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SINGAPORE, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Timah Partners ("Timah"), a Singapore-based permanent holding company focused on acquiring and operating essential, recurring B2B SMEs in Southeast Asia—and developing the next generation of SME leaders through its CEO-in-Training program, announced the close of its US$50 million Series A.
The round was backed by a distinctive group of investors, including:
- Founders of iconic HoldCos: Mitch Rales (Danaher), Nick Howley (TransDigm), and Alex Behring (3G Capital)
- Pioneers of the modern HoldCo playbook: Will Thorndike and Kent Weaver (Compounding Labs), Rick Buhrman and Paul Buser (Sator Grove)
- Veteran investors from top-tier investment firms: former and current senior leadership at Insight Partners, Norwest, TCV, and Tiger Global
Timah is also supported by a board and advisory group that includes senior leaders from DBS Bank, Grab, Quantedge, Union Energy, Singapore Land Authority, JTC Corporation, the Singapore Government, and the National University of Singapore.
Timah was founded by Dennis Chua, a Singaporean who grew up around SMEs and returned home after 15 years in the U.S. to launch Timah Partners. Over his career, he worked with world-class investors and operators—including Goldman Sachs, 3G Capital, Tiger Management, and D.E. Shaw—and helped build, from its earliest days, an investment firm focused on small- to mid-sized businesses. He graduated top of his class from Harvard Business School and Cornell University, and is an alumnus of Raffles Institution.
Tackling a quiet crisis unfolding in the region
In Singapore, for example, SMEs employ over 70% of the workforce. The population aged 65 and above is set to double over the next two decades, yet only a fraction of SME owners have formal succession plans. Too many great companies risk shutting down—not for lack of value, but for lack of a viable next chapter.
A different model for ownership
Unlike private equity or search funds, Timah does not buy with the intent to sell. With its permanent capital base and horizon, Timah serves as a long-term, values-driven home for retiring founders' life's work. The firm focuses on high-quality, recurring B2B businesses in the $2–10 million EBITDA range, offering full exits and long-term operational stewardship. Timah emphasizes preserving legacy—not overhauling it.
"We're not buying to flip," said Dennis Chua, Founder and CEO. "We acquire businesses to operate and grow them over decades, with no pressure to sell. Our investors built some of the best holding companies in the world, and we're applying those lessons here in Southeast Asia."
Learn more about Timah's acquisition criteria: timahpartners.com/sell-your-business
Building the next generation of SME leaders
At the heart of Timah's strategy is its CEO-in-Training (CIT) program—a structured, hands-on pathway for emerging operators to rise rapidly to C-suite roles within its portfolio companies. Inspired by Alpine Investors' CIT and Shore Capital's CXO programs, Timah's CIT program is designed to develop entrepreneurial leaders who want to run real businesses, create lasting impact, and build equity within a system designed for their success.
"Singapore's SME succession problem isn't just about ownership—it's about leadership," said Chua. "We're building a talent pipeline of operators who are excited about ownership and want to roll up their sleeves to run great real businesses."
Applications for the first CIT cohort are now open: timahpartners.com/join-our-team
About Timah Partners
Timah Partners is a permanent holding company built to solve Southeast Asia's SME succession crisis. We acquire and operate high-quality, recurring B2B SMEs—serving as the long-term home for the region's best businesses—while building the next generation of SME leaders through Southeast Asia's first CEO-in-Training program. We're not a fund. We're not flippers. We're builders—committed to permanent stewardship, operational excellence, and deep respect for what founders have built. Learn more at timahpartners.com.
SINGAPORE, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Timah Partners ("Timah"), a Singapore-based permanent holding company focused on acquiring and operating essential, recurring B2B SMEs in Southeast Asia—and developing the next generation of SME leaders through its CEO-in-Training program, announced the close of its US$50 million Series A.
The round was backed by a distinctive group of investors, including:
- Founders of iconic HoldCos: Mitch Rales (Danaher), Nick Howley (TransDigm), and Alex Behring (3G Capital)
- Pioneers of the modern HoldCo playbook: Will Thorndike and Kent Weaver (Compounding Labs), Rick Buhrman and Paul Buser (Sator Grove)
- Veteran investors from top-tier investment firms: former and current senior leadership at Insight Partners, Norwest, TCV, and Tiger Global
Timah is also supported by a board and advisory group that includes senior leaders from DBS Bank, Grab, Quantedge, Union Energy, Singapore Land Authority, JTC Corporation, the Singapore Government, and the National University of Singapore.
