Indo-Pacific’s sustainable economic future.
By Sanath Nanayakkare ✍️
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Prime Lands and Prime Land Residencies to provide up to 100% financing for customers purchasing condominium units or gated houses developed by the Prime Group, demonstrating the Bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering more Sri Lankans to achieve their dream of home ownership.
The agreement enables prospective homeowners to seamlessly access Commercial Bank’s home loan facilities with tripartite agreements involving the developer, the buyer and the Bank. As the market leader in home loans, Commercial Bank brings unmatched expertise and flexibility to borrowers seeking to invest in properties developed by one of Sri Lanka’s most trusted names in real estate.
Commenting on the partnership, S. Ganeshan, Deputy General Manager – Personal Banking at Commercial Bank said: “This agreement with Prime Lands and Prime Land Residencies creates an excellent opportunity for us to expand our housing loan portfolio while enabling more Sri Lankans to realise one of their life goals. Commercial Bank’s strong home loan offering, combined with Prime Group’s reputation as a leading developer, ensures customers benefit from both financial strength and quality of construction.”
The Prime Group, which positions itself as the leader of real estate artistry in Sri Lanka, comprises subsidiaries associated with lands, houses, finance and condominiums. With over 30 years of trust and excellence and a base of more than 300,000 customers, the Group says it is driven by its evergreen vision: ‘Committed to Creating a Better Place on Earth,’ which continues to inspire its passion to deliver homes that bring customers’ dreams to life.
Mahogany Masterpieces, a Sri Lankan luxury furniture brand, has launched the “An Ode to Grain” collection. This showcase honors mahogany’s natural beauty and the brand’s craftsmanship. The philosophy is to let the wood’s grain guide the design, creating timeless pieces that respect the material. The collection includes new architectural elements like architraves, paneling, and corbels, designed to bring lasting warmth and character to interiors.
Visitors can view the full collection at the Mahogany Masterpieces Showroom and Design Studio which is located at No. 87, Dr. Lester James Peiris Mawatha (Dickman’s Road), Colombo – 05. www.mahoganymasterpieces.com
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