FORMER Singapore Exchange (SGX) chief executive Hsieh Fu Hua has been appointed the chairman of the World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore), effective Thursday (Dec 22).

The 72-year-old replaces Achal Agarwal, who had chaired the non-profit since December 2020.

WWF-Singapore is one of the international hubs for WWF, one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations. It spearheads the Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative, which has been collaborating with major Singapore financial sector organisations, including SGX and the Association of Banks in Singapore, to educate the public on how to invest responsibly.

Agarwal’s departure comes just two months after the organisation launched its new thematic pillars of programmatic action, which named special focuses on net-zero carbon, sustainable finance, sustainable palm oil, and circular economy, apart from illegal wildlife trade, marine conservation and forest landscape restoration – areas more commonly associated with the organisation. Hsieh joined the board in July.

Agarwal, who had served on the board for seven years, said he moves on from the organisation with a sense of deep satisfaction, and looks forward to seeing greater achievements under Hsieh’s leadership.

Hsieh, meanwhile, said he is “truly grateful” to Agarwal for his stewardship of WWF-Singapore over the years, adding that he leaves an organisation that is well poised to make greater in Singapore and beyond.

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Hsieh, who has supported WWF-Singapore’s various projects for years, added that is “impressed by the deep knowledge and passion of the team”.

“I look forward to working closely with them and the board to enhance the work and standing of WWF even further as we pursue our local, regional and global conservation agenda,” he said.

Hsieh is a banking and capital markets veteran who has notably served as UOB chairman, president of state-owned investor Temasek Holdings, and chairman of Tiger Airways.

He is currently a director on the board of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, and chairman of the National University of Singapore and the National University Health System, among other titles.

This is not his first foray into a non-profit. He was also formerly president of the National Council of Social Service, the umbrella body for over 500 social service organisations in Singapore; chairman of Stewardship Asia Centre, a Temasek-founded thought leadership centre promoting effective stewardship and governance across Asia; as well as chairman of National Gallery Singapore.

WWF-Singapore chief executive R Raghunathan said that with Hsieh’s involvement, the organisation intends to harness the power of the finance sector to creating resilient and sustainable economies that contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, on top of the organisation’s climate and nature ambitions.

He added that Agarwal, who used to be Kimberly-Clark’s president for Asia-Pacific, leaves as he has completed his term based on WWF-Singapore’s constitution.

“The transition in chairmanship has been well planned, with Hsieh joining the board in July 2022, and having sufficient time for a proper handover,” Raghunathan said.