Private banker and Pan Pacific CEO among winners of 2025 Marketplace Impact Award

We worship no one but Jesus. But the Bible tells us to outdo one another in honour. (Romans 12:10) Since 2016, Salt&Light and the other websites on the Thirst Collective have published thousands of stories of believers whose obedience to God has seen lives, communities, and even nations, transformed. This year, to recognise these heroes of faith […] The post Private banker and Pan Pacific CEO among winners of 2025 Marketplace Impact Award appeared first on Salt&Light.

Religion Oct 1, 2025 0 1 Add to Reading List

Private banker and Pan Pacific CEO among winners of 2025 Marketplace Impact Award

We worship no one but Jesus. But the Bible tells us to outdo one another in honour. (Romans 12:10)

Since 2016, Salt&Light and the other websites on the Thirst Collective have published thousands of stories of believers whose obedience to God has seen lives, communities, and even nations, transformed.

This year, to recognise these heroes of faith who labour in love for God and community, and to invite support for their ministries, we are pleased to announce the inaugural 2025 Salt&Light Inspiration Awards.

The seven categories in the 2025 Salt&Light Inspiration Awards are:

Creation Care Award
Stories of Hope and hhm.sg Evangelism Award
Missions Impact Award
Marketplace Impact Award
Caleb Award (Age 65 and above)
Thir.st Youth Inspiration Award (Age 21 and below)
2025 Salt&Light Inspiration Award

The winners of the 2025 Marketplace Impact Award live out their faith in the workplace, drawing others to Jesus and bringing tangible transformation to their realm.

The 2025 Marketplace Impact Award winners are: Bernard Lim, Choe Peng Sum and Joyce Lo.

(Catch the winners of the other categories on Salt&Light all this week.)

BERNARD LIM, Founder, N5 Stewardship Movement

Bernard started the N5 Stewardship Movement (based on Nehemiah 5), to help the Church restore biblical stewardship of money, wealth and legacy.

N5 has grown from a Zoom conference of 1,000 participants and 30 speakers in the midst of COVID into a year-round network of believers and marketplace leaders who:

Learn Scripture-rooted financial principles to build wealth free of debt
Live them out at home, work and church
Leverage wealth to advance the Gospel

He holds weekly prayer meetings for the financial planning industry and is instrumental in redirecting their focus to God.

What makes you do what you do?

“It starts with my primary identity as a son. Because of my love relationship with Abba Father, every aspect of how I live becomes an act of worship to Him.”

How have you seen God in the journey?

“His provision and presence have been unmistakable. When we began without funds, manpower, speakers or audience, He faithfully connected us to every resource we needed. Even now, He moves hearts to volunteer, weaves together the messages of speakers seamlessly during our conferences, orchestrates supernatural connections with like-minded Kingdom partners, and grants us favour with stakeholders.

“My hope is for this Movement to be a catalyst that awakens believers to live their life as worship, expressed through Kingdom stewardship of the financial resources entrusted to them – freed from the bondage of Babylon and Mammon, and empowered to advance God’s purposes.”

CHOE PENG SUM, CEO, Pan Pacific Hotels Group

Overseeing the management of hotels and serviced suites across 30 cities in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, Peng Sum steered the Group through COVID with the graciousness and godliness that came from his strong faith.

This family man has been a quiet and steady supporter of both marketplace and family ministries and is currently Chairperson of the Board of Governors of ACS and Co-Chairman of Focus on the Family Singapore.

What moves you to live out your faith in the marketplace?

“I was attending church service one day and in the midst of enjoying worship, I heard God telling me: ‘You worship me on Sunday and that is very good! But church starts on Monday.” Ever since, I believe that God has called me to be a testimony of His love and grace in the workplace.

“Every day we can honour Him and worship Him in the workplace and at home, not only in church.”

How have you seen God in your journey?

“I believe that Christians can change the atmosphere and the culture in the workplace. We can do our best without using human wisdom to outbeat each other at work, but totally depending on God to act on our behalf and to create a culture of love and grace.

“In the office one year, I received a birthday card from a team member saying: ‘Thank you so much for being a Pastor at the workplace!’

“I hope we will do away with the spiritual/secular divide, and instead be salt and light at our place of work.

“Let Matthew 5:16 come alive: ‘In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to the Father in heaven.’”

JOYCE LO, Senior Private Banker Director, Citi Private Banking

Joyce is a 25-year veteran in the private banking sector who has kept her promise of starting a cell group in every workplace of hers.

She also fellowships with and trains others to be bold in starting cell groups in their workplaces.

She mentors the next generation via the marketplace ministry at Wesley Methodist Church and at her workplace.

How did you get started?

“God opened the door for me to join the industry 25 years ago even though I was not qualified, and even though I resisted joining the bank. I know God has been preparing me for such a time as this.

“Over the years, God’s divine intervention connected me with like-minded Christians to start office cell groups and now the Banking & Finance Fellowship (BFF). He also reminded me in Hebrews 13:21 that He equips believers with every good thing to do His will.

What is your hope for your ministry?

“My hope is to gather more Christians for the purpose of:

1) Praying – Banking & Finance is the pillar of the economy and it is important for us to stand in the gap and pray for our industry to be upright and full of integrity;

2) Sharing the Good News with our colleagues whom we meet five days a week, knowing that God put us where we are for the purpose of outreach (Matthew 28:18-20);

3) Glorifying God in our works, words and walk with Him.”