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COLOMBO PLAN SCHOLARS

The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific was conceived at a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministers in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in January 1950.

 

It was aimed at promoting the economic and social development of South and Southeast Asia by the provision of training awards, expert services and equipment. 

 

Singapore became an active member of the Colombo Plan in 1959.  From 1962 to the mid 1980’s, Colombo Plan scholars from Singapore and the region were selected and sent to Canadian Universities. On completion of their studies they returned to serve in various government bodies contributing to the development of Singapore. 

Mr. Chan started as Systems Engineer at the Ministry of Defence and moved on in his engineering career to assume the postion of Director in the private sector.  He is currently a Director at Long Island Productions Ltd, Hong Kong.

University of British Columbia

B.A.Sc EE, 1970

Colombo Plan Scholar, 1966 – 1970

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Benny Chan Chee Hon

Dr. Tan Guong Ching
Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Dr. Chan is an orthopaedic surgeon, inventor, researcher and entrepreneur. He is currently Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore (NUS), with appointments in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Department of Bioengineering. 

University of Toronto

B.A.Sc EE, 1970

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Dr Casey Chan Kwan Ho

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Chang has had a 30-year career in various capacities in Shell. His last appointment was Director of the Regional Shell Technology Centre in Singapore. After leaving Shell, he served in several roles in the energy space.

University of Toronto

B.A.Sc EE, 1970

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CK Chang

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

With more than 30 years in marketing with Shell International (24 years) and UT Group (Maxis and Astrr, 8 years), Mr Chin is currently Telecommunications Consultant at Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd.

Technical University of

Nova Scotia

B.Sc Mech Engg, 1966

University of Saskatchewan

M. Mech Engg, 1968

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CY Chin

Er Kwong Wah

Mr. Er served 27 years in the Singapore Civil Service, in various ministries, public and community organisations.  He held Permanent Secretary positions with Ministry of Education and Ministry of Community Development from 1987 till his retirement in 1998.  He is currently Executive Director of the East Asia Institute of Management.

University of Toronto

B.A.Sc EE, 1970

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Kwong Wah Er

Fook Kong Fok

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr Fok served in the Minstry of Environment and then National Environment Agency for 35 years until his retirement in 2012.  He is currently Management Consultant at BALLianz Pte Ltd and is active in various voluntary grassroots work with the community.

University of Alberta

B.Sc Mech Engg, 1974

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Tsun-Yan Hsieh

Mr. Hsieh spent 30 years with McKinsey, consulting in corporate transformation and leader development and founded McKinsey’s Leadership Services. He co-authored "Heart, Smarts, Guts & Luck"and is currently Chairman and Lead Counselor of LinHart Group.   He holds joint appointment as Provost Chair Professor (Practice) at the NUS Business School and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

University of Alberta

B.Sc Mech Engg, 1974

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Yong Guan Koh

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Koh’s career in the Singapore Civil Service included appointments at the Permanent Secretary level in the Ministries of Defence, Finance, Health and National Development, as well as being appointed the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, and Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.  He was appointed as Singapore’s first non-resident High Commissioner to Canada in January 2008.

University of Toronto

B.A.Sc Mech Engg, 1970

M.A.Sc Mech & Biomedical Engg, 1972

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Ming Seong Lim

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Lim held various senior positions within the Singapore Technologies (ST) Group from 1986 to 2002, where he left as Group Director. Prior to joining the ST Group, Mr Lim served as the Deputy Secretary with the Ministry of Defence, Singapore. Currently he is Chairman of CSE Global Ltd and First Resources Ltd and also sits on the Board of StarHub.

University of Toronto

B.A.Sc Mech Engg, 1970

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Lim Soo Ping

Mr. Lim served the Singapore public sector for 37 years.  He began his career in 1975 as an engineer with the Public Works Department and moved on to serve in 5 ministries before he was appointed as Auditor-General in 2007.  He is currently Professor of Accounting (Practice) in Singapore Management University.

University of Alberta

B.Sc Mech Engg, 1974

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Soo Ping Lim

Sin Leng Low

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Ms. Low served 20 years in the Singapore Government Administrative Service holding senior positions including Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Trade & Industry, Ministry of Finance and Director of the Ministry of Education before joining the private sector.  She has retired from Sembcorp Industries Ltd as Senior Executive Director and assumed the new role of Senior Advisor. She continues to be Chairman of Sino-Singapore (Chengdu) Innovation Park Development Co. Ltd.

University of Alberta

B.Sc EE, 1975

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Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Over 40 years of senior management experience in the United Nations, banking industry and diplomacy and the Singapore Government, Mr Nair is currently Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to Ghana. 

McGill University

B. Sc Mech Engg, 1973

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Dileep Nair

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Ng Pock Too was the former Political Secretary to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and also the former President of Hamilton Sundstrand Asia Pacific. When he retired from Hamilton Sundstrand in 2007 he established his own consulting company, New Board Technology Pte Ltd. He was appointed the Adjunct Professor by the National University of Singapore - Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2008.

University of New Brunswick

B.Sc Mech Engg, 1968

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Pock Too Ng

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Founding Board member of the National Science and Technology Board, Dr. Su served as Deputy Chairman frm 1998 to 2000. He was President of NTU 2003 to 2011 and is currently President Emeritus and Professor of Electrical and Electronic Enginerring NTU.

University of Alberta

B.Sc Eng, 1971

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Dr. Guaning Su

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Tan has held various senior positions in the civil service such as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Permanent Secretary of the Ministries of Environment, Home Affairs and Communications and Information.

McMaster University

B.Sc Chemical Engg, 1970

M Engg, 1972

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Dr. Guong Ching​​ Tan

Lawrence Tan Wai Liang

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Tan began his career at Singapore Telecom and moved on to Northern Telecom (Asia) Pte Ltd and later Paterson Simons & Co (S) Pte Ltd.  He founded Infonet Engineering Pte Ltd.  In 1986 he formed his own company, Suntze Communications Engineering Pte Ltd and is currently the Managing Director.

University of Toronto

B.A. Sc, 1970

M.A. Sc, 1972

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Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Prof. Wee is Head, Division of Marketing & International Business, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University and Senior Fellow, Institute on Asian Consumer Insight.  He serves on several boards of companies in Singapore, and advisory boards locally and internationally.  He was a former Professor of Business Policy and Dean of NUS Business School.

University of Western Ontario

MBA, 1976

PHD, 1984

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Prof. Chow Hou Wee

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Wong was Head of Weapons Systems Branch at the Ministry of Defence before he took on the position as Programme Director at the Economic Development Board and later Spring Singapore.  He joined SembCorp Industries as Vice President (Corporate Business Development) from 2004 to 2006.  He is currently Senior Consultant at Singapore Optimal Development Advisors LLP.

University of British Columbia

B.A.Sc EE, 1970

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Kok Seng Wong

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Dr. Yap started his career as a mechanical engineer in the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) before joining the National University of Singapore (NUS).  He is currently Assistant Deanas as well as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NUS.

University of Western Ontario

BESc , 1975

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Dr. Christopher Yap

Noel Philip Yeo Liat Kok

Dr. Tan Guong Ching

Mr. Yeo had served in the Ministry of Defence from 1970. He set up the National Computer Board and became its first Chairman from 1981 to 1987. He was Chairman of the Economic Development Board, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR). He is currently Special Advisor for Singapore Economic Development, Senior Advisor for Science and Technology (Ministry of Trade & Industry), Chairman of the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING), and SingBridge International Pte Ltd.

University of Toronto

B.Sc. Industrial Engg, 1970

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