Singapore Institute of Directors names ex-Ogilvy president as CEO starting May

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) has appointed Ms Emily Poon as its new chief executive from May 1, it announced on Feb 6.

Ms Poon, who has 20 years of industry experience and was the Asia-Pacific president of Ogilvy Public Relations for five years, will join as CEO-designate on March 1 before eventually taking over from the current CEO, Mr Terence Quek.

She is also an accredited director and member of SID and serves on the industry advisory council at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Families for Life Council under the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and the executive committee of Singapore Management University’s Leading Executives and Directors Alumni Group.

“Ms Poon actively contributes to shaping governance standards across corporate, academic and public sector platforms,” SID said in a statement.

SID chairman Yeoh Oon Jin said: “The council went through an extensive search for candidates, supported by an executive search firm.

“We were looking for someone with the right attributes to take SID forward: industry experience across geographies, passion about our mission, and a firm commitment in the belief that SID has an important role to play in raising standards of governance here and in the region.”

Mr Yeoh said Ms Poon was appointed because of her strong track record in leadership roles, as well as deep expertise in engaging diverse stakeholders and building trusted communities and partnerships.

Ms Poon, 46, said: “Singapore has a strong corporate governance ecosystem, and SID plays a distinctive role as the national association for directors. My focus remains on supporting our members, nurturing a strong community of directors, and growing SID’s ecosystem of partnerships and influence in Singapore and internationally.”

She added that the responsibilities placed on directors today are becoming more complex, shaped by a rapidly changing global, economic and regulatory landscape.

“Our priority is to sustain the strong momentum SID has built over the past 28 years, while continuing to innovate to deliver what our members and the wider directorship community need to navigate this environment effectively,” she said.

Mr Yeoh thanked Mr Quek, 51, for his service to SID over the past four years, noting his significant contributions to the its growth.

During Mr Quek’s tenure as CEO, SID’s membership diversified and grew from 3,300 to more than 5,500 directors, while the organisation more than doubled the number of activities for members.

He also oversaw the launch of new initiatives. The SID Accreditation Programme was launched in 2024 to elevate the standards of corporate governance among company directors in Singapore. The SID Chairpersons Guild was announced on Jan 16 to support board chairs of Singapore Exchange-listed firms in enhancing corporate governance and leadership.

“Working with the SID team, (Mr Quek) also helped elevate SID’s position globally, building partnerships with regional organisations and working with international bodies to elevate the profession of directorship,” Mr Yeoh said.

In 2025, SID hosted the Global Network of Director Institutes meeting in Singapore for the first time.

Mr Quek, who will continue to be a member of SID, said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve SID over the past few years as its CEO.

“SID is a national institution that not only serves its members and uplifts the directorship community, but also actively contributes to the ecosystem locally and beyond.”