Appointment of New Chairperson and Members to the Urban Redevelopment Authority Board

Singapore, 12 March 2025 – With effect from 1 April 2025, Mrs Ow Foong Pheng will be appointed as Chairperson of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Board, along with two new members, Mr Loh Chin Hua and Ms Janet Young. Mrs Ow will succeed Mr Peter Ho Hak Ean, who has served as Chairperson of the URA Board since 1 April 2012. Two current members, Mr Bill Chang and Mr Ong Kim Pong will also be stepping down from the Board.

Mr Ho joined the URA Board on 1 December 2011 and was appointed Chairperson on 1 April 2012. Under Mr Ho’s stewardship, URA advanced its mission to make Singapore a great city to live, work and play. Mr Ho provided invaluable insight and strategic guidance to URA on its multi-disciplinary approach to land use and infrastructure planning as well as various key initiatives, including several rounds of the Long-Term Plan and Master Plan reviews to ensure Singapore remains resilient and adaptable in an uncertain world. As Chair of URA’s International Panel of Experts, he led global experts and professionals to synthesise thought-leading ideas and global best practices that strengthen urban planning in Singapore.

Mr Ho also led URA through the agency’s digital transformation. During his tenure, URA was recognised for the continuous innovation and transformation of its services, functions, and policies. In 2022, URA was also appointed as the Whole-of-Government “Urban Planning & Design Technology Centre of Excellence” (URBEX) to strengthen digital technology and capabilities in urban planning.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions and distinguished service to Singapore with over 50 years in the public service, Mr Ho was awarded the Order of Nila Utama (With High Distinction) in 2024.

Incoming Chairperson

Mrs Ow, Permanent Secretary (National Development), has had vast experience in the public service including having held various appointments in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), JTC, Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and Ministry of National Development (MND). She will be retiring from the Administrative Service on 1 Apr 2025 after serving more than 38 years in the public service.

At MND, Mrs Ow drove efforts to enhance public housing affordability and accessibility, transformation for the construction industry and oversaw the Long-Term Plan Review to steward the development of Singapore over the next 50 years. She also played a pivotal role in the transformation of Singapore into a City in Nature. Additionally, she led the Municipal Services Office to improve the delivery of municipal services to residents. Her expertise and contributions extend beyond MND, as Permanent Secretary, MTI and CEO, JTC, Mrs Ow made significant contributions to Singapore’s economic development. These include forging Free Trade Agreements to strengthen economic linkages and steering JTC towards creating a more dynamic industrial landscape.

New Board Members

The two new members are:

i. Mr Loh Chin Hua

Chief Executive Officer, Keppel Ltd; and

ii. Ms Janet Young Yoke Mun

Managing Director, Group Head Channels and Digitalisation, Strategic Communications and Brand, United Overseas Bank Limited.

Re-appointed Board Members

The nine re-appointed members are:

i. Mr Zahidi Abdul Rahman

Principal Architect, Zahidi A R Arkitek;

ii. Dr Chong Yoke Sin

Independent Director;

iii. Ms Choo Oi Yee

Chief Executive Officer, Climate Impact X;

iv. Mr Goh Thien Phong

Founder and Managing Director, GTP Advisory PAC;

v. Mr Sarjit Singh Gill

Senior Counsel, Senior Partner, Shook Lin & Bok LLP;

vi. Mr Keith Tan Kean Loong

Deputy Secretary (Energy and Carbon), Deputy Secretary (Industry), Ministry of Trade and Industry;

vii. Dr Thang Leng Leng

Associate Professor, Department of Japanese Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore;

viii. Mrs Nina Yang

Group Chief Development Officer, CPG Corporation Pte Ltd; and

ix. Mr Lim Eng Hwee

Chief Executive Officer, Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Board Members stepping down

In addition to Chairperson Mr Peter Ho, the two members stepping down at the end of their term on 31 March 2025 are:

i. Mr Chang York Chye, Bill

Chief Executive Officer, Nxera & Digital InfraCo, Singtel; and

ii. Mr Ong Kim Pong

Group Chief Executive Officer, PSA International Pte Ltd.

With these appointment changes, the URA Board will comprise 12 members, including Mrs Ow Foong Pheng. All appointments are for a two-year term until 31 March 2027. The full list of URA Board Members is appended in the Annex.

MND and URA welcome the new Board Members and look forward to the continued support of the Chairperson and Board Members. MND and URA also extend our appreciation to all outgoing Board Members for their invaluable service, guidance and contributions during their tenure.

Jointly issued by:

Ministry of National Development and Urban Redevelopment Authority

Annex: URA Board Members