Neo Kian Hong

Neo Kian Hong is a Singaporean civil servant who is currently Chief Executive Officer of SMRT Corporation Ltd. Previously, he was Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) for the Ministry of Defence.[1] He joined the civil service and became Permanent Secretary (Education Development) for the Ministry of Education in 2013, after retiring from the Singapore Armed Forces as its seventh Chief of Defence Force.

Neo Kian Hong
Current appointmentSMRT CEO
Previous appointmentPermanent Secretary (Defence Development) in the Ministry of Defence (2017 – 2018)
Military Service
Allegiance Singapore
Service/branchSingapore Armed Forces
Years of service1983 – 2013
Rank Lieutenant-General
Last Command HeldChief of Defence Force (2010 – 2013)
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Neo.
Neo Kian Hong
Simplified Chinese梁建鸿

Education

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]

Military career

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).[4] 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.[6]

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.[7]

He was succeeded by Ng Chee Meng in 2013 when he retired that year.[8]

Civil career

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.

Awards and decorations
  • The Most Exalted Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang (1st Class)
  • Order of the Crown of Thailand (1st Class), Thailand
  • Darjah Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (Honorary Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valour (First Degree)), in October 2011.
  • Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (1st Class)
  • US Legion Of Merit (Commander)
  • Master Parachutist Badge
  • Basic Diving Badge
  • Combat Skills Badge (CSB)
  • Thailand Airborne Badge
  • Thailand Ranger Badge
  • Ranger Tab
  • Guards Tab
gollark: Not 5. Oops.
gollark: That's your entry in round 16.
gollark: The one which used FFI to Macron?
gollark: I am. You're just bad.
gollark: Well, yes, obviously bee density is high.

References
  1. Yong, Charissa (22 May 2017). "Three SAF high-flyers in new permanent secretary appointments and portfolio shuffles". The Straits Times. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  2. "Speech by Mr Masagos Zulkifli BMM, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs, at the 10th NCC Affirmation Ceremony on Saturday, 10th April 2010, at the Singapore Expo Hall 2 at 3.00pm". MOE. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  3. "Distinguished Alumni". Nanyang Junior College. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  4. "Change in Chief of Defence Force and Chief of Army". MINDEF. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  5. "Mr Neo Kian Hong to be Permanent Secretary (Education Development)". Press Release, Public Service Division. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  6. "More about Mr Neo Kian Hong" (PDF). SMRT. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  7. "SAF Leadership". MINDEF.
Government offices
Preceded by
Mr. Desmond Kuek		 Group CEO of SMRT Corporation
from 1 August 2018		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek		 7th Chief of Defence Force
31 March 2010 – 26 March 2013		 Succeeded by
Major-General Ng Chee Meng
Preceded by
Major-General Desmond Kuek		 Chief of the Singapore Army
20 March 2007 – 26 March 2010		 Succeeded by
Brigadier-General Chan Chun Sing
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