SINGAPORE: A new chief executive will take charge of the national water agency PUB, less than one year and four months after the appointment of the incumbent.

Mr Ong Tze-Ch’in will take over from Mr Goh Si Hou on Nov 1, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) announced on Tuesday (Sep 19).

Mr Ong, 48, will continue in his current position as Deputy Secretary (Resilience) in MSE after Nov 1.

Mr Goh, 45, was appointed PUB chief executive on Jul 22 last year, his first job after stepping down as Chief of Army in March. He will take on another senior leadership role in the public service, said MSE, which did not specify the role.

INCOMING CHIEF EXECUTIVE

In his current role as Deputy Secretary (Resilience) in MSE, Mr Ong oversees water and food policies, international relations, communications and engagement and emergency planning.

Before this, he was chief executive of SkillsFuture Singapore and concurrent Deputy Secretary (SkillsFuture) in the Ministry of Education.

He also held military positions, serving as director of military intelligence/chief C4I and commander of the 3rd Singapore Division in the Singapore Armed Forces.

He holds two master's degrees, one in business administration from INSEAD (2010) and the other in defence studies from King’s College London (2006). He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1998.

OUTGOING CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Under Mr Goh’s leadership, PUB set out long-term strategies to strengthen Singapore’s water security and climate resilience, said MSE.

He led the agency in the development of the Water Masterplan, which charted out the long-term infrastructure plans to ensure the country’s water security.

These i...