Ng Yat Chung Explained

Ng Yat Chung
Birth Place:State of Singapore
Allegiance:Singapore
Branch:Singapore Army
Serviceyears:1979–2007
Rank:Lieutenant-General
Commands:Chief of Defence Force
Chief of Army
Chief of Staff – Joint Staff
Director, Joint Operations and Planning Directorate
Commander, 3rd Division
Head, Joint Operations Department
Commander, 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade
Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Plans)
Commanding Officer, 21st Battalion Singapore Artillery
Awards:See awards
Alma Mater:Christ's College, Cambridge
Stanford University
United States Army Command and General Staff College

Ng Yat Chung is a Singaporean former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2003 and 2007.

Education

Ng received his secondary and pre-university education in Victoria School and Hwa Chong Junior College respectively.[1] He received the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship for his undergraduate studies in 1980, and graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in engineering from Christ's College, Cambridge. After applying for an Oxbridge Master of Arts, in 1987 his BA was converted into an MA (not an earned master's degree). He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.[2] He attended the six-week Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and graduated with a Master of Military Art and Science from the United States Army Command and General Staff College.[3] [4]

Career

Singapore Armed Forces (1979–2007)

Ng enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1979 and was commissioned as an artillery officer in December that year. Throughout his military career, he held various appointments, including the following: Commanding Officer, 21st Battalion Singapore Artillery; Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Plans); Commander, 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade; Head, Joint Operations Department; Commander, 3rd Division; Director, Joint Operations and Planning Directorate; Chief of Staff (Joint Staff); Chief of Army. He relinquished his appointment as the Chief of Army on 1 April 2003 and succeeded Lim Chuan Poh as the Chief of Defence Force (CDF).

As the CDF, Ng laid the blueprint for the 3rd Generation SAF by overseeing the development of new operational concepts to further integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force. He also commanded the SAF's humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response in Aceh and Phuket after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, as well as similar missions to Yogyakarta and Phitsanulok in 2006. He retired from the SAF on 23 March 2007 and was succeeded by Desmond Kuek as the CDF.

Temasek Holdings (2007–2011)

After leaving the military, Ng joined Temasek Holdings and was rotated in the company: Head of Energy & Resources; Co-Head of Australia & New Zealand & Co-Head of Strategy; Senior managing director.[5]

Neptune Orient Lines (2011–2017)

Ng joined the board of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) as an Executive Director in May 2011 and was appointed Group President and Chief Executive Officer in October.[6]

On 9 June 2016, it was announced that Temasek would tender its NOL shares to CMA.[7] Ng cited NOL's lack of scale as the primary reason for its sale.[8] He subsequently received criticism for his failure to improve the company's performance over his years as CEO.[9] [10] On 19 May 2017, Reuters reported that CMA managed to turn NOL around, with NOL posting a $26 million net profit for Q1 2017.[11] After the sale, Ng stayed on as Special Advisor from June 2016 to May 2017.[12]

Singapore Press Holdings (2017 – 2022)

On 20 July 2016, Ng was appointed as an independent director of Singapore Press Holdings.[13] On 1 September 2017, Ng was appointed CEO of SPH following his predecessor, Alan Chan's, retirement. On 12 October 2017, Ng announced a retrenchment exercise.[14] Under his leadership, SPH's revenue had fallen from S$1,032 million in 2017 to S$865 million in 2020.[15] In 2020, due to the confluence of factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline of print advertising, SPH recorded its first-ever loss of S$11.4 million.[16]

At a press conference held on 6 May 2021, Ng and other SPH leaders announced that the company's media businesses, including major Singaporean broadsheets like The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, would be spun off into a separate company limited by guarantee, operating as a not-for-profit entity.[17] This move would remove shareholders' pressure on the media unit to perform and be profitable. Ng took offence when a CNA Digital reporter asked whether restructuring SPH's media businesses meant that the company would pivot to prioritising editorial integrity over advertising interests. Ng's use of the word "umbrage" gained significant attention, with the word becoming the top searched term on Google in Singapore that day, spawning memes, parody advertisements, and merchandise.[18] Ng subsequently apologised for any offence that might have been caused by his comment.

After SPH delisted from the Singapore Exchange on the 13 May 2022, Ng, along with the directors serving alongside him, stepped down from his post on the 16 May 2022. Ng was succeeded by Gerald Yong, former CapitaLand CEO (Special Projects).[19]

