SINGAPORE: Transport operator SBS Transit has appointed a new chairman to succeed Mr Lim Jit Poh who announced his retirement last month after 18 years at the helm.

The new chairman, Mr Bob Tan Beng Hai, will assume the position on Friday (Apr 30).

Mr Tan is no stranger to the public transport sector, said SBS Transit in a media release, noting that he was on the board of SMRT from 2006 to 2017.

He also sits on the board of Sembcorp Marine and Singapore Post, and is chairman of Ascott Business Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, Sentosa Development Corporation and Jurong Engineering Limited. 

He is a member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Corporate Governance Advisory Committee and Securities Industry Council.

In addition to being chairman of SBS Transit, Mr Tan will be appointed chairman of the SBST Tenders Committee and sit as a member of the Nominating and Remuneration Committee.

READ: SBS Transit chairman Lim Jit Poh to retire after 18 years

“These are exciting times for the public transport sector which is undergoing structural change. I am honoured to be part of SBS Transit and I look forward to working with the board and management as we respond to this change and the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mr Tan.

He added: “I would also like to thank outgoing chairman Mr Lim Jit Poh for his contributions through the years and for agreeing to stay on as senior advisor. His experience and deep knowledge in the transport sector will be most helpful to the company.”

Mr Lim, who retires after an annual general meeting on Thursday, said: “I am happy to be handing over the reins to Mr Bob Tan who is very seasoned and, in my opinion, well-qualified to lead the Group into the next phase of growth."

SBS Transit also announced that Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Cheng Siak Kian will replace retiring board members Mr Benny Lim and Mr John De Payva.

Mr Choo is a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, as well as assistant secretary-general and director of policy division at the National Trades Union Congress.

Mr Cheng was appointed CEO of SBS Transit on Mar 1. He joined the company in September 2015, serving as senior vice president in the bus operations division. In December 2016, he was posted to Australia to helm the New South Wales operations of SBS' parent company ComfortDelGro.

He returned to SBS Transit in July 2019 to assume the appointment of chief operating officer and was promoted to acting CEO on Mar 1 last year.