Chng Hak-Peng (left) will succeed Eugene Tan (right) as CEO of the National Gallery Singapore.Courtesy National Gallery of Singapore

National Gallery of Singapore Announces Chng Hak-Peng Will Replace Eugene Tan as CEO

by · ARTnews

Eugene Tan’s dual role as CEO and director of both the National Gallery of Singapore (NGS) and the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) will come to an end on January 1, 2027. Starting in the new year, Tan will focus on his role at SAM, where he started as director in 2018, while Chng Hak-Peng will take over as CEO of NGS. In a statement about the leadership changes, both institutions confirm that they will continue to collaborate and share resources as they have in the past.

While Chng’s role officially begins on Jan. 1, he will serve as “CEO-Designate” starting on October 1, overlapping with Tan for three months. This period will ensure a smooth leadership transition, according to a joing statement from the institutions.

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Prior to joining NGS, Chng, who studied electrical engineering at Stanford University, worked for 15 years with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). He started as a volunteer, advising on strategy and organization, in 2008, and eventually served as deputy chairman and, most recently, as CEO, from 2015 through 2022. Chng also worked for Bain & Company, the management consulting firm, for a decade.

In a farewell letter published when he left his role at SSO, Chng highlighted several of the orchestra’s accomplishments, including placing third in Gramophone magazine’s orchestra of the year ranking and being listed as one of the 21 best orchestras in the world, according to BBC Music magazine in 2022.

Chng has been a longtime volunteer docent at two local museums, and is studying for a PhD in history at the National Museum of Singapore. In his new role, Chng hopes to “strengthen the role that the arts play in our society.”

“NGS has established itself as a leading visual arts institution in the region,” Chng said in a statement, “uniquely positioned to tell the stories of Singapore and Southeast Asia through art. I hope to build on these strong foundations and continue the path forged by [Tan] and his predecessor, Chong Siak Ching. I look forward to working with everyone at NGS and across the visual arts community to build a Gallery that Singapore continues to love and be proud of.”