# Mr Lim Neo Chian to Succeed Mr Koh Soo Keong as Chairman of Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2016-03-31T03:15:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/mr-lim-neo-chian-to-succeed-mr-koh-soo-keong-as-chairman-of-agri-food-and-veterinary-authority
- **Topics:** Government & Policy

## Featured rationale

The leadership change may support continued agricultural innovation and productivity initiatives, but the article identifies no direct impact on property supply, demand or prices.

## AI summary

Mr Lim Neo Chian was appointed Chairman of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority Board for a two-year term beginning 1 April 2016.

## Original article

With effect from 1 April 2016, Mr Lim Neo Chian will be appointed Chairman of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) Board for a two-year term. Mr Lim is currently Deputy Chairman of the Board. 

Mr Lim, who is Chairman of Ascendas Hospitality Trust Management Pte Ltd and Deputy Chairman of Gardens by the Bay Company Ltd, brings to AVA invaluable experience from his career in the military, public and private sectors. He previously headed the Singapore Tourism Board, ST Engineering, and JTC Corporation. He was also the Chief of Army from 1992 to 1995. 

Mr Lim succeeds Mr Koh Soo Keong, who has served on the AVA Board for fourteen years. Mr Koh, who is Managing Director of EcoSave Pte Ltd, was AVA Chairman from 1st April 2008 – 31st March 2016. He was also an AVA Board Member from 2000-2004, and Deputy Chairman from 2006-2008. 

Mr Koh helped AVA grow as an organisation, to better address its varied responsibilities in safe food supply, animal and plant health, animal welfare and management, and agri-trade facilitation. Under Mr Koh’s guidance, AVA strengthened food security for Singapore, including raising local farm productivity and ramping-up agricultural R&D and innovation. He also spurred AVA to embrace private sector partnerships, and a robust risk management- and science-based approach to grow and diversify our overseas food sources while upholding food safety standards. 

Mr Koh strongly believes in engaging stakeholders and the community. He has steered AVA to be more pro-enterprise as well as collaborative in engaging the various industry segments it regulates. 

MND and AVA wish to express our appreciation to Mr Koh for his distinguished service with AVA. We also warmly welcome Mr Lim as the new Chairman of the Board. On his new appointment, Mr Lim said, “I am honoured to take on the Chairmanship of AVA. Moving ahead, our agri-food and veterinary ecosystem faces both emerging opportunities, as well as challenges. Working closely with the various stakeholders, we can now harness technological advances to find new solutions to our food supply and safety. I look forward to building on Mr Koh’s dedicated work with AVA, and to guiding the AVA team to further advance its contributions to Singapore.” 

The complete list of AVA Board Members with effect from 1st April 2016 is shown at the Annex.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 林梁前先生接替许书强先生出任农粮兽医局主席

自2016年4月1日起，林梁前先生将获委任为农粮兽医局（AVA）董事会主席，任期两年。林先生目前担任董事会副主席。

林先生现为Ascendas Hospitality Trust Management Pte Ltd主席及滨海湾花园有限公司副主席，其在军旅、公共与私营领域的职业生涯将为农粮兽医局带来宝贵经验。他曾领导新加坡旅游局、新加坡科技工程及裕廊集团，并于1992年至1995年担任陆军总长。

林先生接替在农粮兽医局董事会服务十四年的许书强先生。许先生为EcoSave Pte Ltd董事总经理，于2008年4月1日至2016年3月31日担任农粮兽医局主席。他亦曾于2000年至2004年担任农粮兽医局董事会成员，并于2006年至2008年担任副主席。

许先生协助农粮兽医局组织成长，以更好履行其在安全粮食供应、动植物卫生、动物福利与管理，以及农业贸易便利化等方面的多元职责。在许先生指导下，农粮兽医局加强了新加坡的粮食安全，包括提高本地农场生产力，并加大农业研发与创新力度。他还推动农粮兽医局拥抱私营部门伙伴关系，并以稳健的风险管理与科学为基础的方法，拓展并多元化海外粮食来源，同时维护食品安全标准。

许先生坚信应与持份者及社区保持沟通。他引导农粮兽医局更亲商，并在与其所监管的各行业环节互动时更具协作性。

国家发展部与农粮兽医局谨向许先生在农粮兽医局的卓越服务致以谢意。我们也热烈欢迎林先生出任新一届董事会主席。谈及新职，林先生说：“我很荣幸出任农粮兽医局主席。展望未来，我们的农粮与兽医生态系统既面临新机遇，也面对挑战。通过与各方持份者紧密合作，我们现在可以利用科技进步，为粮食供应与安全寻找新方案。我期待在许先生对农粮兽医局的悉心工作基础上再接再厉，并指导农粮兽医局团队进一步深化其对新加坡的贡献。”

自2016年4月1日起生效的农粮兽医局董事会成员完整名单见附件。