Neo Kian Hong
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| Born | 1965 (age 58–59) Singapore |
| Allegiance | Singapore |
| Service/ | Singapore Army |
| Years of service | 1983–2013 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Commands held | Chief of Defence Force Chief of Army Chief of Staff – Joint Staff Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operations) Commander, Army Training and Doctrine Command Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Singapore Guards |
| Awards | See awards |
| Alma mater | King's College London MIT Sloan School of Management Harvard Business School |
| Neo Kian Hong | |||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 梁建鸿 | ||||||
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Neo Kian Hong is a Singaporean civil servant and former lieutenant-general who served as Chief of Defence Force between 2010 and 2013.
Neo served as the chief executive officerofSMRT Corporation between 2018 and 2022. Prior to that, he had served as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF)[1] and Permanent Secretary (Education Development) in the Ministry of Education (MOE) after leaving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Neo received his secondary education in Victoria School, where he was also a National Cadet Corps cadet,[2] After his pre-university education in Nanyang Junior College,[3] he was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1985 and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Upper Second Class Honours) degree in electrical and electronic engineering from King's College London. He subsequently completed a Master of Science degree in management of technology from the MIT Sloan School of Management.[4] He attended Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2013.[5]
Neo joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1983. Throughout his 30-year service in the SAF, he held various appointments, including: Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Singapore Guards; Commander, Army Training and Doctrine Command, Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operations); Chief of Staff, Joint Staff; Chief of Army (2007–2010).[6] He served as the SAF's contingent commander for the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) in 1999 and as the Director of Operations, Ministry of Health, during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, he was involved in establishing the national contact and tracing system in Singapore.[7]
In 2010, Neo was appointed as the SAF's Chief of Defence Force (CDF) and was promoted from the rank of Major-GeneraltoLieutenant-General.[8]
Neo was succeeded by Ng Chee Meng in 2013 when he retired that year.[9]
After leaving the SAF, Neo joined the civil service and was appointed as the Permanent Secretary (Education Development) in the Ministry of Education (MOE) on 1 July 2013. In MOE, he was part of senior management who helped to formulate and implement education policies, and to oversee the development and management of schools. In particular, he contributed to the development of MOE's Outdoor Education Masterplan and Digital Plan to build resilient mind, body and cohesion amongst students. It includes the building and upgrading of outdoor adventure centres for MOE to accommodate cohort camps at three levels: P5, S1 and S3. The Digital Plan improves the way students learn by using technology and further develops communication between parents and schools.
Neo was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) in the Ministry of Defence in 2017. In this role, his portfolio covers defence research and technology, capability development and acquisitions, and defence administration.
On 1 August 2018, Neo joined SMRT as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO). On 1 July 2022, he resigned from his position and will stay on as an advisor till 31 October 2022. On 1 August 2022, Ngien Hoon Ping will succeed him as the next Group CEO.[10]
Meritorious Service Medal (Military) - PJG, in 2012.
Public Administration Medal, (Gold) (Military) - PPA(E), in 2007.
Public Administration Medal, (Silver) (Bar) (Military) - PPA(P)(L)
Long Service Medal (Military), in 2008.
Singapore Armed Forces Long Service and Good Conduct (10 Years) Medal with 15 year clasp
Singapore Armed Forces Good Service Medal
Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Service Medal
International Force East Timor Medal
Order of the Cloud and Banner (雲麾勳章) with Yellow Grand Cordon (黃色大綬)
The Most Exalted Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang (1st Class)
Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi Utama (1st Class), Indonesia
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant, Thailand
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, Thailand
Darjah Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (Honorary Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valour (First Degree), in October 2011.
Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (1st Class)[11]
USLegion Of Merit (Commander)
Ranger Tab
Guards Tab{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mr. Desmond Kuek |
Group CEO of SMRT Corporation from 1 August 2018 |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek |
7th Chief of Defence Force 31 March 2010 – 26 March 2013 |
Succeeded by Major-General Ng Chee Meng |
| Preceded by Major-General Desmond Kuek |
Chief of the Singapore Army 20 March 2007 – 26 March 2010 |
Succeeded by Brigadier-General Chan Chun Sing |
