Desmond Koh
Quick Facts
Biography
Desmond Koh Mun Kit (born 19 May 1973) is a former competitive swimmer from Singapore and represented the nation in numerous international competitions over a period of more than 10 years including 5 years as Captain. He started his foray in banking in investment banking London in 1996 and is currently a director at Credit Suisse Private Bank. He is founder and investor to several businesses including of SPORTinc, Jacob and Cody, Gnomadic Publishing to name a few.
Desmond represented the Republic in three Olympics (1988, 1992, 1996), three Asian Games (1990, 1994, 1998), one Commonwealth Games (1998), one World Championships (1991) and five Southeast Asian Games (1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995). His younger brother, Gerald, also represented Singapore at the Olympics. Although he is no longer representing the Republic, some of Koh's national swimming records are still unbroken.
He graduated from the University of Southern California with a (B.S. in (Electrical Engineering)) and was subsequently awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, to study at Oxford where he obtained an MPhil in Management Studies (Finance and Economics).
Desmond is married to Nadya Hutagalung, a well known personality in Asia. She was one of MTV's most recognized VJs in the early 1990s. His two brothers, Terry and Gerald, were also both national swimmers and are also in the finance industry. Terry is a Barclays Capital while Gerald is at PIMCO Asset Management. Desmond is also an active fundraiser, volunteer and contributor to various non-profit causes and organizations in Singapore and has sat on numerous committees and boards including National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, Remaking Singapore, Committee on Sporting Singapore, Singapore Sports School Ltd, Singapore Amateur Swimming Association.
National records
Koh broke four national records, including:
- 200m Breaststroke - 2:21.87, 29 July 1992 (Current record: 2:21.06, 21 June 2007)
- 400m Individual Medley - 4:28.95, 27 July 1992 ( Broken by QUAH Zheng Wen with a timing of 4:21.70 on 16 Mar 2012 43rd S'pore Nat Age Gp (Sr) Swimming
C'ships 2012 SINGAPORE )