New chief for Singapore civil aviation authority
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Toh Ting Wei
A new director-general will helm the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) from Aug 2.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said yesterday that Mr Han Kok Juan, who is currently deputy secretary at the ministry and senior deputy director-general at CAAS, will take on the role.
He will be appointed first as director-general designate at CAAS from June 1 to Aug 1. The 47-year-old will replace Mr Kevin Shum, 50, who has headed CAAS since Aug 2, 2015.
Mr Shum will be posted to Mr Han's former role as a deputy secretary of transport.
Mr Han has been deputy secretary at MOT since September 2019. MOT said he has helped to advance the ministry's agenda in aviation, maritime and international relations, among other issues.
He is also credited with playing a key role in coordinating the transport sector's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before his appointment at MOT, Mr Han was the deputy secretary in the Law Ministry from November 2015 until September 2019.
On Mr Shum, MOT said he led the Changi air hub to new heights during his time at CAAS. This is illustrated by Changi Airport reaching an all-time high of 68 million passengers in 2019, and Singapore Airlines carrying a record 36 million passengers to 136 destinations.
MOT said Mr Shum had worked with the aviation sector to innovate and invest in technology. He had also overseen significant enhancements to Singapore's air traffic management system.
The ministry lauded his role in strengthening Singapore's profile and contributing to the development of the international aviation regulatory regime.
For example, he had contributed to multilateral efforts to revive the international air transport sector amid the pandemic.
"The Ministry of Transport would like to put on record its appreciation to Mr Kevin Shum for his significant contributions in his six years as the director-general of CAAS," MOT added.
