NKF sacks CEO Edmund Kwok, says finances, patients not affected by his ‘personal indiscretion’
Mr Edmund Kwok took up the post of Chief Executive Officer at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Singapore on Nov 1, 2013. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has sacked its chief executive Edmund Kwok over "personal indiscretion". His termination was effective from Nov 14.
In a media statement issued on Wednesday (Nov 16) morning, the NKF board sought to reassure patients, donors, supporters and employees that Mr Kwok's "personal indiscretion has nothing to do with the stewardship of our finances".
It added: "Our operations are not affected by this matter and our services to patients and benficiaries continue as per normal."
A three-member executive committee appointed by the board will take over Mr Kwok's duties and responsibilities until mid-December. The team is headed by its chairman Mr Koh Poh Tiong and supported by board members Mr Bennett Neo and Mr Johnny Heng.
Mrs Eunice Tay, the former chief executive officer (CEO) of NKF, will take over thereafter until a new CEO is found. The NKF said the search for a new CEO "will commence soon".
Responding to the sacking, a Health Ministry (MOH) said: "MOH has been informed by NKF that the employment of Mr Edmund Kwok has been terminated. We note that the Board has put in place plans to ensure business continuity, and we will work with NKF to ensure that services to patients are not disrupted."
Mr Kwok had taken over the helm of one of Singapore's largest charitites from Mrs Tay on Nov 1, 2013. Prior to that, the 58-year-old served as Mrs Tay’s chief operating officer.
He previously held positions at Parkway Group Healthcare, Institute of Mental Health, NHG Eye Institute and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
This is not the first time a CEO at the NKF has gotten into trouble.
In 2005, former CEO TT Durai and ex-chairman Richard Yong were forced to resign, along with the entire board of directors, following revelations that Mr Durai earned some S$600,000 a year and flew overseas on first-class tickets. Mr Durai was jailed three months in 2007 for falsifying documents to use S$20,000 of NKF funds.
As of July 31 this year, NKF is helping close to 4,000 dialysis patients and beneficiaries.
Frequent NKF donor since 2010, Mr Wee Liang Hin, 55, was surprised to hear the news when he turned up at the NKF headquarters for his donation on Wednesday. The managing director a trading firm said it does not decrease his confidence in the organisation.
He said: “Finances is not what’s affected… If it’s a personal thing for which he had done wrong, we have no say. To me, I will still continue to donate to NKF, but I am really surprised to hear that because I thought they had already sort (their internal problems) out with the TT Durai incident.”