Awards

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: 7 September 2012. Victorian Samurai – Ng Yat Chung. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228080254/http://www.ova.org.sg/2012/09/victorian-samurai-ng-yat-chung/. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. Old Victorians' Association.
  2. Web site: 6 February 2003. Change of Chief of Defence Force and Service Chiefs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228041711/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2003/feb/06jan03_nr4.print.img.html. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. MINDEF.
  3. Web site: 23 March 2007. New Chief for the SAF. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228042822/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2007/mar/23mar07_nr2.html#.UkT7Fz9MWSo. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. MINDEF.
  4. Web site: LTG Ng Yat Chung. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131002164245/http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/events/IHOF/IHOF_BIO_Chung.pdf. 2 October 2013. 27 September 2013. USACAC.
  5. Web site: Ng Yat Chung. World Shipping Council. 27 September 2013. dead. https://archive.today/20130927045848/http://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-council/board-members/ng-yat-chung. 27 September 2013.
  6. Web site: Ng Yat Chung takes over as NOL's CEO from Oct 1. The Edge Singapore. 27 September 2013. 30 September 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140301142231/http://www.theedgesingapore.com/the-daily-edge/business/33142-ng-yat-chung-takes-over-as-nols-ceo-from-oct-1.html. 1 March 2014.
  7. Web site: Temasek tenders NOL shares; CMA offer now unconditional. Lee. Jamie. The Business Times. 10 June 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160612040630/http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/temasek-tenders-nol-shares-cma-offer-now-unconditional. 12 June 2016.
  8. News: NOL did not adapt fast enough, says CEO. hermes. 8 June 2016. The Straits Times. 10 June 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160612082441/http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/nol-did-not-adapt-fast-enough-says-ceo. 12 June 2016.
  9. News: Loh. Andrew. 21 May 2017. French company makes NOL profitable – less than 1 year after acquiring it from S'pore. The Independent. dead. 14 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171014202941/http://www.theindependent.sg/french-company-makes-nol-profitable-less-than-1-year-after-acquiring-it-from-spore/. 14 October 2017.
  10. News: Tan. Martino. 27 May 2017. Ex-NOL CEO Ng Yat Chung is the best person to lead Singapore Press Holdings?. Mothership.sg. dead. 14 October 2017. https://archive.today/20170928163809/https://mothership.sg/2017/05/ex-nol-ceo-ng-yat-chung-is-the-best-person-to-lead-singapore-press-holdings/. 28 September 2017.
  11. News: 19 May 2017. Shipping firm CMA CGM upbeat as profits rise again. Reuters. live. 14 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171015044537/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cmacgm-results/shipping-firm-cma-cgm-upbeat-as-profits-rise-again-idUSKCN18F1I9. 15 October 2017.
  12. News: Ng Yat Chung to be SPH CEO from Sept 1; Alan Chan to retire after 15 years. Straits Times. 26 May 2017. 26 May 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170526174326/http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/ng-yat-chung-to-be-sph-ceo-from-sept-1-alan-chan-to-retire-after-15-years. 26 May 2017. Shyan. Lee Su.
  13. Web site: Kenneth Lim. 20 July 2016. SPH appoints NOL's ex-CEO Ng as independent director. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042839/http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/sph-appoints-nols-ex-ceo-ng-as-independent-director. 1 December 2017. 27 November 2017. Business Times. dmy-all.
  14. News: Quah. Michelle. SPH revamps for better footing in digital information age. 12 October 2017. The Business Times. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171012085923/http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/sph-revamps-for-better-footing-in-digital-information-age. 12 October 2017.
  15. Web site: Stock Screener Singapore Exchange: SGX. 2021-05-19. www.sgx.com. en.
  16. Web site: What is going on with SPH & why its media business is going non-profit, explained. 2021-05-19. mothership.sg. en.
  17. News: Sim. Royston. 2021-05-06. New SPH media entity could get public and private funding; will continue to uphold editorial integrity. 2021-05-07. The Straits Times. en.
  18. News: Ong. Justin. 2021-05-09. SPH CEO's use of 'umbrage' gives rise to memes, merchandise. 2021-05-10. The Straits Times. en.
  19. Web site: Lim . Yan Liang . 2022-05-14 . Singapore Press Holdings officially delisted, Gerald Yong to take over as CEO from Ng Yat Chung . 2022-05-14 . The Straits Times . en.
  20. Web site: Profile of Board of Trustees. National University of Singapore. 27 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131002191425/http://www.nus.edu.sg/annualreport/2006/board_of_trustees3.htm. 2 October 2013.
  21. Web site: Chief of Army Receives the Knight Grand Cross. MINDEF. 27 September 2013. 2 May 2002. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228055807/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2002/may/02may02_nr.print.img.html. 28 February 2014.
  22. Web site: Chief of Defence Force Receives Thai Royal Award. MINDEF. 27 September 2013. 22 February 2005. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228054616/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2005/feb/22feb05_nr.print.img.html. 28 February 2014.
  23. Web site: 24 May 2005. Chief of Defence Force Receives Bruneian Award. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228053609/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2005/may/24may05_nr.print.img.html. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. MINDEF.
  24. Web site: 23 September 2005. Chief of Defence Force Receives Indonesian Award. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228055957/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2005/sep/23sep05_nr.print.img.html. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. MINDEF.
  25. Web site: 15 November 2005. Chief of Defence Force Receives Prestigious Malaysian Military Award. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228055623/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2005/nov/15nov05_nr2.print.img.html. 28 February 2014. 27 September 2013. MINDEF.
  26. Web site: Wan. Gail. SAF Medals – Recognising dedication, reflecting the times. MINDEF. 27 September 2013. 31 January 2007.
  27. Web site: Outstanding Service Award 2013 – Mr Ng Yat Chung. National University of Singapore. 27 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131002191254/http://www.nus.edu.sg/uawards/2013/winners/citations/ng_yat_chung.pdf. 2 October 2013.

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