How Choo shaped Keppel for the future

Singapore

AS Keppel's group CEO Choo Chiau Beng hands over the baton to a new team over the next few weeks, it will be after a fairly short five years as head honcho - during which the group has experienced one of its most profitable periods in its 45-year history.

Even as he takes on his next role as senior adviser to the new team, Mr Choo is confident that Keppel remains in good hands, even though the new CEO has had a decidedly shorter history with the firm and, in the case of its newly appointed CFO, none at all.

After an eventful 42 years with the group - spanning his entire working career, no less - Mr Choo appears sanguine about its prospects.

The multi-dimensional businesses that make up the Keppel group require a breadth of knowledge and experience which CEO-designate Loh Chin Hua and CFO-designate Ch…