SINGAPORE: SingPost on Thursday (May 5) named Mr Simon Israel as its new chairman. In a news release, SingPost said that the appointment, which will take effect from May 11, has received the relevant regulatory approvals.
Mr Israel’s appointment “followed a stringent and rigorous selection and screening process by the Nominations Committee at SingPost, with the unanimous support of the SingPost Board,” the postal giant said.
The appointment comes after the SingPost chairman-designate, Professor Low Teck Seng, made a surprise announcement last month that he was turning down the post. Prof Low, who is CEO of the National Research Foundation, said the role would demand more time and focus than he could give.
He was meant to replace Mr Lim Ho Kee who said earlier that he would not seek reappointment after serving as chairman for the past 13 years.
"We reviewed a number of good candidates and found the best person for the job. Simon is well suited to improve the corporate governance of the company and lead SingPost to be a world class leader in eCommerce logistics," said Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, chairman of the Nominations Committee.
Mr Zulkifli added that as Mr Israel, 63, will be a non-independent chairman, the Nominations Committee will appoint the lead independent director shortly.
Said Mr Israel: "My immediate priorities are to lead the Board through the completion of the Corporate Governance Review, review board composition and appoint a new Group CEO.”
Mr Israel is chairman of Singtel and a director of CapitaLand Limited, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited and Stewardship Asia Centre. He is a member of the Governing Board of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Westpac’s Asia Advisory Board. He was formerly the chairman of Asia Pacific Breweries Limited.
He was an executive director and president of Temasek Holdings before retiring on Jul 1, 2011.
Mr Israel was awarded the Public Service Medal at the Singapore National Day Awards 2011, said SingPost.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singpost-names-simon/2759664.html?cid=FBcna
