SINGAPORE — Just two months after Mr Neo Kian Hong took over as group chief executive officer of SMRT, the rail operator has a new chief technology officer, Mr Gan Boon Jin, who has replaced Mr Ng Bor Kiat.

Mr Ng is at least the second member of SMRT’s senior management team known to have left or resigned from the company in recent months.

In August, The Straits Times reported that chief corporate officer Gerard Koh — a former colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) — had resigned, just days after Mr Neo took over the reins on Aug 1. Mr Koh joined the rail operator as human resources director in 2013, and was among the first senior staff members roped in by former SMRT chief Desmond Kuek after he took the helm in 2012.

Replying to TODAY’s queries on Tuesday (Oct 9), SMRT’s vice-president for corporate communications Margaret Teo said that Mr Gan was appointed to his new role on Oct 1, taking over from Mr Ng who left the company in late August.

Mr Gan was seconded to SMRT in February this year while he was with ST Engineering Land Systems (formerly ST Kinetics) — the land systems and specialty vehicle arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering.

He joined ST Kinetics in 2003 as deputy director of its engineering and development division, and climbed the ranks, stepping down in 2016 as its chief operating officer and president of its defence business.

He later became ST Kinetics’ chief engineering officer before being named adviser to ST Engineering Land Systems in July this year.

In his role at SMRT, Mr Gan advises the management team on innovation projects, including the prioritisation of technological investments and resources.

Besides overseeing all technology development projects, he will also have to acquire the operations and maintenance engineering capabilities needed to raise and sustain “the high levels of rail reliability and safety” at SMRT, said Ms Teo.

A mechanical engineer by training, Mr Gan was formerly with the Ministry of Defence, and has a master’s degree in military vehicle technology from the Royal Military College of Science at Britain’s Cranfield University.

Mr Ng, the former chief technology officer, joined the rail operator in June 2013. He had worked for more than 13 years at the Defence Science and Technology Agency, and was, at one time, chief maintenance and engineering officer while being seconded to the SAF.

Starting out as the senior vice-president for SMRT’s systems and technology group, Mr Ng was appointed to the chief technology officer post in September 2016 and reported to Mr Kuek.

SMRT’S CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP

• In April, after months of speculation about a leadership change, SMRT confirmed that Mr Neo Kian Hong would replace Mr Desmond Kuek as group CEO at the start of August.

• Mr Kuek faced heavy criticism last year after a series of high-profile incidents — such as flooded MRT tunnels in Bishan and a train collision in Joo Koon — diminished public confidence in the operator.

• Mr Neo — who, like Mr Kuek, was a former Chief of Defence Force — said his priorities included rail reliability. He wants to develop a culture where workers strive continuously to improve work practices.

• SMRT’s decision to hire Mr Neo for the top post drew flak from some quarters, owing to his lack of experience in the rail sector.

• Mr Neo told reporters in August that there were many facets to a large organisation such as SMRT, including how the company organises itself and delivers its operations and maintenance. It was about selecting “the right people to run the operations” and “rallying everyone” to the company’s focus.

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