MINDEF deputy secretary to take over as National Arts Council CEO
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MINDEF deputy secretary Elaine Ng (left) will succeed Mr Low Eng Teong as CEO of National Arts Council on March 1, 2026.
PHOTOS: NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
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SINGAPORE – The National Arts Council (NAC) will welcome a new chief executive officer, Mrs Elaine Ng, on March 1, 2026.
She will succeed Mr Low Eng Teong, who has served as the organisation’s chief since 2023
Mrs Ng will first be appointed as CEO (Designate) from Jan 1, 2026.
She is currently the deputy secretary (administration) at the Ministry of Defence, an appointment she has held since November 2019.
In her current role, Mrs Ng heads the ministry’s Defence Management Group, which plans and executes policies that support national security objectives.
The incoming CEO has a track record in transforming organisations, MCCY said, pointing out that Mrs Ng oversees major infrastructural projects in her MINDEF role, such as the recently completed Central Manpower Base.
She also chairs the Defence Collective Singapore, which operates Singapore’s military museums, including the upcoming NS Gallery.
Before her MINDEF stint, Mrs Ng served as the deputy chief executive of the National Heritage Board and CEO of the National Library Board (NLB).
In her NLB role, Mrs Ng introduced initiatives that increased access to e-books, heritage publications and archives in Singapore while revamping public libraries and growing NLB’s volunteers, MCCY said.
Mr Low, the outgoing CEO, championed the development of the roadmap for Singapore’s arts and culture policies, driving efforts to strengthen digital adoption in the arts sector, build clearer professional training pathways and deepen audience engagement.
He also improved access to the arts across communities and strengthened arts education, among other achievements during his tenure, MCCY said.
In the MCCY statement, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo thanked the outgoing CEO and welcomed the incoming chief.
Mr Neo said: “Under Eng Teong’s steadfast leadership, NAC has broadened access to the arts, strengthened support for the sector and deepened the role that culture plays in shaping who we are as Singaporeans.”
