SLA appoints new CEO to succeed Colin Low
Calvin Phua, deputy secretary (policy) at the Ministry of Law, will step up from May 1
[SINGAPORE] The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has named a new chief executive officer to take over from Colin Low from May 1.
Calvin Phua, deputy secretary (policy) at the Ministry of Law, has been appointed to the role, MinLaw said in a statement on Wednesday (Apr 2).
The statement did not mention why Low is leaving his SLA post, which he has held since 2021, when he joined the statutory board from the private sector. He was reappointed to the SLA board on Apr 12, 2024.
A short while after the MinLaw statement was released, Low said in a LinkedIn post: “Nope, I’m not running.”
At least six public service leaders have resigned in recent weeks ahead of the next general election, which is expected to take place by mid-year.
“Under Low’s leadership, SLA has made significant strides in optimising and rejuvenating state land and properties for diverse economic, social, and community uses,” MinLaw said.
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“Understanding the importance of sustainability and the role state properties can play in serving the community, Low had a pivotal role in initiating sustainable asset management practices, and he drove the adoption of green practices and meaningful community programming as part of the SLA-managed price-quality tender system.”
He also spearheaded geospatial adoption across multiple sectors, MinLaw said. During his term, SLA formed local and regional partnerships that leveraged geospatial data.
“This resulted in advancements in smart-nation solutions, including the development of 3D city models and new mapping data sets that support climate-change initiatives. Low also put SLA on the global map, through (its) involvement at key international geospatial events and forging cross-border partnerships with countries such as Bhutan and Saudi Arabia.”
Contacted by The Business Times last night, Low said: “The team is in good shape. I enjoyed working with SLA, doing meaningful work,” adding that it was “good for fresh leadership to bring SLA to greater heights”.
BT understands he may return to the private sector. Prior to his appointment as SLA’s chief executive in 2021, he was the chief executive officer of Frasers Hospitality Trust from 2019 to 2021, and has also held leadership positions at CBRE and CapitaLand’s The Ascott Limited.
Luke Goh, permanent secretary at the MinLaw, said: “We are deeply appreciative of Colin’s contributions to SLA. He has brought invaluable experience and unique perspective from the private sector into public service, and facilitated stronger collaboration between SLA and the private and people sectors.”
He added: “We look forward to continuing to work closely with Calvin in his new capacity as the chief executive of SLA, and have every confidence that he will build on Colin’s efforts and bring SLA to greater heights.”
During his time at MinLaw, Phua led efforts to strengthen Singapore’s legal system and improve access to justice, including the establishment of the Public Defender’s Office, the ministry said.
“He also worked with various institutions to build capacity and enhance Singapore’s offerings as an international dispute resolution hub. To alleviate the economic impact of Covid-19, (he) led the implementation of enabling legal frameworks that provided relief to affected businesses and individuals.”
Yeoh Oon Jin, chairman of the board of directors of SLA, said: “As we bid farewell to Colin, we warmly welcome Calvin as SLA’s incoming chief executive, whose strategic insights and proven expertise will provide seamless continuity in vision and execution that will lead SLA’s next chapter of growth and contributions to the nation.”
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