Chen Show Mao
Encyclopedia
Chen Show Mao, J.D.
is a Singaporean
politician
and lawyer
. He is a member of the opposition Workers' Party
, and has been a Member of Parliament
for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
since 7 May 2011. He represents the Paya Lebar
ward, replacing PAP
's Cynthia Phua.
and moved to Singapore
at the age of 11. He studied at Nanyang Primary School
, Catholic High School and the Anglo-Chinese School
. Chen was the president of the students' council at National Junior College
and graduated as the top student in Singapore for the 1979 "A" level examinations, scoring straight As in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics B, as well as A1s for General Paper and Chinese. Although Chen had yet to become a Singapore Citizen, he chose to serve National Service. During National Service, Chen served as an infantry platoon commander at the Fifth Singapore Infantry Regiment (5SIR) and as Brigade Adjutant, or DYS1, at the headquarters of the Third Singapore Infantry Brigade (3SIB). He took up citizenship in 1986, six years after serving National Service.
Despite graduating as the top student for the 1979 "A" level examinations, Chen did not gain admission into the local medical school. Thereupon, he pursued his undergraduate studies with major in Economics at Harvard University
. Chen graduated from Harvard University in 1986 and from Corpus Christi College
, Oxford University in 1988, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1992 Chen received his Juris Doctor
from Stanford Law School
and in 2005 received his M.A. from Corpus Christi College
, Oxford University.
and a managing partner of the Beijing office. An experienced lawyer, he has practiced in the New York office since 1992, the Hong Kong office since 1999 and the Beijing office since 2007.
Chen advised the Agricultural Bank of China
on its recent US$22 billion initial public offering (IPO), which was the second largest IPO in history. He also advised the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
(ICBC) on its US$21 billion IPO, as well as China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) on its proposed US$19 billion acquisition of Unocal. Chen also completed the global IPOs of Air China
, China Construction Bank
, China Unicom
, Metallurgical Corp. of China, Sinopec
, as well as offerings by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Besides China, Chen has completed international securities offerings and M&A transactions by various companies including Acer, ASE
, Asus
, AU Optronics
, BHP
, Foxconn
, Freeport-McMoran
, HTC
, TSMC
and UMC
. He also worked with financial institutions such as JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley
, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China
(ROC).
Beyond that, Chen has worked with sovereign wealth funds such as The China Investment Corporation
(CIC), the Development Fund of the ROC and also advised the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan Stock Exchanges on proposed regulations. Chen was named one of American Lawyer’s 2010 "Dealmakers of the Year" in April 2011.
On 1 July 2011, Chen announced on his Facebook page that he had retired from active practice as partner of his law firm given his new responsibilities as an MP. The decision was made so that he can spend more time with his family, to better serve his constituency and country, and that he would be exploring alternative work arrangements.
Chen stated that he joined the Workers' Party because he believed that "the best way to ensure good governance for Singapore is through the growth of a competitive opposition that offers a credible alternative to the party in government". During an interview, Chen frankly explained why he decided to join the Workers' Party of Singapore
:
On 27 April 2011, Chen submitted his candidacy for the five-member Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
with the Workers' Party of Singapore
Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang
, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, a postgraduate law student, and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, a freelance counsellor. The incumbent team included two cabinet ministers and one Senior Minister of State, and was helmed by the prominent Minister for Foreign Affairs
, George Yeo
.
During the intense nine-day campaign period that followed, Chen was singled out by leaders of the ruling People's Action Party
(PAP) for criticism. The PAP's Organising Secretary and Minister for Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen
, questioned Chen's motives for entering politics in a letter to The Straits Times. Ng also questioned whether Chen would be able to relate to the aspirations of Singaporeans after having spent most of his career in the United States and China. The PAP's co-founder and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
also suggested that Chen could return to China after losing in the election.
