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SMRT chairman Seah to step down as Pavilion Energy’s CEO to focus on embattled operator

SINGAPORE — Less than five months after becoming chairman of SMRT, Mr Seah Moon Ming announced on Tuesday (Dec 5) he will step down as chief executive of Pavilion Energy, a liquefied natural gas company he founded in 2013, so as to focus on his work with the embattled rail operator.

Mr Seah Moon Ming and Mr Frederic Barnaud (R). Photo: International Enterprise Singapore/ Gazprom Marketing & Trading Group

Mr Seah Moon Ming and Mr Frederic Barnaud (R). Photo: International Enterprise Singapore/ Gazprom Marketing & Trading Group

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SINGAPORE — Less than five months after becoming chairman of SMRT, Mr Seah Moon Ming announced on Tuesday (Dec 5) he will step down as chief executive of Pavilion Energy, a liquefied natural gas company he founded in 2013, so as to focus on his work with the embattled rail operator.

In a press statement, Pavilion Energy chairman Mohd Hassan Marican said Mr Seah had indicated his wish to spend more time on his role at SMRT once a suitable candidate to replace him was found. Mr Seah expressed this wish when he replaced former top civil servant Koh Yong Guan as SMRT's chairman in July.

Mr Seah is also chairman of government agency International Enterprise Singapore, and its subsidiary, Singapore Cooperation Enterprise, which shares Singapore's development experience by providing training, consultancy and project management services to foreign governments.

Mr Seah has, in recent months, been regularly singled out by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan for his ability to turn around companies.

SMRT has been in the news for the wrong reasons a number of times this year.

In October, tunnels between Bishan and Braddell MRT stations flooded, downing train services along a stretch of the North-South Line for more than 14 hours over two days, because anti-flooding systems that were put in place had not been properly maintained for nearly a year – something the maintenance team in charge had covered up by doctoring records.

In the aftermath of the unprecedented incident, Mr Seah pledged to shore up operational discipline within the company, which, according to SMRT chief Desmond Kuek, is racked with "deep-seated cultural issues" that were partly to blame for major train disruptions since 2011.

Eight staff members have been fired and three management executives disciplined over the fiasco. SMRT could also pursue legal action against two former executives.

Just over a month later, nearly 40 people were injured after two trains collided at Joo Koon MRT Station because protective features designed to keep trains at a safe distance apart were knocked out twice on the same day.

In a press statement, SMRT said it was "pleased" that Mr Seah "had planned to prioritise more time as an active chairman".

The operator said it will continue to work on improving reliability, availability and safety of its train services, "while it continues its multi-year effort to strengthen management, operations and maintenance teams, and build robust engineering and operational capabilities for future needs".

Mr Seah built Pavilion Energy from scratch in 2013. It has since spread its wings internationally, with the group buying over gas reserves in Tanzania, East Africa, among other overseas ventures.

A Temasek-backed company, Pavilion Energy invests in the distribution and trade of liquefied natural gas in the region. Its subsidiary, Pavilion Gas, markets and distributes natural gas in Singapore and the region, and was last year appointed a liquefied natural gas importer for Singapore by the Energy Market Authority.

Mr Seah's successor at Pavilion Energy will be French national Frederic Barnaud, a 25-year veteran in the energy, oil and gas sectors. Mr Barnaud, who is the chief commercial officer of liquefied natural gas, oil and liquefied petroleum gas at the London-based Gazprom Marketing & Trading Group, will take over on Feb 1 next year.

Paying homage to the board and staff of Pavilion Energy, Mr Seah said: “Their support and hard work had enabled me to build Pavilion Energy from scratch to where it is today. I know they will give Frederic the same level of support to bring the group to the next phase of its growth.”

On Mr Seah’s imminent departure from Pavilion Energy, Mr Hassan said: “The board is confident that Moon Ming leaves the group in a strong position, and the group will transit to new leadership well, based on these solid foundations.”

 

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