Willy Shee replaces Lew Syn Pau as lead independent director at Golden Agri-Resources

GOLDEN Agri-Resources announced some changes to its board on Monday (Jan 3), as Lew Syn Pau and Foo Meng Kee resigned on Dec 31 after serving more than 9 years as non-executive independent directors.

Replacing them from Jan 1 are Willy Shee, who used to be chairman, Asia at real estate company CBRE, and Soh Hang Kwang, a former vice-chairman and regional head global corporate clients Asia at Dutch banking and financial services company Rabobank.

Shee will take over Lew - who stepped down as SUTL Enterprise's non-executive chairman on Dec 31 as well - as the palm oil company's lead independent director.

In its bourse filing, Golden Agri-Resources said Shee is currently a senior adviser to CBRE. He had served in the non-executive role since July 2016 after stepping down from the chairman, Asia post which granted him oversight over the operations of all its offices in Asia.

Before that, he was managing director at the Singapore office of CB Richard Ellis between 1991 and June 2005, being responsible for its growth and overall operations.

Golden Agri-Resources added that Shee is a fellow member of the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers, as well as the Singapore Institute of Directors, and sits on the panel for the Inquiry Committee at the Law Society.

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Meanwhile, the company noted that Soh currently serves as an independent director of Neuberger Berman (China), an investment management firm.

He retired as vice-chairman and regional head global corporate clients Asia at Rabobank in December 2020, a post he had held since 2012.

Before that, he served as chief executive officer of Rabobank Singapore from 2010 to 2011 and CEO of Rabobank Hong Kong from 2011 to 2012, after taking on senior roles in Royal Bank of Scotland, Citigroup and ABN-AMRO Bank.

At Golden Agri-Resources, Shee and Soh will also serve as members of the audit committee, with Christian G H Gautier De Charnace, an existing member of the committee, serving as chairman.

On top of that, Shee took on additional appointments for the company's nominating committee and remuneration committee, where De Charnace, who is newly appointed to serve in the committees as well, is appointed chairman.

The appointments took effect from Jan 1.

Shares of Golden Agri-Resources closed 2.1 per cent or S$0.005 higher at S$0.24 on Dec 31.

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