Throughout the campaign, Chen kept a low profile when the WP was faced with tough questions, instead allowing frontman Low Thia Khiang to take the heat. He continuously sought to emphasize his close ties to Singapore and Singaporeans, to the extent of addressing crowds at rallies with smatterings of Malay and Hokkien to dispel the notion that he was a "foreigner", as he had spent many years abroad. He also highlighted at a Workers' Party rally that he came to Singapore at a young age with his parents and sister, that he served National Service, and that he owns an apartment in Bishan and frequently commutes by MRT train.
On 7 May 2011, Chen and his Workers' Party team won the Aljunied GRC with 54.71% of the total votes cast, with Yeo's PAP team obtaining 45.29% of the votes. The victory was considered historic because it was the first time that a GRC seat had been captured by an opposition party, and the first time that two cabinet ministers had lost their seats in a general election. Chen became the first foreign-born opposition MP in the history of Singapore, while his teammates Sylvia Lim and Muhamad Faisal Manap became the first female opposition MP and the first Malay opposition MP. Also, together with Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap, he became one of the first three opposition MPs to be elected into parliament at the first attempt.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
is a Singaporean
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He is a member of the opposition Workers' Party
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
, and has been a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency is a five-member group representation constituency in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The GRC consists of a large part of Hougang, Serangoon Gardens, a portion of Bedok and Aljunied...
since 7 May 2011. He represents the Paya Lebar
Paya Lebar
Paya Lebar is an area in the north-eastern part of Singapore. It is served by Paya Lebar Station, on the East West Line of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit system. It is an urban planning area. The Singapore Post Centre is located there too....
ward, replacing PAP
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....
's Cynthia Phua.
Personal profile
Chen was born in TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and moved to Singapore
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...
at the age of 11. He studied at Nanyang Primary School
Nanyang Primary School
Nanyang Primary School is a co-educational primary school in Singapore, normally covering ages 6 to 12. It is situated in Bukit Timah , which is a private housing district near Coronation Plaza. The principal is Mrs Lee Hui Feng. Although it is not run by the government of Singapore, it receives...
, Catholic High School and the Anglo-Chinese School
Anglo-Chinese School
The Anglo-Chinese School ; is a family of Methodist schools in Singapore, and Indonesia.The name is usually abbreviated as "ACS", with the junior college as "ACJC", and its students and alumni referred to as "ACSians" , or "ACS boys" .ACS was the first school...
. Chen was the president of the students' council at National Junior College
National Junior College
National Junior College is the first junior college established by the Ministry Of Education, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is considered as one of the top five junior colleges in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to the GCE 'A' Levels...
and graduated as the top student in Singapore for the 1979 "A" level examinations, scoring straight As in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics B, as well as A1s for General Paper and Chinese. Although Chen had yet to become a Singapore Citizen, he chose to serve National Service. During National Service, Chen served as an infantry platoon commander at the Fifth Singapore Infantry Regiment (5SIR) and as Brigade Adjutant, or DYS1, at the headquarters of the Third Singapore Infantry Brigade (3SIB). He took up citizenship in 1986, six years after serving National Service.
Despite graduating as the top student for the 1979 "A" level examinations, Chen did not gain admission into the local medical school. Thereupon, he pursued his undergraduate studies with major in Economics at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Chen graduated from Harvard University in 1986 and from Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, Oxford University in 1988, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1992 Chen received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
and in 2005 received his M.A. from Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, Oxford University.
Legal career
Chen is a partner in the Corporate department of Davis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
and a managing partner of the Beijing office. An experienced lawyer, he has practiced in the New York office since 1992, the Hong Kong office since 1999 and the Beijing office since 2007.
Chen advised the Agricultural Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China Limited , also known as AgBank, is one of the "Big Four" banks in the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1951, and has its headquarters in Beijing...
on its recent US$22 billion initial public offering (IPO), which was the second largest IPO in history. He also advised the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. is the largest bank in the world by profit and market capitalization. It is one China's 'Big Four' state-owned commercial banks .It was founded as a limited company on January 1, 1984...
