Singapore Tourism Board announces new staff changes at top level

The Singapore Tourism Board has announced new appointments to its senior management positions as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its corporate leadership team. This will see new positions and new faces at the top level of the organisation to lead Singapore's tourism industry and meet the challenges ahead.

A Food & Beverage (F&B) Division has been created to form a one-stop centre to manage the F&B cluster as a holistic value chain encompassing concept development, industry promotion, channel management and market development.

Mr Lim Neo Chian, STB's Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "Food is one of the major draws for our visitors. The formation of the F&B Division will enable us to focus on this strength and maximise the opportunities available to promote food as a primary purpose of visit and a key supporting activity generating tourism receipts for Singapore."

Past trends show that visitors spend more than 13 per cent on food while in Singapore. This translates to some S$700 million a year in visitor expenditure.

With the formation of the F&B Division, all F&B-related development and marketing work in STB will be consolidated within this new outfit.

Another new key position is the Chief, Business Operations (CBO) which will oversee eight business units that focus on specific clusters - such as shopping, sightseeing & attractions, education services and healthcare services. In addition, the CBO will be responsible for the two Divisions that render support to the tourism business sector namely; Resource Development Division and Travel & Hospitality Business Division.

Mr Lim said: "While it is important that we have separate "engines" running to focus on growth for specific sectors of the tourism industry, it is also essential that we integrate our efforts among these business units to achieve synergy. The role of the Chief Business Operations was created to strengthen the co-ordination of efforts within STB so that we can better serve our customers and partners."

With the above changes, the following appointments have taken effect in July 2003.

· Mr Gerald Lee has assumed the position of Chief, Business Operations. He has 12 years of experience with STB. He will continue to cover as Director, Business Travel and MICE.

· Mrs Monica Tomlin has joined the STB as Senior Director, Planning. As a resident of Singapore for 17 years, she has over 25 years of consulting experience worldwide with both private and public sector organisations in strategy formulation and organisational transformation. Apart from overseeing the Planning Division, she will also assist in various change initiatives within STB.

· Ms Margaret Teo has assumed the appointment of Director, Food & Beverage Division for the newly formed F&B Strategic Tourism Unit. She has 13 years of experience in STB and has served in key positions in Corporate Communications, Events Marketing as well as Marketing Services.

· Mr Oliver Chong, Director, Cruise, will concurrently cover the position of Director, Tourism Shopping. His 10 years of experience in STB spans Corporate Development, Events Marketing and an overseas stint in the United Kingdom.

· Ms Shirley Tan has joined the STB as Director, Corporate Communications covering both Corporate and Media Relations. She has more than 10 years of experience in key positions in Corporate Communications in the private sector.

On his appointment as CBO, Mr Gerald Lee said: "There are many opportunities in these challenging times to develop new strategies for STB and the industry. It will require a re-thinking of how we operate in the new business environment and how we develop the various tourism segments. I hope to lead a more entrepreneurial and progressive team in making Singapore not only a key leisure destination, but a vibrant business hub for local and global tourism players."

Mrs Monica Tomlin and Ms Shirley Tan who joined STB recently said they are both looking forward to their new jobs.

Mrs Monica Tomlin said: "I am excited about playing an instrumental role in the current change phase of STB. Singapore's tourism sector is facing major challenges today and I believe I can bring to bear new and useful perspectives. I will also be able to draw on my experience in large scale organisational change to steer STB towards greater effectiveness."

Adding on, Ms Shirley Tan said: "There has never been a more important time to strengthen communication channels as the organisation and industry unite on all fronts to combat a national crisis and to bring about exciting changes. I hope to establish effective communication forums to facilitate working processes within and beyond the Board."

Full Career Profiles

Chief, Business Operations - Mr Gerald Lee

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Mr Lee has been with the Board for 12 years. He has worked in the Planning and Convention departments, and in 1996, was posted to Toronto as Vice-President, Canada. In 1998, his responsibility expanded to also include Central USA. Upon his return to Singapore in 2000, he was seconded to the Ministry of Trade and Industry for 11/2 years before returning to the Board to head the Planning division. He has also concurrently held the position of Director, Strategic Development at Sentosa Development Corporation from 2001 to March 2003.

Senior Director Planning - Mrs Monica Tomlin

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Mrs Tomlin started her career with the Colombian national airline (AVIANCA) as Marketing Manager responsible for planning and analysis of demand for international services. In New York, she served in McKinsey & Company where she led strategy and organisation engagements and in the AMCON Group of Consolidated Gold Fields, she was responsible for business development in Latin America. In Singapore, she has been with consultancies Stanford Research Institute and since 1991, Arthur D Little. Her last appointment in Arthur D Little was Associate Director in Strategy and Organisation practice, looking after client relationship management, business development, project team direction and intellectual capital creation.

Director, Food and Beverage - Ms Margaret Teo

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Ms Teo has been with the Board for 13 years. Her previous positions include Manager, Corporate Communications and Assistant Director, Events Marketing. Ms Teo also headed the Creative Action Team for "MillenniaMania" - Singapore's millennium countdown party. In 2002, she was appointed Deputy Director, Marketing Services.

Director, Cruise / Director (covering), Tourism Shopping - Mr Oliver Chong

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Mr Chong started his career with the Board in 1993. His tour of duty included appointments in the Events and Corporate Development departments. From 1996 to 1999, he was based in London as the Assistant, then Deputy Regional Director, UK. Responsible for the Scandinavian markets, Mr Chong was also in charge of UK/Irish trade and consumer markets. In 1999, he returned to head the department in Events Marketing which was responsible for the development and marketing of sports, arts and cultural events.

Director, Corporate Communications - Ms Shirley Tan

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Ms Tan has more than 10 years experience in Corporate Communications. Prior to joining STB, her last appointment was Vice President / Head, Corporate Communications, Singapore Technologies Engineering, one of the top ten listed companies on the Singapore Exchange. Her specialist skills include investors' relations, public and community relations, advertising and promotions.