Sylvester Long watches as a group of teenagers stop in the middle of Funan Mall’s Atrium, captivated by an illustrated story about a boy in striped pyjamas. The images, rendered in bold black and red strokes, and accompanied by rhyming text, capture artist Daren Lauchengco’s struggles with mental illness, and the journey to facing his fears.

“Making people realise these artists are so much more than their diagnoses was something that needed to be done,” he says. An Assistant Vice President in Temasek’s Public Affairs team, Sylvester spearheaded One of Us, a series of exhibitions put together by staff volunteers in 2019, to give artists with mental illness space to showcase their work, and to give the public an insight into their world.

“There is so little knowledge and so much stigma about mental illness. We need to cut through the stereotypes, and spur thought and action,” he says.
 

This opportunity to make a difference – whether to the business or in the community – has been a cornerstone of Sylvester’s Temasek journey.

The 34-year-old started as a corporate affairs intern in 2013, while a student of SMU, and was part of the team that pioneered Temasek’s move into digital and social media as outreach channels – a role he continued in when he joined the company full-time in 2014.

The move reflected the company’s commitment to greater transparency and accountability, and social media would become a key platform for Temasek to share investment insights, host open discussions and showcase the impact of its work. Getting there, however, would be a “learning journey” for the team on the ground.

“Social was a whole new world – we were used to dealing with traditional media, and our first social posts were way too corporate,” Sylvester laughs. “We had to learn to tell the Temasek story in engaging ways, to simplify the complex, and be more relevant.” By 2023, Temasek’s social media following would grow to more than a quarter of a million across all channels.

"We were worked hard. But we got a chance to see our efforts translate into something quite tangible, and that gives you a real sense of empowerment."

Sylvester also lent his social media skills to documenting events for the firm’s T-Touch programme, through which Temasek has been supporting staff-led projects that uplift lives and better futures since 2001.

“I have seen the number of volunteers and causes grow as quickly as the company – so many have stepped up and brought their personal causes to T-Touch because they know that making an impact is core to Temasek. The company will commit resources to it, and our colleagues are ready to help,” he says.

Over the years, T-Touch has also gone further and deeper in identifying areas in which it can make a tangible difference, and where needs are unmet, whether it’s cleaning out the one-room flats of lower-income families or bringing attention to concerns like mental health, he adds.

Besides his involvement in One of Us, Sylvester regularly visits homes adopted through Temasek’s House & Home initiative, including sharing his free time with leprosy survivors at the Singapore Leprosy Relief Association, Temasek’s first adopted home. Now a T-Touch committee member, he rallies support for the Thousand Flowers initiative, through which Temasek supports employees’ passion projects.

"For me, that’s how the idea of doing well, doing right and doing good really comes to life. I have witnessed how help can be transformative, and how Temasek is making a difference. 

"The opportunity to make life better for others is something I will always be grateful for."