Appointment of New Chief Executive at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

Senior Appointment Changes

1.     Ms Quah Ley Hoon, currently the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), will be stepping down on 5 September 2022.  Mr Teo Eng Dih, currently Deputy Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), will be appointed as Chief Executive (Designate) of MPA from 8 August 2022 to 4 September 2022, concurrent to his appointment in MINDEF, and take over as Chief Executive from 5 September 2022.

Ms Quah Ley Hoon

2.     Ms Quah Ley Hoon was appointed CE (Designate) of MPA on 1 November 2018 and assumed the position of CE on 1 January 2019.  Ms Quah played a pivotal role in furthering MPA’s vision as a leading maritime agency driving Singapore’s global maritime aspirations.  She led MPA to complete the Tuas Port Phase 1 reclamation in 2021, which was a significant milestone in the development of Singapore’s next-generation port and in sustaining the Port of Singapore’s competitiveness and connectivity to the world.  She was also instrumental in leading MPA to navigate the disruptions caused by COVID-19, while pressing on with the development and transformation of Singapore’s international maritime centre and global hub port.  

3.     Under Ms Quah’s leadership, MPA responded decisively to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, working in close partnership with the unions, companies and industry associations.  Ms Quah initiated the Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience (SG-STAR) Fund in November 2020, the first global tripartite initiative, to work with stakeholders in seafaring nations on sustainable solutions for safe crew changes.  To minimise disruptions to the maritime industry, she was instrumental in leading efforts such as Sea-Air-Vaccination Exercise and Sea Crew Vaccination Initiative to safeguard the health of both local maritime personnel as well as crew members onboard ships calling at Singapore.

4.     Ms Quah is a strong proponent for transformation of the maritime industry, notably in pushing forward the decarbonisation and digitalisation agenda.  To support and accelerate maritime decarbonisation, Ms Quah worked with the Singapore Maritime Foundation to establish the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) with private sector partners in August 2021.  The GCMD has been collaborating with the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.  In March 2022, MPA launched the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint which charts ambitious and concrete long-term strategies to support the maritime industry’s decarbonisation.   

5.     Maritime Singapore took significant steps forward in digital maturity during Ms Quah’s tenure when she led MPA to launch the digitalPORT@SG^TM, which streamlined port clearance forms across multiple agencies into a one-stop digital clearance platform.  This had enabled the industry to save up to 100,000 man-hours annually since its launch in 2019.

6.     For her contributions to the maritime sector, Ms Quah was awarded the Medal of Commendation by NTUC in May 2022 for her work in improving workers’ wages, welfare and work prospects for seafarers amidst COVID-19, and also the Legion d’Honneur by the French Government in June 2022, for her work in keeping Singapore’s port and services open during COVID-19, and enhancing ties with France on maritime.

7.     Prior to serving in MPA, Ms Quah was the Chief Editor of Channel News Asia, MediaCorp.  Ms Quah had also served in leadership positions in the Public Service, namely, Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and then-Ministry of Community, Youth & Sports (MCYS) for more than 15 years.

Mr Teo Eng Dih 

8.     As Deputy Secretary (Policy) of MINDEF, Mr Teo is responsible for MINDEF’s defence policy and diplomacy, strategic and public communications, and Total Defence.  Mr Teo oversaw the expansion of defence cooperation with international partners and strengthening of collaborations at the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) platform.  He also enhanced MINDEF’s public engagement initiatives, including revamping the Singapore Discovery Centre.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Teo helped to coordinate MINDEF’s efforts to support the national fight against COVID-19.  

9.     Prior to MINDEF, Mr Teo was Special Assistant to then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and had served in various government agencies in the areas of Policy and Planning, Manpower, Strategy, Technology, Climate Change, Enterprise Services and International Trade.  He obtained a Master in Chemical Engineering First Class Honours from Imperial College of Science and Technology and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.  

 In Appreciation

10.    The Ministry of Transport would like to put on record its appreciation to Ms Quah Ley Hoon for her significant contributions as the Chief Executive of MPA and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.