Changi Airport Group CEO to step down in July

SINGAPORE: Changi Airport Group (CAG) will have a new chief executive officer in July when its current CEO Lee Seow Hiang steps down after 15 years.

Mr Yam Kum Weng, the current executive vice president of airport development, will take over on Jul 1, CAG announced on Tuesday (Apr 9). 

Mr Lee, 54, will also relinquish his roles as a director on the CAG board and as chairman of the boards of Changi Airports International (CAI) and Jewel Changi Airport Development. 

Mr Yam, 59, will be appointed to the CAG board and as chairman of the CAI board from Jul 1.

FOUNDING CEO

Changi Airport was made a corporate entity in 2009 and Mr Lee was appointed CAG's founding CEO. During his time at the helm, he oversaw the launch of Terminal 4, the expansion of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and the development of Jewel Changi Airport. 

He received the Public Service Star Medal in 2022 for his leadership in the airport-wide efforts during COVID-19 and the Medal of Commendation (Gold) in 2023 for his work in promoting and supporting labour movement initiatives.

In his early years, Mr Lee held several appointments in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Ministry of Defence, his last being deputy head of air operations in HQ RSAF. After he left the military in 2005, he became the principal private secretary to the late Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew until 2008.

In response to CNA's queries about Mr Lee's plans after stepping down and if politics was on the horizon, a CAG spokesperson said: "Mr Lee will share his post-CAG plans if and when he's ready to do so."

INCOMING CEO

Mr Yam currently leads the Changi East project, which includes Terminal 5. He also led a team in the completion of Terminal 4 in 2017, the three-runway programme and Terminal 5's concept design last year. 

He started his career with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and was appointed director of airport management in 2001, and later took on the role of director of air transport.

He was awarded the National Day Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2003. 

CAG chairman Tan Gee Paw said the decision to appoint Mr Yam as CEO was carefully reviewed and that he was "best suited to anchor the twin challenges of running an operationally-intensive airport while ensuring the success of the Changi East/ T5 programme".

"PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME"

Mr Tan also thanked Mr Lee for his contributions: "In the last decade and a half, Seow Hiang’s vision transformed Changi into the airport it is today – a strong air hub with an extensive network of city links, providing an extraordinary experience and supporting Singapore’s economy."

The outgoing CEO described his years at CAG as a "gift of grace and a privilege of a lifetime".

"This is a journey to be built, not just travelled, and I am leaving with the deepest confidence that, under Kum Weng’s leadership, the best days for the Changi air hub are yet to be."