Yong Ying-I takes over as IDA chairman in reshuffle

05 December 07 The Business Times
by Winston Chai

Yong Ying-I takes over as IDA chairman in reshuffle


AS part of a 10-member reshuffle of its board of directors, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has appointed a new chairman and roped in computer giant Lenovo's chief to help shape the island's technological future.

Lam Chuan Leong has stepped down after eight years as the telecommunications regulator's chairman. He is replaced by Yong Ying-I, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health. Ms Yong was formerly deputy chairman of IDA, and its CEO from 1999 to 2001.

The change of guard comes more than a year after Mr Lam's retirement from the Administrative Service. He was formerly second permanent secretary (special projects) at the Ministry of Finance before relinquishing that post in April last year. He stayed on with the government as an ambassador-at-large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while holding on to his roles as chairman of the Competition Commission of Singapore and IDA.

Besides Mr Lam, nine other IDA board members have stepped down. They include former CEO Chan Yeng Kit, SembCorp Environmental Management chief Heng Chiang Gnee, Visa Asia-Pacific president and CEO Rupert Keeley, and Exploit Technologies executive chairman Boon Swan Foo.

They have been replaced by current IDA CEO Ronnie Tay, with eight other senior executives from diverse sectors. The most notable addition is William Amelio, president and CEO of China-based computer maker Lenovo Group.

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Click here for IDA's media release

Until now, the IDA board has typically been made up of local and regional heads of home-grown and multinational companies. Mr Amelio is one of the first global chiefs to have been enlisted to provide technological guidance for Singapore.

Besides him, the other new board members are Asad Jumabhoy, director of Global Refunds Holdings; Dan Neary, eBay's vice-president for emerging markets; Pek Yew Chai, country head of Siemens IT Solutions and Services; Kim Seah Teck Kim, a partner with A.Ang, Seah & Hoe; Seah Moon Ming, president of Singapore Technologies Electronics; Tan Suee Chieh, CEO of NTUC Income Insurance; Lawrence Wong, principal private secretary in the Prime Minister's Office; and Mary Yeo, managing director of United Parcel Service Singapore

IDA press release
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IDA names Yong Ying-I as board chairman

THE Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has named Ms Yong Ying-I, 44, as its new board chairman. The Health Ministry's Permanent Secretary recently succeeded Mr Lam Chuan Leong, who has stepped down from the IDA after eight years of service. The move, with effect from Dec 1, follows the recent appointment of former chief of navy Rear-Admiral (NS) Ronnie Tay as the IDA's chief executive (CEO). Mr Lam, Ambassador-at-large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had been guiding the IDA since it was created in December 1999 from the merger of the Telecommunications Authority of Singapore and the National Computer Board. During his tenure, the telecoms and postal sectors were liberalised, resulting in more choices and lower prices for consumers. Singapore's infocomm industry saw revenue doubling from $23.2 billion in 1999 to $45.4 billion last year. Mr Lam's successor, Ms Yong, is not foreign to the IDA, having been the statutory board's first CEO from 1999 to 2001. The Harvard-trained economist was chosen because of her ability to shape and execute policies in a fast-changing industry. Although Ms Yong's stint at the IDA, where she led a merged staff of 800, lasted only two years, she has been serving on its board as deputy chairman since December 2003. The daughter of former chief justice Yong Pung How, Ms Yong had worked in the finance, trade and industry, home affairs and manpower ministries before. Nine other IDA board members also followed Mr Lam in stepping down. The IDA's new board, also effective Dec 1, comprises the heads of local and global companies such as Lenovo, eBay, United Parcel Service and Singapore Technologies.