Neo Kian Hong | |
---|---|
Born | 1965 (age 57–58) Singapore |
Allegiance | Singapore |
Service/ | Singapore Army |
Years of service | 1983–2013 |
Rank | Lieutenant-General |
Commands held | Chief of Defence Force Chief of Army Chief of Staff – Joint Staff Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operations) Commander, Army Training and Doctrine Command Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Singapore Guards |
Awards | See awards |
Alma mater | King's College London MIT Sloan School of Management Harvard Business School |
Neo Kian Hong | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Simplified Chinese | 梁建鸿 | ||||||
|
Neo Kian Hong is a Singaporean civil servant and former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2010 and 2013.
Neo served as the chief executive officer of SMRT Corporation between 2018 and 2022. Prior to that,he had served as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) [1] and Permanent Secretary (Education Development) in the Ministry of Education (MOE) after leaving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Neo received his secondary education in Victoria School,where he was also a National Cadet Corps cadet, [2] After his pre-university education in Nanyang Junior College, [3] he was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1985 and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Upper Second Class Honours) degree in electrical and electronic engineering from King's College London. He subsequently completed a Master of Science degree in management of technology from the MIT Sloan School of Management. [4] He attended Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2013. [5]
Neo joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1983. Throughout his 30-year service in the SAF,he held various appointments,including:Commanding Officer,1st Battalion Singapore Guards;Commander,Army Training and Doctrine Command,Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operations);Chief of Staff,Joint Staff;Chief of Army (2007–2010). [6] He served as the SAF's contingent commander for the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) in 1999 and as the Director of Operations,Ministry of Health,during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak,he was involved in establishing the national contact and tracing system in Singapore. [7]
In 2010,Neo was appointed as the SAF's Chief of Defence Force (CDF) and was promoted from the rank of Major-General to Lieutenant-General. [8]
Neo was succeeded by Ng Chee Meng in 2013 when he retired that year. [9]
After leaving the SAF,Neo joined the civil service and was appointed as the Permanent Secretary (Education Development) in the Ministry of Education (MOE) on 1 July 2013. In MOE,he was part of senior management who helped to formulate and implement education policies,and to oversee the development and management of schools. In particular,he contributed to the development of MOE's Outdoor Education Masterplan and Digital Plan to build resilient mind,body and cohesion amongst students. It includes the building and upgrading of outdoor adventure centres for MOE to accommodate cohort camps at three levels:P5,S1 and S3. The Digital Plan improves the way students learn by using technology and further develops communication between parents and schools.
Neo was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) in the Ministry of Defence in 2017. In this role,his portfolio covers defence research and technology,capability development and acquisitions,and defence administration.
On 1 August 2018,Neo joined SMRT as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO). On 1 July 2022,he resigned from his position and will stay on as an advisor till 31 October 2022. On 1 August 2022,Ngien Hoon Ping will succeed him as the next Group CEO. [10]
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore,responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF),the armed forces have four service branches:the Army,the Navy,the Air Force,and the Digital and Intelligence Service. An integrated force,it is one of the most capable,robust,technologically sophisticated and powerful militaries in Southeast Asia and the surrounding regions. The SAF is headed by the chief of defence force,appointed by the president of Singapore,on the advice of the Cabinet.
Orders and decorations conferred to military personnel of the Singapore Armed Forces in Singapore,listed by order of precedence:
Ng Yat Chung is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2003 and 2007.
Desmond Kuek Bak Chye is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2007 and 2010.
The Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) is a decoration awarded to members of the Singapore Armed Forces for exceptionally distinguished performance or extraordinary service,or the furtherance of links with overseas forces.
Ng Chee Khern is a Singaporean civil servant and former major-general who served as Chief of Air Force between 2006 and 2009. He previously served as Permanent Secretary under the Prime Minister's Office,and Chairman of the Government Technology Agency. He was appointed Permanent Secretary (Manpower) in April 2022.
The Long Service Medal (Military) is a decoration awarded to a member of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) who has completed 25 years of continuous service.
Lim Chuan Poh is a Singaporean civil servant,diplomat and former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2000 and 2003.
Winston Choo Wee Leong is a former Singaporean diplomat and lieutenant-general who served as Director,General Staff between 1974 and 1976,and then Chief of the General Staff between 1976 and 1990,and later Chief of Defence Force between 1990 and 1992. He was the longest-serving head of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Ravinder Singh s/o Harchand Singh is a Singaporean former major-general who served as Chief of Army between 2011 and 2014. He has been serving as the chief operating officer of ST Engineering since 2021.
The Chief of Defence Force is the head of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF),who holds the rank of Lieutenant-General or Vice-Admiral. The Chief of Defence Force also serves as the aide-de-camp to the president of Singapore. The current Chief of Defence Force is Aaron Beng.
The SAF Scholarship,formerly known as the SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS),is a scholarship conferred by the Public Service Commission (PSC). The scholarship is second in prestige to the President's Scholarship.
Ng Chee Meng is a Singaporean politician,union leader and former lieutenant-general who has been serving as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress since 2018. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP),he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Punggol North division of Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC between 2015 and 2020. He served as Minister for Education (Schools) between 2015 and 2018,and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2018 and 2020.
Perry Lim Cheng Yeow is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2015 and 2018.
Lai Chung Han is a Singaporean civil servant and former two-star rear-admiral who served as Chief of Navy between 2014 and 2017. He has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Education since 2019.
Melvyn Ong Su Kiat is a Singaporean retired lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2018 and 2023.
Mervyn Tan Wei Ming is a Singaporean former major-general who served as Chief of Air Force between 2016 and 2019. He has been serving as the chief executive of Defence Science and Technology Agency since 2021.
Goh Si Hou is a Singaporean former major-general who served as Chief of Army between 2018 and 2022. He is currently serving as the chief executive officer of the Public Utilities Board (PUB).
Aaron Beng Yao Cheng is a Singaporean vice-admiral who has been serving as Chief of Defence Force since 2023. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Defence Force,he served as Chief of Navy between 2020 and 2023. He is the first naval officer to serve as Chief of Defence Force,and the first to hold the rank of Vice-Admiral in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
David Neo Chin Wee is a Singaporean major-general who has been serving as Chief of Army since 2022. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army,he was serving as Deputy Secretary (Technology) at the Ministry of Defence. Neo is the first Commando to serve as Chief of Army.