(ICBC) on its US$21 billion IPO, as well as China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) on its proposed US$19 billion acquisition of Unocal. Chen also completed the global IPOs of Air China
Air China
Air China is the flag carrier and one of the major airlines of the People's Republic of China. Based in Beijing Capital International Airport, Air China is the world's 10th largest airline by fleet size. The airline ranked behind its main competitors China Southern Airlines and China Eastern...
, China Construction Bank
China Construction Bank
China Construction Bank is one of the 'big four' banks in the People's Republic of China. To date, it is ranked as the nation's second largest and the second largest bank in the world by market capitalization and 12th largest company in the world. The bank has approximately 13,629 domestic branches...
, China Unicom
China Unicom
China Unicom or China United Netcom Ltd , is a Chinese state-owned telecommunications operator in the People's Republic of China.-History:...
, Metallurgical Corp. of China, Sinopec
Sinopec
China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Limited , or Sinopec Limited , is a majority owned subsidiary of state owned company Sinopec Group. Sinopec Limited is listed in Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai and New York ....
, as well as offerings by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Besides China, Chen has completed international securities offerings and M&A transactions by various companies including Acer, ASE
ASE
- Institutions :*Academia de Studii Economice in Bucharest, Romania*Accelerated Solutions Environment, a Cap Gemini consulting services offering*Accelerated Solvent Extractor, a research tool for the removal of solvents from solution...
, Asus
ASUS
ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated is a multinational computer technology and consumer electronics product manufacturer headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Its product range includes motherboards, desktops, laptops, monitors, tablet PCs, servers and mobile phones...
, AU Optronics
AU Optronics
AU Optronics was formed in December 2001 by the merger of Acer Display Technology, Inc., and Unipac Optoelectronics Corporation. In October 2006, AUO merged with Quanta Display Inc. to create a leading TFT-LCD manufacturer. Additionally, the amassed production of the company's G6 reached worldwide...
, BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
, Foxconn
Foxconn
The Foxconn Technology Group is a multinational business group anchored by the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. , a Taiwan-registered corporation headquartered in Tucheng, Taiwan...
, Freeport-McMoran
Freeport-McMoRan
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., often called simply Freeport, is the world's lowest-cost copper producer and one of the world's largest producers of gold...
, HTC
HTC
-Companies:*HTC Corporation, a Taiwanese manufacturer of handheld devices*Harrisonville Telephone Company, a telephone company in Waterloo, Illinois*Horry Telephone Cooperative, a telephone cooperative in Horry County, South Carolina...
, TSMC
TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited or TSMC is the world's largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry, with its headquarters and main operations located in the Hsinchu Science Park in Hsinchu, Taiwan.-Overview:...
and UMC
UMC
-Organizations:* Ukrainian Mobile Communications* United Methodist Church* United Microelectronics Corporation* University of Minnesota Crookston* University of Mississippi Medical Center...
. He also worked with financial institutions such as JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(ROC).
Beyond that, Chen has worked with sovereign wealth funds such as The China Investment Corporation
China Investment Corporation
China Investment Corporation is a sovereign wealth fund responsible for managing part of the People's Republic of China's foreign exchange reserves. CIC was established in 2007 with approximately US$200 billion of assets under management, making it one of the largest sovereign wealth funds...
(CIC), the Development Fund of the ROC and also advised the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan Stock Exchanges on proposed regulations. Chen was named one of American Lawyer’s 2010 "Dealmakers of the Year" in April 2011.
On 1 July 2011, Chen announced on his Facebook page that he had retired from active practice as partner of his law firm given his new responsibilities as an MP. The decision was made so that he can spend more time with his family, to better serve his constituency and country, and that he would be exploring alternative work arrangements.