Timah was founded by Dennis Chua, a Singaporean who grew up around SMEs and returned home after 15 years in the U.S. to launch Timah Partners. Over his career, he worked with world-class investors and operators—including Goldman Sachs, 3G Capital, Tiger Management, and D.E. Shaw—and helped build, from its earliest days, an investment firm focused on small- to mid-sized businesses. He graduated top of his class from Harvard Business School and Cornell University, and is an alumnus of Raffles Institution.
Tackling a quiet crisis unfolding in the region
In Singapore, for example, SMEs employ over 70% of the workforce. The population aged 65 and above is set to double over the next two decades, yet only a fraction of SME owners have formal succession plans. Too many great companies risk shutting down—not for lack of value, but for lack of a viable next chapter.
A different model for ownership
Unlike private equity or search funds, Timah does not buy with the intent to sell. With its permanent capital base and horizon, Timah serves as a long-term, values-driven home for retiring founders' life's work. The firm focuses on high-quality, recurring B2B businesses in the $2–10 million EBITDA range, offering full exits and long-term operational stewardship. Timah emphasizes preserving legacy—not overhauling it.
"We're not buying to flip," said Dennis Chua, Founder and CEO. "We acquire businesses to operate and grow them over decades, with no pressure to sell. Our investors built some of the best holding companies in the world, and we're applying those lessons here in Southeast Asia."
Learn more about Timah's acquisition criteria: timahpartners.com/sell-your-business
Building the next generation of SME leaders
At the heart of Timah's strategy is its CEO-in-Training (CIT) program—a structured, hands-on pathway for emerging operators to rise rapidly to C-suite roles within its portfolio companies. Inspired by Alpine Investors' CIT and Shore Capital's CXO programs, Timah's CIT program is designed to develop entrepreneurial leaders who want to run real businesses, create lasting impact, and build equity within a system designed for their success.
"Singapore's SME succession problem isn't just about ownership—it's about leadership," said Chua. "We're building a talent pipeline of operators who are excited about ownership and want to roll up their sleeves to run great real businesses."
Applications for the first CIT cohort are now open: timahpartners.com/join-our-team
About Timah Partners
Timah Partners is a permanent holding company built to solve Southeast Asia's SME succession crisis. We acquire and operate high-quality, recurring B2B SMEs—serving as the long-term home for the region's best businesses—while building the next generation of SME leaders through Southeast Asia's first CEO-in-Training program. We're not a fund. We're not flippers. We're builders—committed to permanent stewardship, operational excellence, and deep respect for what founders have built. Learn more at timahpartners.com.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Timah Partners Closes US$50M Series A to Address Southeast Asia's SME Succession Crisis
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, GAC's independently developed Quark E-Drive power domain control system has achieved the world's first dual certification for deeply integrated ASIL D functional safety and information security, accredited by DAkkS, Germany's national accreditation body. The certification was evaluated and issued by SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd. (SGS), a globally recognized certification authority.
ISO 26262 is the internationally recognized core standard for automotive functional safety. Within this framework, ASIL D represents the highest automotive safety integrity level, requiring near-zero tolerance for safety-critical failures. Achieving an ASIL D certification accredited by DAkkS signifies that the certified product meets the highest globally accepted standards for automotive safety.
The certified Quark E-Drive power domain control system has been in production use since February 2025, and is now deployed across multiple models under GAC's brands - HYPTEC and AION. As the industry's first electric drive power domain system based on deep integration using a single main control chip, the solution significantly reduces chip count, minimizes risks associated with chip-level failures, and boosts motor controller efficiency to as high as 99.9%. The certification confirms that GAC has completed the system's full product development lifecycle in strict compliance with ISO 26262:2018 functional safety and ISO/SAE 21434:2021 information security standards.
Throughout the project, GAC Technology Research Center worked closely with SGS experts, strengthening safety design across all development phases while ensuring engineering feasibility and an optimal user experience.
Zhao Hui, Vice President of SGS China, commented: "The successful certification highlights GAC's strong team and robust development systems. We are pleased to support the safety of the Quark E-Drive and look forward to closer collaboration."
This milestone represents a major breakthrough for GAC in e-drive safety and sets a new global benchmark for the intelligent electric vehicle industry.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
GAC's Quark Electric Drive Achieves the World's First DAkkS ASIL D Functional Safety and Information Security Dual Certification
