Human in the Lead: DBS Singapore's Lim Him Chuan on the life skills that outlast any technology

Text: Joyce Yong

“Technical knowledge is the foundation of why anybody wants to even come to you…but it's not enough.”

This is the central message that Lim Him Chuan (NBS/1992), Country Head and Group Executive of DBS Singapore, shared with a room of NTU students and alumni.

Over 25 years at DBS, Him Chuan has taken on vastly different functions, often with little domain expertise at the start. He credits his NTU education for laying a solid foundation, and says that picking up new subject matter need not be daunting.

"The ability to learn new things, in terms of the domain content, is actually not hard if you're willing to put in the effort."

For alumni navigating career transitions and a changing workplace, his message extends beyond technical skills. A strong set of life skills, he says, is what sustains long-term career growth and adaptability.

The 5Ls

Him Chuan summarises these skills as the 5Ls: listen with intent; learn by doing and teaching; link the dots to create meaning; leverage with respect; and laugh at oneself.

On learning by doing and teaching, Him Chuan recalls having to lead a project he knew little about. “I organised training sessions for the RMs (relationship managers) and I went up and teach. But before I could go and teach, I had to learn.” Teaching forces him to apply what he learns, and that is what makes the knowledge stick.

On linking the dots, this means connecting tasks to a broader mission so that work carries a genuine purpose. He recalls telling his internal audit team that their role is more than reviewing: "Checking is just a step." Their real purpose is to provide independent assurance to the board.

The result of practising the 5Ls is simple: "You build trust with people."

Him Chuan (right) speaking at a career fireside chat on 1 Oct 2026.

Trust, ownership, purpose

Building trust, along with taking ownership and maintaining purpose, forms the bedrock of navigating career transitions successfully. "Trust, ownership, purpose", he says. Trust, in particular, opens doors. “When you build trust with people, frankly, you can go anywhere.”

To illustrate ownership, he describes witnessing former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta pick up a piece of litter outside the bank’s towers and throw it into a bin, even though no one expects him to. "Why did he do that? Ownership. Because he treated the place like his own."

On purpose, he emphasises that good leaders give people a reason to care about their work. “No one is going to take you seriously unless you can give them a sense of purpose”, he says, stressing the importance of framing daily work around the value it brings.

Him Chuan (first row, third from left) with attendees of the career fireside chat.

Navigating AI with confidence

As automation and AI reshape the workplace, Him Chuan says technological shifts are a constant part of working life. For professionals at every stage of their careers, adaptability is essential.

"Don't be scared of what AI can do to you. Ask what AI can do for you.”

He disagrees with the idea of keeping a “human in the loop”, which places people inside the machine’s process rather than at its head.

“Is AI your colleague? No. You are the principal and AI is your agent. In my mind, it is not human in the loop, it is human in the lead."

Starting each day with purpose

Ultimately, a fulfilling career comes down to how one chooses to show up each day. It is also why he made time for the session: he considers it "meaningful to connect with NTU" and to mentor the next generation. He leaves the audience with a question to start each day.

"Every day when you wake up in the morning, when you come to work, you ask yourselves, 'What's my purpose? Am I coming here just to earn another day of salary... or am I here to make a difference to someone today?' When you have that kind of purpose in life, then you feel like every day is a great day."