Changes at the helm of EDB, JTC and URA

New chiefs have overseen key projects in previous roles

Mr Chng Kai Fong (left) will head the EDB with effect from Oct 1 while Mr Ng Lang will take over at JTC with effect from Sept 1. PHOTO: MTI

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) yesterday announced the appointments of a new managing director for the Economic Development Board (EDB) and a new chief executive officer for JTC Corporation (JTC).

Mr Chng Kai Fong, 38, the principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, will head EDB with effect from Oct 1. The current managing director, Mr Yeoh Keat Chuan, will be leaving the public service on Aug 31.

Mr Ng Lang, 52, chief executive of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), will take over at JTC with effect from Sept 1.

Mr Chng, the incoming EDB chief, has held key appointments in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Civil Service College, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and MTI. He was also seconded to Shell Eastern Petroleum as a senior management consultant.

In his current position, which he has held since 2014, Mr Chng works with the Prime Minister to prioritise and drive the national agenda, and coordinate with ministries on issues that straddle several agencies.

Prior to that, as director of the Communications Group in the PMO from June 2013 to June 2014, Mr Chng contributed to the Ministry of Communications and Information's (MCI) efforts to transform whole-of-government communications, oversaw the development of the information operations cycle and helped put in place standard operation procedures on coordinating information between MCI and other ministries.

Mr Ng, who has been chief executive of URA for the last seven years, oversaw major master planning initiatives like the Master Plan Review 2013, Rail Corridor, Punggol Digital District and Jurong Lake District.

He also helped drive the car-lite momentum in Singapore through initiatives such as Car-Free Sunday and weekend street closures in the historic districts.

To transform urban planning, Mr Ng led a three-year digitalisation plan to fully digitise planning processes in URA. This has allowed planners to use data analytics to improve planning insights, and enhance inter-agency collaboration for better planning outcomes and productivity.

He also started URA Space to make available more planning.

Replacing Mr Ng is urban planning veteran Lim Eng Hwee, who will take on the role as chief executive at URA from Sept 1, URA announced yesterday.

Mr Lim, 52, is currently URA's chief planner and deputy chief executive. He joined URA in 1990 and has almost 30 years of experience in urban planning, urban design and implementation of land use policies and development initiatives.

Mr Lim has been a strong advocate for planning that takes in the needs of pedestrians and cyclists and has played a pivotal role in outlining key initiatives such as the decentralisation strategy to create new growth centres outside the city centre.

Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, director (land and liveability) at the Strategy Group in the PMO, will step in as URA's acting deputy chief executive and chief planner from Oct 1.

Ms Hwang, a trained architect, has served in the public service as an urban planner and policymaker for more than 20 years.

Current JTC CEO Png Cheong Boon will be stepping down after completing a four-year tenure.

Mr Png has been holding a concurrent appointment as Second Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry since June 1 and will continue in this role.

Under Mr Png, JTC accelerated the development of innovative industrial infrastructure solutions with shared facilities to support the clustering of companies and enable industry transformation.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 02, 2017, with the headline Changes at the helm of EDB, JTC and URA. Subscribe