IDA appoints new director-general as part of leadership renewal process

SINGAPORE - The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) will have a new director-general from Jan 1. She is Ms Aileen Chia, who is at present IDA's deputy director-general .

Ms Chia will succeed Mr Leong Keng Thai, IDA's first director-general who has held the post since the statutory board's inception in 1999. The change is part of IDA's leadership renewal and succession planning process, the authority said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 8).

Ms Chia has worked at IDA for more than 25 years and was its deputy director-general for the last six years.

Mr Leong will continue to be deputy chief executive of IDA and chairman of the Personal Data Protection Commission.

He will also lead the international division of IDA in all engagements with overseas government and public agencies as well as at international forums, and advise the senior leadership team on infocomm policy and regulatory related matters.

"With 35 years of experience in the telecommunications and postal industry under his belt, Mr Leong has played a key role in charting the significant milestones of the telecoms industry," IDA said.

This includes the full liberalisation of the telecoms and postal sectors, the introduction of a competition regulatory framework, and the conceptualisation and implementation of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network.

In the statement, IDA's managing director, Ms Jacqueline Poh, thanked Mr Leong and Ms Chia for their continued contributions.

"IDA looks forward to Keng Thai's continued mentorship while Aileen assumes an expanded portfolio as the director-general (Telecoms & Post) of IDA," she said.

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