Keppel Corporation announced today that Mr Liew Choon Boon has been designated as Chief Executive Officer of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (SSTEC), taking over the baton from SSTEC's outgoing CEO, Mr Ho Tong Yen, with effect from 1 July 2015. Mr Liew will hold a concurrent appointment as Advisor on Eco-City matters in the Ministry of National Development.

Mr Liew Choon Boon is currently a Senior Director in the Ministry of National Development. He has held a range of senior positions in policy and operational areas in Education, Law, Defence, Community Development, and Information, Communication and the Arts. As the Director of Finance in the Ministry of Defence, he was responsible for the planning and management of the defence budget, and for setting financial policies and internal controls. Previously in the then Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, he oversaw policies covering infocomm, media, arts and culture.

Mr Loh Chin Hua, CEO of Keppel Corporation, said, "Keppel is pleased to lead the Singapore Consortium in the development of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. Transformed from barren saline land, the Eco-City has made very good progress to emerge as a modern, green city in the Tianjin Binhai New Area. Apart from the hardware, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is also increasing focus on software and promoting a green and sustainable lifestyle among its residents.

"Choon Boon has been heading MND's Eco-City Project Office since 2013, and is very familiar with the project. Having served in several capacities and ministries in the Singapore Government, he brings diverse and insightful experience to the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. We welcome him onboard SSTEC."

Mr Tay Kim Poh, Ministry of National Development's Deputy Secretary (Services), said, "The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City has made steady progress, benefitting from the close cooperation between the Singapore Government, Chinese Government and SSTEC. The three parties meet regularly to share expertise and develop policies and programmes for the Eco-City. I am confident that Choon Boon will lead SSTEC's continuous effort to take the Eco-City through its next phase of development and to achieve its vision to become a thriving city that is socially harmonious, environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient. I thank Tong Yen for his contributions to the project as well."

Mr Loh also thanked Mr Ho Tong Yen for leading the company, "Keppel would like to express its appreciation to Tong Yen for his contributions to the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project in the past four years."

During Mr Ho's tenure as CEO, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City made steady progress. Designated the first National Green Development Demonstration Zone by China's State Council, the Eco-City now has more than 20,000 residents and more than 1,400 registered companies. It has received good recognition from the Singapore and Chinese Governments and also the international community for its efforts to promote sustainable urbanisation. Mr Ho will complete his posting in Tianjin and return to Singapore.

Mr Liew graduated with a Bachelor of Science (First-Class Honours) in Physics from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Master in Public Management from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS. He also attended the Lee Kuan Yew Fellows Programme at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University.

Mr Liew, married with three children, is active in community service and has served on the boards of different arts, educational, philanthropic and community organisations.

The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is a high-level government-to-government project between China and Singapore to build a modern green township that is socially harmonious, environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient. SSTEC, master developer for the 30 sq-km Eco-City, is a 50/50 joint venture between a Singapore Consortium led by the Keppel Group and a Chinese Consortium led by Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co., Ltd.