MR HO Kwon Ping, the executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, has been named by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) as its first S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore.

As an S R Nathan fellow, Mr Ho, 61, will pursue research related to public policy and governance in Singapore, IPS said in a statement yesterday.

Mr Ho, who is also chairman of the Singapore Management University Board of Trustees, will share his ideas at a series of public lectures over the course of the 2014 to 2015 academic year.

Known as the "IPS-Nathan Lectures", they will be delivered at the National University of Singapore's main campus.

Mr Ho said his research would be looking at the next 50 years for Singapore as the nation turns 50 next year. "What are some issues that we will face, from politics to civil society, social changes? It is a broad spectrum," he said.

The S R Nathan Fellowship, announced last year, is named after Singapore's sixth president, Mr S R Nathan, who celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday.

The fellowship was set up to recognise his contributions to public service and the advancement of Singapore. In total, $3 million has been raised by IPS through donations, excluding the matching government grant, to endow this annual fellowship.

NUR ASYIQIN MOHAMAD SALLEH