Working Lives Singapore: Millionaire

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Working Lives Singapore: Millionaire

A passion for polo and property drew 42-year-old Satinder Garcha to Singapore 10 years ago.

Among the 50 richest people in Singapore, according to one survey, Satinder is worth an estimated $395m (£244m).

Born in India, he made his money in Silicon Valley's dotcom boom in the 1990s.

Work-life balance is important to Satinder.

"I can afford to go off for two months and play polo in Argentina and my business still runs just as well, which is a huge luxury," he says.

He spends an hour or so in his office, in the exclusive Raffles Hotel complex, but the majority of his day is spent visiting construction sites and talking to architects.

Becoming a Singapore citizen was crucial to growing his company, which develops upmarket residential property that foreigners cannot buy.

"I had to be a Singaporean to buy that kind of land," he says.

And now he's moving into the hotel business.

"The idea is to do city hotels with personality and ideally with historical links," he says.

As with many people who settle in Singapore, safety is a key factor.

"For me the biggest thing is the rule of law. We wanted to start a family and it is just a great place," he says.

His working day ends about 16:00 when he heads to the polo ground.

"My big outlay I guess would be the polo, which I love, it's a big part of my life," he says. "That's my biggest indulgence."