By the grace of God, Lam Poh Min stumbled upon the finance industry when he graduated 30 years ago. Since then, he has worked at Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund and subsequently founded one of the first hedge funds in the country. Recently retired, Poh Min spends his time meaningfully, including helping different Methodist organisations with their investments and rediscovering passions like pickleball and mountain climbing. In the latest part of our Everyday Christianity: Faith@Work series, Poh Min shares how his trust in God’s plans has kept him faithful and steadfast, across different chapters of his life.
Tell us about yourself, Poh Min.
I am in my 50s, an ACS alumnus and have been a member of Wesley Methodist Church (WMC) for more than 30 years. My wife and I have two girls, aged 25 and 21. I am presently retired, spending my time pursuing my passions such as tennis, pickleball, hiking and mountain climbing. I also serve on the investment committees of WMC and the Methodist School Foundation.
How long was your career as a fund manager? What made you embark on this career path?
I was a fund manager throughout my career. I started in 1995 at GIC, subsequently leaving in 2004 to found one of the first hedge funds in Singapore. But all of these would not have been possible if not for God’s higher plan. I graduated with a computer science degree and was all set for a career in technology. By divine intervention, I stumbled into a recruitment talk by GIC, despite knowing nothing about the organisation and inexplicably decided to apply for an investment position despite having already secured an offer to join a top employer in technology in those days. I was miraculously offered a job despite demonstrating zero finance knowledge throughout the multiple grueling rounds of interviews and the rest is history.
What did your role at the hedge fund entail?
At my hedge fund, we ran a long-short equity strategy, a relatively high-risk investment style that identifies securities that are both under-valued and over-valued, to maximise profit for investors.
We had 10 people in the team. I was the founder and chief investment officer, responsible for all investment decisions. Global markets are highly interconnected and it is said that ‘the markets never sleep’. Hedge funds are also widely regarded as the pinnacle of finance in terms of pace and dynamism, so the pressure to perform was relentless and immense. I would say I was effectively working every waking moment.
How did you apply Christian principles in your work?
Generally, I subscribe to the philosophy that actions speak louder than words. In all areas of my work, I endeavored to adhere to principles of stewardship, fairness, integrity and honesty. In finance, that is easier said than done. Finance, by definition, is the business of money. And money can be a powerful idol.
How do you live out your faith in your working life?
Hedge fund investing is extremely challenging. I simply aim to do my absolute best and surrender the outcomes to God. In other words, trusting in His unfailing provisions. Evangelism is not my greatest gift. However, I do make it a point to make known that I am a Christian in more subtle ways. Occasional and strategic mention of my Christian principles, and communicating my uncompromising need to attend cell group meetings and Sunday church services. Beyond that, I simply let my actions do the talking.
Do you face any challenges as a Christian in the finance industry?
Finance and Christian principles do not always go together. Money is a powerful source of temptation which explains why the finance industry is plagued with greed, fraud, scandals and excesses throughout history. There are countless movies on the culture of Wall Street and they are relatively accurate depictions of the challenges faced by all, including Christians in the workplace.
Hedge funds, as the pinnacle of finance, face the greatest challenges. At the same time, it is also a great place to fly the Christian flag. At my fund, I was determined, from day one, for it to be the antithesis of Wall Street. I was determined to succeed the right way. Although we never came close to becoming the largest fund, we still succeeded beyond our wildest imagination. We also enjoyed a good reputation throughout the industry, not just for our performance but also for our sense of integrity and stewardship, to which all glory goes to God.
What are your views on money and profits?
Money is good and necessary. But it is meaningless if you lose yourself. Drawing from Matthew 16:26: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Enough is more than enough – that is my philosophy with regards to material wealth.
Likewise, profits from labour are blessings from God. In themselves, if they are attained through legitimate means, there is absolutely nothing wrong. But putting them above God would be a mistake.
How can Christians resist the temptations of prioritising financial gains and benefits over ethical principles?
The best way to resist temptations is to flee. Acknowledge human weaknesses, go the distance to avoid potentially compromising situations, put in place governance safeguards and have others around you keep you accountable. I believe these are useful guiding principles for Christians in finance, where temptations abound.
Do you keep a rhythm incorporating regular Sabbath once a week? How do you keep your sabbath and find rest in God as you labour hard in your work? Can you even rest?
As mentioned, the market never really sleeps. Nevertheless, as best I could, I was determined to keep Sunday a day of worship and rest, family and sports. It was the only way to keep sane.
In addition, my Small Group plays a big part in keeping me spiritually rooted. Regular meetings meant the need to keep up with Bible readings. My Small Group members also help to keep me accountable. And finally, the regular discussions during Small Group meetings provide me with spiritual strength, clarity and guidance for my daily walk.
How have you seen God work in your life so far?
Success never comes easy, especially as an entrepreneur and a hedge fund manager. We actually started extremely small. There were uncountable moments of self doubt … made more challenging with our obsession with doing things the right way.. but God was always there keeping me steadfast and unrelenting. But everything came tumbling down when at our peak, I was diagnosed out of the blue with a potentially life-threatening medical situation. It was the lowest point of my life, a moment of total helplessness. I felt an overwhelming sense of fear for myself, but even more so for my family. God eventually answered my unceasing desperate prayers. But the seeds were sown for an eventual change in life priorities.
Where do you find God in the mundane and ordinary?
I am extremely passionate about hiking and mountain climbing. It allows me to come up close and personal with God’s majestic creation. Every trip reminds me of how small I am and how big God is. Man proposes, God disposes. Throughout my life, I have seen how my best plans pale in comparison to God’s plans. I have learnt to surrender to Him.
How do you balance work, personal life and ministry/community service? What are some of the ways you have given back to the community?
Regrettably, I was never really able to find much time for ministry and community service when I was working. In my retirement now, I am blessed with various opportunities to make up for that, such as serving on investment committees across different Methodist organisations. It is a good way for me to utilise my skills in managing money beyond the finance industry. I am very grateful for that. I have spent my entire career helping the rich get richer. It is a nice change to be able to help the ones who have less get richer. The amounts may be smaller but the purpose bigger.
Now that you are retired, do you miss being a hedge fund manager? Was it hard to adjust at the beginning given the nature of your work was so fast paced?
I am still extremely passionate about investing and continue to invest my personal assets. I just no longer do it for anyone else except in my volunteer work. I now wake up every morning, do the things I enjoy, with the people that I like and smell the roses along the way. If anything, it’s the best chapter of my life!
Photos courtesy of Lam Poh Min
Read also: ‘I am a Gatekeeper for My CEO, but God is My Life Gatekeeper’: An Interview with Carol Ling, a Full Time Working Mother and Small Group Leader ; ‘The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ are the Ultimate Lessons in Unconditional Love and Forgiveness of Sins’: An Interview with Cheryl Seow, Homemaker
Everyday Christianity: Faith@Work is an interview series with Wesleyans from diverse age groups and walks of life. In this series, published in conjunction with our Church’s theme for 2024 – Directions 2024: Discipleship in the Workplace , we hope to discover more about the perspectives of Wesleyans in different vocations on how they live out their faith every day, specifically in their workplace, homes, or communities they serve. More than just stories of success in victory, we also want to hear their stories of perseverance that point to the reality that our Father is a living God who is ever present in the mountain peaks and valley lows of our everyday lives. For more on Workplace Conversations, please listen to our podcasts by Rev Raymond Fong at Wesley Podcast • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters .
