Coopers & Lybrand

I joined Coopers & Lybrand, Singapore (C&L) as an Audit Assistant on 1 April 1981. For eleven years, I learned and matured in the firm. Back then, C&L was one of the Big 8 Audit Firms with a global presence.

It was at C&L, where I obtained my professional qualification with the Singapore Society of Accountants (now Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants). One would appreciate that Coopers & Lybrand played a significant role in my early career. After eleven years, I moved on to a teaching career in Temasek Polytechnic in 1992.

In 1998 when I was in Temasek Polytechnic, Coopers & Lybrand (C&L) was merged with Price Waterhouse to form Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC). I was not associated with the merged firm PwC though I felt Coopers & Lybrand brand name was lost forever.

C&L had a long history. It celebrated 100 years of founding in 1990 (1890 – 1990). I was fortunate to be part of centenary celebration.

The other day when I was clearing out the safe deposit box at Certis Cisco, I found a gold medallion awarded to me for 10 years of service to the firm. I had forgotten about it. It is 20 gram of 916 gold with an inscription at the back of the medallion.

This brought back memories of my years in Coopers & Lybrand starting from a newbie, fresh out of university to leaving as a Senior Manager in 1992.