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https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ngien-hoon-ping-third-consecutive-saf-man-smrt-ceo-070030116.html
Former Land Transport Authority chief Ngien Hoon Ping (left) will take over as SMRT group CEO from Neo Kian Hong (PHOTOS: SMRT)
SINGAPORE — Former Land Transport Authority (LTA) head and ex-Brigadier General with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Ngien Hoon Ping has been appointed to become the SMRT Group chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from 1 August.
He is the third consecutive ex-SAF man to head the rail operator, after current CEO Neo Kian Hong and Desmond Kuek. Neo and Kuek are former Lieutenant-Generals who served as Chief of Defence Force.
Ngien, currently the head of FairPrice Group Supply Chain, will take over from Neo, who was appointed in August 2018 after a "global search". Neo will be advisor to Ngien till 31 October, SMRT said in a statement on Friday (18 March).
An electrical engineer by training, Ngien was LTA chief executive from 2016 to 2020. According to SMRT, he laid the foundation for a significant improvement in rail reliability and safety and led the delivery of infrastructure projects such as the Thomson-East Coast Line, Mandai Depot, and the new Lornie Highway.
Ngien also previously served as Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. He spent almost two decades at the Ministry of Defence and was formerly the director of Joint Operations at the SAF.
"Hoon Ping is well placed to lead SMRT forward in an era of disruption," said SMRT chair Seah Moon Ming. Seah also expressed his appreciation to Neo, who oversaw a "deepening of rail engineering capabilities and consistent delivery of high rail reliability".
Ngien paid tribute to Neo, saying that the reliability of the train system has consistently improved in the past four years under his leadership.
"With the strong foundation laid by the SMRT board and management, I look forward to joining the SMRT family and working with MOT, LTA and other stakeholders & partners to provide a safe, reliable and caring public transport service for our commuters,” Ngien said.
Neo said the leadership renewal for the next phase of SMRT’s journey is timely and that it was his honour to have worked with SMRT to improve its rail reliability.
"I am appreciative of the support from MOT and LTA, as well as the guidance from Chairman and Board. I am confident that Hoon Ping will take SMRT to greater heights,” Neo added.
Neo's four-year tenure when it ends in August is shorter than that of Kuek, who led SMRT for almost six years. He succeeded Kuek at a time when the rail operator had come under increasing pressure due to an increasing frequency of breakdowns, and two train accidents that separately killed two staff and injured 38 persons.
In 2017, Kuek alluded to “deep-seated cultural issues” at SMRT that impeded the process of instilling a positive work culture.
Asked by reporters about this in November 2018, Neo disagreed, but stressed the need to continually engage staff in order to have a sense of mission. “Based on my engagement, my experience is that our people want to do well. I’ve seen very enthusiastic people, very hardworking people, quite innovative people giving a lot of suggestions.”
Former Land Transport Authority chief Ngien Hoon Ping (left) will take over as SMRT group CEO from Neo Kian Hong (PHOTOS: SMRT)
SINGAPORE — Former Land Transport Authority (LTA) head and ex-Brigadier General with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Ngien Hoon Ping has been appointed to become the SMRT Group chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from 1 August.
He is the third consecutive ex-SAF man to head the rail operator, after current CEO Neo Kian Hong and Desmond Kuek. Neo and Kuek are former Lieutenant-Generals who served as Chief of Defence Force.
Ngien, currently the head of FairPrice Group Supply Chain, will take over from Neo, who was appointed in August 2018 after a "global search". Neo will be advisor to Ngien till 31 October, SMRT said in a statement on Friday (18 March).
An electrical engineer by training, Ngien was LTA chief executive from 2016 to 2020. According to SMRT, he laid the foundation for a significant improvement in rail reliability and safety and led the delivery of infrastructure projects such as the Thomson-East Coast Line, Mandai Depot, and the new Lornie Highway.
Ngien also previously served as Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. He spent almost two decades at the Ministry of Defence and was formerly the director of Joint Operations at the SAF.
"Hoon Ping is well placed to lead SMRT forward in an era of disruption," said SMRT chair Seah Moon Ming. Seah also expressed his appreciation to Neo, who oversaw a "deepening of rail engineering capabilities and consistent delivery of high rail reliability".
Ngien paid tribute to Neo, saying that the reliability of the train system has consistently improved in the past four years under his leadership.
"With the strong foundation laid by the SMRT board and management, I look forward to joining the SMRT family and working with MOT, LTA and other stakeholders & partners to provide a safe, reliable and caring public transport service for our commuters,” Ngien said.
Neo said the leadership renewal for the next phase of SMRT’s journey is timely and that it was his honour to have worked with SMRT to improve its rail reliability.
"I am appreciative of the support from MOT and LTA, as well as the guidance from Chairman and Board. I am confident that Hoon Ping will take SMRT to greater heights,” Neo added.
SMRT's faulty track record
The rumours of Neo's impending departure reportedly began as early as last December. It is unclear why he is stepping down.Neo's four-year tenure when it ends in August is shorter than that of Kuek, who led SMRT for almost six years. He succeeded Kuek at a time when the rail operator had come under increasing pressure due to an increasing frequency of breakdowns, and two train accidents that separately killed two staff and injured 38 persons.
In 2017, Kuek alluded to “deep-seated cultural issues” at SMRT that impeded the process of instilling a positive work culture.
Asked by reporters about this in November 2018, Neo disagreed, but stressed the need to continually engage staff in order to have a sense of mission. “Based on my engagement, my experience is that our people want to do well. I’ve seen very enthusiastic people, very hardworking people, quite innovative people giving a lot of suggestions.”
