Rachel Lam

After more than a decade working in government in Singapore, Rachel Lam came to Stanford GSB’s MSx Program to sharpen how she thinks about policy at the intersection of government, business, and technology. She’s drawn to work where the outcomes are tangible and long-term — whether designing support for jobseekers or strengthening animal welfare laws — and she looks forward to returning home with a broader toolkit and deeper cross-sector relationships.

“I joined the public sector after graduating from Cornell and Columbia, and I’ve loved every single minute,” says Lam. “I’m committed to returning to work in the Singapore government, and contributing in ways that strengthen outcomes for my people.”

Why did you decide to pursue an MSx degree?

I’ve spent 12 years designing and implementing policy, and I wanted a year to step back, widen my aperture, and learn alongside classmates who build and invest in the global economy. Stanford is a place where you can hear directly from entrepreneurs, operators, and investors, and that perspective matters because policy succeeds when it aligns incentives and can be implemented in the real world. I’m here to pressure-test ideas and assumptions in a different ecosystem and to build cross-sector relationships that make it easier to move from idea to execution when I return to Singapore.

What do you find most appealing about public sector work?

The impact is deeply human. For example, in my work supporting people who are unemployed, I’ve seen how quickly a job loss can shake someone’s stability, be it financially, emotionally, or socially. What makes my public service work meaningful is that it’s often about restoring dignity, rebuilding confidence, and creating a clear path back to employment for someone going through a hard period.

What’s an example of that long-term impact from your career?

In my first job after graduation in 2013, I worked on animal welfare legislation. Seeing stronger protections in place today still feels personal. I’m an animal lover, and it’s gratifying to know that careful policy work can shift norms and behavior.

What’s the reputation of public sector work in Singapore?

Singapore’s public service is known for being pragmatic and execution-oriented. Citizens expect us to move quickly, learn from feedback, and be disciplined with public resources. There’s also a strong emphasis on integrity and service, shaped over decades of institution-building, and the high expectations from both our leaders and the public keep us constantly improving.

Is there any aspect of government work that you feel would benefit people who work in private industry?

Government trains you to think in systems. You have to consider multiple stakeholders, design for implementation, and communicate trade-offs clearly, often under public scrutiny. That combination of analytical rigor, empathy, and execution is valuable anywhere, especially when you’re working on complex problems that don’t have neat answers.

You worked for CapitaLand, a global real estate group, as part of a public service leadership program. What did you learn in the private sector?

My time at CapitaLand helped me understand decision-making under market pressure: how capital is allocated, how risk is priced, and how leaders weigh speed against certainty. That exposure makes me a better policymaker because it sharpens the questions I ask: What will firms actually do in response? Where are the real frictions? And what policy design choices will make adoption easier rather than harder?

What has been your most challenging class at Stanford GSB?

Data and Decisions. It was technical and pushed me to be precise about assumptions, methods, and interpretation. I appreciated the discipline: It’s not enough to have an answer; you need to know what would change your mind, and you need to be able to explain your reasoning clearly so others can act.

What has been your most interesting class?

Capital Markets and Institutional Investing. Even in the public sector, understanding how institutions allocate capital is useful. The class gave me a stronger intuition for risk, time horizons, and incentives. It also helps me think more clearly about long-term resilience and the policy choices that shape investment and growth.

Have you had any notable mentors?

My strongest influence was my mother. She had a good education and worked as an accountant, and later chose to focus on raising a family. Now that I’m a mother myself, I understand how much invisible work goes into caregiving and how little credit it often receives. She passed away in 2021, and I miss her deeply. But I carry her steady confidence with me, and I hope to pass that same sense of belief to my daughter.

You list food as a personal interest. What’s your go-to meal?

I really love instant noodles and chicken-baked rice. They’re my comfort foods: simple, familiar, and reliably satisfying.

Photos by Elena Zhukova