SINGAPORE (May 14): Being editor of The Edge Singapore has been one of the best experiences of my life. And, like all good things, it has come to an end. After closing this issue, I will hand over the baton to Michelle Teo, currently one of our two associate editors. With the help and support of the existing editorial crew — including Chan Chao Peh, our other associate editor, who is being appointed executive editor — Michelle will work to take this newspaper to new heights. I will take on the more modest role of editor-at-large.
A total of 399 issues of The Edge Singapore have been published during my time as editor. Over the eight-year period, we chronicled the countless triumphs and defeats of the most widely followed companies in the market and the people who run them. We followed just about every major market trend, from the massive quantitative easing after the US subprime crisis to the disruption of entire industries wrought by technology. And, there were a few scandals — including the manipulation of a number of penny stocks, the money laundering activity surrounding 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and the Brazilian bribery case involving Keppel Corp.
I joined The Edge Singapore as an associate editor in 2002, after nearly a decade in stockbroking. At the time, the world was reeling from the 9/11 terrorist strike in New York. It seemed unthinkable then that Singapore would ever have a casino, let alone two. And, the Marina Bay district that now defines the Singapore skyline did not exist. Yet, there was a sense that things were moving in an exciting new direction. China had just become a member of the World Trade Organization, and the region was finding its feet after the Asian financial crisis. Meanwhile, Singapore was in the throes of an ambitious “remaking” exercise to entrench itself as a hub for global capital flows and wealth management. It was a heady time to be reporting business and financial news.
From the outset, we adopted an investor-oriented approach to our reporting. This was not a deliberate strategy based on some survey or research that showed investors were being underserved by other business publications. We did it simply because our key editorial staff had backgrounds in that field, and we thought we could do it well. For better or worse, The Edge Singapore became closely associated with investing in the local stock market. Yet, our choice of stories on any given week really came down to what we believed to be relevant and interesting, rather than what might be in keeping with the brand we had established.
My view was that we were more likely to make a difference with stories we were genuinely interested in pursuing.
Things have not always gone smoothly, of course. Our early years were fraught with an abundance of uncertainty and a scarcity of revenue. Then, there was the occasional legal action brought by individuals and companies we managed to upset along the way. Now, with readers and advertisers increasingly turning to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, the entire print media industry is being forced to make tough decisions.
Through all of this, The Edge Singapore has been supported by its owner, Tong Kooi Ong, for whom I have worked, in one capacity or another, for more than 25 years. The Edge Singapore was also sustained in its early years by the capable leadership of Ho Kay Tat and Tan Boon Kean, the two individuals from whom I learnt just about everything I know about journalism.
As we got started, we also benefited from the experience of Assif Shameen, and the strict supervision of Dorothy Teoh.
Over time, a crop of senior reporters and editors emerged within our own ranks, and helped take The Edge Singapore forward in different ways. Notably, our calm and capable managing editor Lee Pang Chuan has in recent years led a team to develop a vibrant daily news website. And, much of the day-today running of the paper has in recent years been overseen by our energetic executive editor Joan Ng and our efficient chief sub-editor Elaine Lim, two people with whom I consult several times every day.
For the hard work of our entire team all these years, and the support of our loyal readers, I am eternally grateful.
Ben Paul
Editor
