SINGAPORE - The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) has announced a new executive director, Ms Emily J. Hoe, 46, who replaces veteran Wahyuni Hadi.

The festival's organisers also say that this year's edition, the 31st, will run in its traditional year-end slot, from Nov 26 to Dec 6.

According to Ms Hoe's LinkedIn profile, she spent four years at performing arts centre Esplanade, where she was last head of partnerships. Before that, she spent eight years at arts centre The Substation, where she was last general manager.

A statement from SGIFF says she takes over as part of a team restructuring so that the organisation can "better position itself for the challenges facing film festivals in the future."

The festival's chairman, Mr Sebastian Tan, adds in the statement that Ms Hoe's "experience in the arts makes her a perfect candidate who will take the SGIFF further into the future".

Ms Yuni, 44, had been executive director since 2014.

In the statement, Ms Hoe notes that she takes over at a challenging time.

"Given the current uncertainty that has arisen from the development of Covid-19, we are developing contingency plans for the festival and looking prudently and critically at the festival programme and budgets, without compromising on artistic integrity or rigour. These conditions also give us an opportunity to explore alternative creative ways of engaging our film communities."

As part of the structural change, current programme director Kuo Ming-Jung has also been re-designated artistic director.