Marco Polo’s Riding the Wave

For some strange and unplanned reason, Sean Lee and I have always crossed paths in the Dempsey area at pivotal moments in Marco Polo Marine’s (MPM) journey over the past eight years. Sean is the company’s CEO.

Back in 2017, when MPM — like many listed offshore & marine players — was on the brink of bankruptcy, Sean shared his vision for saving the business. I was convinced by his conviction and joined the S$60 million rescue effort led by Apricot Capital.

Fast forward to 2022, we met again for coffee in the same area — this time under far brighter circumstances. The company had staged a remarkable turnaround, thanks to the partnership between Apricot’s Darren Teo and Sean. That same year, Sean was named Outstanding CEO at the SIAS Investors’ Choice Awards.

Earlier this month, our paths crossed once more at Dempsey. MPM now stands at another inflection point, and the next two years promise to be an exciting new chapter as the company fires on multiple cylinders.