Media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) has appointed Mr Ng Yat Chung as an independent director to its board with effect from Aug 1.

Mr Ng, 54, is currently the executive director of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a position he has held since June 9. Prior to that, he was NOL's group president and chief executive officer from Oct 1, 2011.

Mr Ng will be a member of the SPH board's risk committee.

He had held different portfolios with Temasek Holdings between 2007 and 2011, after holding various positions with the Ministry of Defence, including as the Chief of Defence Force from July 2003 to April 2007.

He was given the Meritorious Service Medal (Military) in 2007, among other public service awards.

Mr Ng graduated with honours in engineering from the University of Cambridge in 1983.

He went on to obtain three master's degrees - Master of Arts in Mathematics from Cambridge; Master of Military Art and Science from Command and General Staff College in the United States; and Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.

"I look forward to working with the board to maintain our leadership position in the media sector, and to seek new growth for the company," Mr Ng said in a press statement yesterday.

He also serves as chairman of the board of trustees of the Singapore Institute of Technology.