Political career
During his time abroad, Chen regularly returned home to Singapore to visit his parents, his sister and her family. In 2007, he visited the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Singapore, and found, over a period of time, a meeting of minds on their shared goals for Singapore's future. Subsequently, he became a member of the Workers’ Party of Singapore. Upon his entry into Singapore politics, he was referred to as the Workers' Party "star catch" by the local press. This was mainly because Singapore's opposition parties had previously struggled to recruit top-calibre candidates with profiles comparable to Chen.Chen stated that he joined the Workers' Party because he believed that "the best way to ensure good governance for Singapore is through the growth of a competitive opposition that offers a credible alternative to the party in government". During an interview, Chen frankly explained why he decided to join the Workers' Party of Singapore
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
:
- Certainly, my friends in the PAP are in a better position to formulate policy and implement policy in the short term, and therefore, have a greater impact on people's life, people's livelihood over the short term. But I think what I am doing is just as important. Perhaps more important over the long term and that is to help build up a credible opposition that in time is capable to form an alternative government.
On 27 April 2011, Chen submitted his candidacy for the five-member Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency
Aljunied Group Representation Constituency is a five-member group representation constituency in the north-eastern region of Singapore. The GRC consists of a large part of Hougang, Serangoon Gardens, a portion of Bedok and Aljunied...
with the Workers' Party of Singapore
Workers' Party of Singapore
The Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang is a politician and businessman from Singapore. He is currently the leader of the opposition Workers' Party, and since 1991 has been a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Hougang until 2011 where he contested and won in Aljunied GRC. He is in charge of the Bedok...
, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, a postgraduate law student, and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, a freelance counsellor. The incumbent team included two cabinet ministers and one Senior Minister of State, and was helmed by the prominent Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries. It is headed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the office currently held by K...
, George Yeo
George Yeo
George Yeo Yong-Boon is a former politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served in the Cabinet from 1991 to 2011 as the Minister for Information and the Arts , Minister for Health , Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Foreign Affairs...
.
During the intense nine-day campaign period that followed, Chen was singled out by leaders of the ruling 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) for criticism. The PAP's Organising Secretary and Minister for Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen
Ng Eng Hen
Dr Ng Eng Hen is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Defence and Leader of the House.-Early life:Ng was born in Singapore in 1958...
, questioned Chen's motives for entering politics in a letter to The Straits Times. Ng also questioned whether Chen would be able to relate to the aspirations of Singaporeans after having spent most of his career in the United States and China. The PAP's co-founder and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
also suggested that Chen could return to China after losing in the election.
Throughout the campaign, Chen kept a low profile when the WP was faced with tough questions, instead allowing frontman Low Thia Khiang to take the heat. He continuously sought to emphasize his close ties to Singapore and Singaporeans, to the extent of addressing crowds at rallies with smatterings of Malay and Hokkien to dispel the notion that he was a "foreigner", as he had spent many years abroad. He also highlighted at a Workers' Party rally that he came to Singapore at a young age with his parents and sister, that he served National Service, and that he owns an apartment in Bishan and frequently commutes by MRT train.
On 7 May 2011, Chen and his Workers' Party team won the Aljunied GRC with 54.71% of the total votes cast, with Yeo's PAP team obtaining 45.29% of the votes. The victory was considered historic because it was the first time that a GRC seat had been captured by an opposition party, and the first time that two cabinet ministers had lost their seats in a general election. Chen became the first foreign-born opposition MP in the history of Singapore, while his teammates Sylvia Lim and Muhamad Faisal Manap became the first female opposition MP and the first Malay opposition MP. Also, together with Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap, he became one of the first three opposition MPs to be elected into parliament at the first attempt.
Committee of Selection
On 15 October 2011, it was announced that Chen was nominated to sit on the Committee of Selection, making him the first non-People's Action Party MP to be named to this committee.Current posts
- Member, Committee of Selection
- Council Member, Workers' Party of SingaporeWorkers' Party of SingaporeThe Workers' Party of Singapore is a centre-left opposition political party in Singapore. The party currently has six elected seats in Parliament, with the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Muhamad Faisal Manap and Pritam Singh serving as Members of...
- Advisor, Aljunied Constituency Committee (AJCC)