IDA is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Brian Chen Cheng-Jean, Dr Kaizad Bomi Heerjee and Mr Khoong Hock Yun to its senior management team. Reporting to the CEO, Ms Yong Ying-I, Dr Chen will be the Chief Technology Officer, Dr Heerjee, the Assistant Chief Executive for Online Development...
Singapore, 17 January 2000 | For Immediate ReleaseIDA is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Brian Chen Cheng-Jean, Dr Kaizad Bomi Heerjee and Mr Khoong Hock Yun to its senior management team. Reporting to the CEO, Ms Yong Ying-I, Dr Chen will be the Chief Technology Officer, Dr Heerjee, the Assistant Chief Executive for Online Development, and Mr Khoong, and the Assistant Chief Executive for Infocomm Development.
Dr Chen will commence work at IDA from 17 January 2000, whilst Dr Heerjee and Mr Khoong will join IDA from 19 January 2000. All three new personnel, together with Mr Leong Keng Thai, the Deputy Chief Executive & Director-General (Telecommunications); Mr William Hioe, the Senior Director (Planning and International); and Ms Wu Choy Peng, the Senior Director (Government Systems), will support Ms Yong and play major roles in facilitating the transformation of Singapore into a net economy and information society. The IDA organisation chart, with the description of the key functional units, is given in the Annex A.
About the New Appointment Holders
With a global outlook, as well as extensive business and technical capabilities in the info-communications industry, all three new appointment holders will bring in new and fresh ideas to drive the development and the growth of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in Singapore.
As the Chief Technology Officer, Dr Brian Chen, 53, will provide the leadership and vision to support the strategic use of ICT in the economic and social sectors. He will drive the strategic development of Singapore's technology roadmap and articulate the technology standards, platforms and future directions for the ICT21 masterplan.
Dr Chen, from the U.S., is a technologist in the wireline and wireless areas and is an industry-wide recognised expert in CDMA technology and intelligent networks. At his last posting in Beijing as the Director of Engineering in Motorola's Global Telecom Solution Group, Dr Chen was responsible for overseeing the company's technology roadmap and development of business opportunities. He has participated in standards activities of various Telecommunications Industry Association committees and actively promoted advanced technologies in the Asia Pacific region. Dr Chen also spent about four and a half years in Bell Laboratories as a member of the Technical Staff prior to joining Motorola. The early part of his professional career was in nuclear research and development at Argonne National Labs, working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Electric Power Research Institute. Dr Chen has received several awards during his career, including the '1995 Motorola Standards Setter of the Year Award' for leadership in IS-634(A+) adoption by the telecom industries. He holds Master degrees in Nuclear Engineering from MIT and Business Administration from the University of Chicago, as well as a PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Notre Dame. He has over 40 publications and 5 patents to his name.
Dr Kaizad Heerjee, 35, the Assistant Chief Executive for Online Development, will be responsible for helping to develop Singapore into a knowledge-based economy and society. He will provide the vision and strategy to help develop e-commerce business and e-commerce related supporting activities, promote the utilisation of ICT as an enabler of industry growth, as well as develop ICT manpower and promote an ICT culture in Singapore.
In the last ten years, Dr Heerjee, an Indian National and Singapore Permanent Resident, has held management, marketing and technical positions across Europe and Asia during his stints with Digital Equipment and Compaq Computer Asia Pacific. During Dr Heerjee's most recent portfolio at Compaq Singapore where he was Director of e-commerce and e-application, he successfully planned, directed and built the business across the region. Dr Heerjee has won many company awards, including the 'Digital 100' - Digital's premier sales and management award for four consecutive years. Dr Heerjee holds a Master degree in Information Technology from Nottingham University, and a PhD in Computer Science from Dundee Institute of Technology. He has over fourteen publications to his name.
Mr Khoong Hock Yun, 41, the Assistant Chief Executive for Infocomm Development, will help develop Singapore into a knowledge-based economy and society. He will provide the vision and approach to develop and promote the info-communications sector.
In the last ten years, Mr Khoong, a Singaporean, has held senior management, marketing and technical positions in U.S. and Asia. Most recently, Mr Khoong was Director of one of Mentor Graphics Corporation's Strategic Business Units in Singapore, with responsibilities for marketing, engineering, quality assurance, documentation and customer support. Prior to being with Mentor Graphics, he was with the Defence Science Organisation in Mindef, where he was the Deputy Head of Software Engineering Laboratory, handling research in software engineering, real time operating systems and artificial intelligence. Mr Khoong holds Master degrees in Engineering and Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. He is also a Chartered Engineer (UK).
On the new additions to her team, IDA CEO Ms Yong said, "With the rapid and global development of the info-communications industry, it was important to bring in strong leaders from the private sector to give us new and fresh perspectives. They bring with them the wealth of international experience, knowledge and expertise that is critical in helping IDA achieve its objectives of developing ICT as a major growth sector, and leveraging ICT as an enabler of the economy and society. Their international experience will be particularly valuable because the business and competition we face today is global. I am delighted that they are joining the team. The addition of these three key personnel has filled the remaining leadership positions of IDA. Together with our current staff, we are confident of tackling the challenges ahead of us to drive the transformation of Singapore into a net economy and information society."
INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
About Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is a dynamic organisation with an integrated perspective to developing, promoting and regulating info-communications in Singapore. In the fast-changing and converging spheres of telecommunications, information and media technologies, IDA will be the catalyst for change and growth in Singapore's evolution into a vibrant global info-communications technology centre. For more information, visit www.imda.gov.sg
For media clarifications, please contact:
Ms Dulcie CHAN
Corporate Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Tel: (65) 6322-1999
Fax: (65) 6779-5340
Email: dulcie_chan@imda.gov.sg
Annex A : About the Functional Units
IDA is responsible for leading Singapore's drive to be a global info-communications centre and world-wide digital hub, and plays a catalytic role to nurture a healthy market and drive the information and communications technology (ICT) industry in Singapore. The following functional units are amongst IDA's key areas of work that will help facilitate Singapore's transformation into a digital economy.
The Policy and Regulation Group aims to create a conducive environment for Singapore's development into a knowledge-based economy. The focus is on strategic planning, policy formulation, industry regulation, international relations as well as international branding of the Singapore ICT sector.
The charter of the Technology Group is to accelerate the transition of Singapore into an ICT knowledge hub through technology. Its strategies include analysing ICT trends, formulating technology roadmaps and directions, exploiting technology in innovative ways and harnessing ICT in all facets of government, industry and society.
The Online Development Group focuses on enabling businesses in various sectors to go online. It involves developing the necessary infrastructure, services and policies for e-commerce. It will catalyse and support initiatives in specific sectors, developing capability in the industry to support enterprises to go online, and provide advisory services on business plans and processes. It will also ensure a steady supply of talent to support the industry through manpower development, and prepare the public to embrace ICT as a way of life through culture promotion.
The Infocomm Development Group focuses on developing the info-communications industry as a major growth sector of our economy. This involves developing the ICT cluster, interactive broadband multimedia, content hosting, domestic and international information infrastructure and connectivity. The objective is to develop a vibrant and internationally competitive infocomm industry in Singapore.
6.The Government Systems Group's main charter is to enable the Singapore Government to be a leading and exemplary user of ICT through the adoption of cutting-edge technology. The group also aims to provide integrated and seamless government services to the public by heading and project-managing innovative and impactful Government-wide ICT initiatives.
IDA Organisation Chart
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