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Top 15 Most Famous Singaporean Companies

Tucked away in Southeast Asia lies a bustling island city-state called Singapore. This gleaming jewel on the equator is renowned for its awe-inspiring skyline, cultural vibrancy, and the indomitable spirit of its people.

See some traditions and customs from Singapore here!

Beyond its picturesque beauty, Singapore stands tall as a testament to economic excellence. This is evidenced by the plethora of multinational companies with origins in the city-state.

From biotech pioneers pushing medical advancements to banking institutions driving financial innovation, Singapore boasts a rich tapestry of companies that have made a profound impact on the world stage.

This article will discuss some of these industry leaders that call Singapore home. Enjoy!

1. DBS Bank

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Referred to and marketed as DBS, DBS Bank Limited is a multinational financial corporation. It was previously referred to as The Development Bank of Singapore Limited.

The ‘DBS’ was derived from the former name and adopted as the official name in 2003. The company was founded in July 1968 by the government of Singapore. Today, DBS Bank is one of the three largest alongside OCBC Bank and the United Overseas Bank (UOB), both discussed below.

With headquarters in Marina Bay, Singapore, DBS has expanded globally and has significant setups in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and South Korea.

2. OCBC Bank

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Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Limited, commonly referred to as the OCBC Bank, is a multinational financial and banking company. It was founded in 1932 during the great depression when three banks merged.

The banks are the Chinese Commercial Bank Limited, the Ho Hong Bank Limited, and the Oversea-Chinese Bank Limited. With a reputation as one of the safest banks in the world, OCBC has expanded beyond Singapore and Asia with a reach in over 18 countries and regions.

3. United Overseas Bank

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The United Overseas Bank (UOB) is a Singapore-based financial services and banking company. Recognized as one of Singapore’s ‘big three’ banks, it is headquartered in Raffles Place, Singapore.

UOB was founded in 1935 by Chinese businessman Chew Teck Weng and at the time it was known as the United Chinese Bank (UCB). It was renamed in 1965 as it was expanding to avoid duplication with Hong Kong-based United Chinese Bank.

The bank has developed into a recognized international brand thanks to its solid reputation and professionalism. UOB has sizable operations throughout Asia Pacific, Western Europe, and North America in addition to its branches in Singapore.

4. Singtel

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Singapore Telecommunications Limited, Singtel in short, is a telecommunications conglomerate. With over 4 million subscribers, Singtel is the largest mobile network operator in Singapore.

It was established in March 1992 as Telecommunications Equipment, a name that was changed to the current one in 1995.

With headquarters in the central region of Singapore, Singtel has expanded beyond the borders of Singapore. Outside Singapore, Singtel has its largest operations in Australia with its ownership of Optus.

5. Sea Limited

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Sea Limited is a fast-growing technology conglomerate based in Galaxis, Singapore. It was founded by Singapore’s billionaire and entrepreneur Forrest Li.

Read about the 10 wealthiest people from Singapore here!

During its foundation in 2009, it was known as Garena, a game development company. However, the company rebranded itself as Sea Limited in May 2017.

Under Sea, there are several subsidiary companies including Garena, SeaMoney, and Shopee. Sea and Forrest are the owners of the Singapore Premier League football (soccer) club, Home United.

The company was a victim of FTX’s failure in 2022 following a heft investment into the company. This inevitably resulted in the disbandment of their investment division in 2023.

6. CapitaLand

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CapitaLand is a Singapore-based company in the real estate industry dealing with investment, development, and management of property. It was founded in 2000 following a merger between DBS Land (DBSL) and Pidemco Land.

The company has grown significantly over the years becoming one of the largest real estate companies in all of Asia. It has a presence in over 30 countries in the USA, Asia, and Europe.

In its portfolio, CapitaLand offers real estate investment trusts (REITs) and funds as well an integrated list of developments such as lodging, offices, homes, business parks, industrial, and shopping malls.

7. Flex Ltd.

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Flex is a globally recognized manufacturing company. It was incorporated in 1969 as Flextronics, Inc in the USA.

In 1990, the company was registered in Singapore at which point it was renamed Flextronics International, Ltd. It was not until 2015 that the company adopted the new name, Flex Ltd.

 At the moment, Flex has two headquarters. The operational headquarters are in Austin, Texas, USA, while the one in Singapore acts as a legal domicile.

