Former CEO of Sentosa Development Corporation to lead Sports Hub from Dec 10

FORMER chief executive officer of Sentosa Development Corporation, Quek Swee Kuan, is set to be the CEO of a “new entity” under Kallang Alive Holding - a company that will oversee the entire Kallang Alive precinct - that will manage the Singapore Sports Hub from Dec 10, Sport Singapore (SportSG) announced in a press statement on Friday (Nov 4).

SportSG also appointed Keith Magnus as chairman. Magnus is chairman of investment banking advisory firm Evercore’s Asia business. Both appointments take effect on Dec 1.

Speaking on the appointments, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said: “Their (Quek and Magnus) vision and energy will help bring to life our aspirations and vision for the Sports Hub to be a national icon for sporting, entertainment and lifestyle interests. Singaporeans will also be able to look forward to the Sports Hub, as a leading venue for community activities.”

Quek, who is currently the CEO of new business at Surbana Jurong, will be the fifth person to helm the eight-year-old Hub on a permanent basis. He comes with 26 years of public service experience, including at the Economic Development Board and the Singapore Tourism Board.

“Quek is well versed in attracting investments and visitors to Singapore, through strategic branding, marketing, international relations and business development efforts,” the statement said.

Both new leaders bring a wealth of experience in driving organisational strategy and transformation, and will be great assets to the Sports Hub, noted chairman of SportSG Kon Yin Tong.

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“We are confident that they are well placed to steer the team as they navigate this next phase,” Kon added.

The appointments follow the termination of the Sports Hub public-private partnership (PPP) earlier in June this year after a mutual agreement with SportsHub Pte Ltd (SHPL). This sees SportSG taking over the ownership and management of the Sports Hub from Dec 9.

SHPL was engaged under the PPP in 2010 to design, build, finance and operate the Sports Hub – Singapore’s largest PPP project – until the end of the concession period in 2035.

The S$1.3 billion facility was completed in 2014, and SportSG has paid an annual fee since then to finance and operate the Sports Hub. It is expected to do so until the end of the concession period.

Magnus has been a board member of SportSG since 2020, and was also the chief negotiator for SportSG and SHPL in the PPP review.

In the statement, SportSG noted that it has worked closely with SHPL over the past few months to ensure a smooth handover to “the new entity”. Some 90 per cent of staff from SHPL and over 95 per cent of partners and vendors will be transitioning, it added.

Sports Hub, a 35-hectare facility, includes the 55,000-seater National Stadium, the OCBC Aquatic Centre, the multi-purpose indoor OCBC Arena, as well as the 41,000 square metre Kallang Wave Mall.

Sports Hub has incredible potential to be a premier sporting, entertainment and lifestyle destination, noted Quek.

“I am proud to be leading such an impressive team, and I look forward to working with Mr Magnus and the team to make the Sports Hub and the Kallang Alive precinct a cherished and exciting place for all Singaporeans,” he added.