NParks to get new CEO in June as current chief moves to new role at MND
Ms Hwang Yu-Ning will step down as NParks CEO on Jun 1 and be appointed as Chief (Urban Innovation & Excellence) at the Ministry of National Development.
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SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) will have a new CEO from Jun 1, as its current chief executive moves into a new role at the Ministry of National Development (MND).
Ms Hwang Yu-Ning will step down from the position and be appointed as Chief (Urban Innovation & Excellence) at MND, said the ministry and NParks on Friday (Apr 24).
Dr Tan Puay Yok, current executive director of the agency’s National Parks & Gardens cluster, will be appointed as the designated CEO from May 1, before assuming the position on Jun 1, they added in a press release.
Ms Hwang, 57, has held a series of senior appointments in ministries and statutory boards during her career. These include her role as deputy CEO and chief planner at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
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She became NParks’ CEO in June 2023. At the agency, she combined her experience in urban planning with the team’s expertise to lead key projects, such as Singapore’s third national garden - Jurong Lake Gardens - and Bidadari Park.
She initiated efforts to rejuvenate parks in southwestern Singapore and established plans for the Khatib Nature Corridor.
On the marine side, she reopened Sisters' Island Marine Park and helped designate a second marine park at Lazarus South and Kusu Reef.
She also guided the agency to establish a new marine science research centre of excellence under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 Plan.
NParks and MND hailed Ms Hwang for her strong ability to connect with people and foster collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups during her time as CEO.
“Under her leadership, NParks forged ahead with (the) adoption of science, research and technology throughout the organisation to support the City in Nature vision,” they said.
Dr Tan, who is also group director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and chief science and technology officer of NParks, will bring over three decades of leadership experience in public service and academia to his new role, said NParks and MND.
The 56-year-old previously led the landscape studies cluster of the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and oversaw the horticulture management of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and research functions of the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology.
Under his leadership, the Singapore Botanic Gardens enhanced its international standing. He also provided strategic leadership over the NParks' science and technology agenda, supporting Singapore’s research, innovation and enterprise priorities and strengthening translational research, said the agency and MND.
Dr Tan is also an internationally recognised scholar-practitioner in urban ecology, they added.
He is on secondment from NUS where he is a professor at the Department of Architecture.
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