Flex is a multinational organization with operations in over 30 countries. Most of its operations involve electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and original design manufacturing (ODM).

8. Keppel Corp

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The Keppel Corporation famously known as Keppel Corp is a business conglomerate based in Singapore. The conglomerate has several subsidiaries under it which specialize in asset, property, and infrastructure management.

It was founded in 1968 by Temasek Holdings which is owned by the government of Singapore. Since then the organization has diversified into several industries including banking following the 1990 acquisition of Asia Commercial Bank.

Other ventures include property management through Straits Steamship Company, now Keppel Land.

9. Genting Singapore

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As the name suggests, Genting Singapore PLC is a company based in Singapore. The company specializes in leisure, hospitality, and integrated resort development.

It was founded in 1984 and over the years it has expanded into Australia, the Americas, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom among other nations.

Genting is also famous for operating the renowned Resorts World Sentosa, an iconic destination that offers a wide array of entertainment, leisure, and gaming experiences.

10. Singapore Technologies Engineering

ST Engineering, officially Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd, is a technology and engineering multinational conglomerate. It ventures in several sectors including aerospace, defense, public security, and the development of smart cities.

It was founded in 1967 as the Chartered Industries of Singapore by the Singaporean government to manufacture ammunition. It became ST Engineering as it is known today in 1997.

This was following the merger of ST Aerospace, ST Electronics, ST Kinetics, and ST Marine. ST Engineering operates in more than 100 countries worldwide, delivering cutting-edge solutions to address the diverse needs of its global clientele.

11. BOC Aviation

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BOC Aviation is a multinational aircraft leasing company that is owned in majority by the Singapore government. It was founded in 1993 as the Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise Pte. Ltd. (SALE).

Its name was changed to BOC Aviation Pte. Ltd in 2006 before being changed to the current one (BOC Aviation Limited) in 2016.

Over the years, BOC Aviation has grown exponentially, becoming the largest aircraft operating leasing company with headquarters in Asia.

12. Wilmar International

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Wilmar International Limited is a diverse Singaporean company that deals in food processing and is also an investment holding company.  William Kuok Khoon Hong and Martua Sitorus created it in 1991.

The operations of Wilmar, a global behemoth with over 300 subsidiary businesses, center on the processing, refining, and distribution of agricultural products, with palm oil as its main output.

The company has operations around the world with over 500 manufacturing plants in nations such as China, India, and some 50 other countries.

13. BreadTalk

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BreadTalk is a multinational company that has become a household name in the snack and beverage industry. It was founded in 2000 as a bakery brand by Dr. George Quek and Katherine Lee.

From scrumptious bread to tantalizing pastries, BreadTalk has mastered the art of producing distinctive and visually attractive baked foods. It has over 900 locations and has entered over 15 nations including China, Malaysia, and Thailand among others.

BreadTalk is a private company that has since been delisted from the Singapore Exchange. Some brands owned by BreadTalk include ToastBox, Food Junction, and The Icing Room among others.

14. Olam International

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore-based Olam International is an agri-business and food processing company. It was founded in 1989 in Nigeria by the Kewalram Chanrai Group.

It was established as Olam Nigeria Plc to serve as a non-oil-based export operation from Nigeria and was headquartered in London at the time. As the company grew, its operations extended beyond Nigeria and into India and East Africa.

It rebranded to Olam International in 1995 and moved its headquarters to Singapore in 1996. While it is an accomplished company, Olam has been accused of aiding and abetting in the slavery of minors in Cocoa plantations.

15. SATS Ltd

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SATS Ltd. is an airport service company that provides services such as in-flight catering and main ground handling. The name is an acronym derived from its former name Singapore Airport Terminal Services.

SATS’s history is as old as that of Singapore’s commercial aviation having been founded in 1972. One of its biggest clients is Singapore’s Changi Airport where SATS caters to 80% of its ground handling and catering.

Its operations are carried out by some of its subsidiaries including SATS Airport Services, SATS Catering, and SATS Security Services.

In conclusion, these companies, while some of the biggest in Singapore, are merely the peak of what is a very large mountain that is Singapore’s corporate world. Singapore’s unwavering focus on innovation, strategic planning, and fostering a pro-business environment has propelled these companies forward, carving a unique niche in the global marketplace.

Read o some crazy laws in Singapore here!