New Chief Investment Officer and Chief Audit Officer appointed
There will be two additions to the ranks of NUS senior management in the coming months, taking the University to greater heights.
Ms Jennifer Ong will take on the mantle of Chief Audit Officer-designate from 1 May and officially start in her new capacity from 1 June, while Mr Kim Jun Sung, who is currently serving as Chief Investment Officer-designate, will officially commence the role from 1 May.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to finally be a part of the NUS family. I fondly remember sneaking into the NUS main library when I was in middle school to be amongst college students whilst studying for my IB [International Baccalaureate],” reflected Mr Kim.
“I am looking forward to meeting many of the faculty and students.”
A wealth of experience in investment strategies
Mr Kim joins NUS with more than three decades of experience driving investment strategy, engaging stakeholders, and building teams across Singapore, London and New York.
During his time as Managing Director and Head of Total Return Strategies at GIC, where he helmed the investment programme for nearly 19 years, Mr Kim oversaw the concentration of investment strategies, initiated a successful co-investment programme, and managed the rapid restructuring and growth of large investment teams across borders. GIC is one of the three investment entities in Singapore that manage the Government’s reserves.
Mr Kim’s former professional experience also includes stints at Warburg Pincus Counsellors New York and Samsung Asset Management Seoul, where he was Chief Investment Officer. A seasoned leader, he has amassed rich experience managing large investment teams and successfully engaging key stakeholders. He is also a main Board member of Samsung Electronics, Korea.
With a wealth of experience under his belt, Mr Kim is poised to carry on the legacy of sterling leadership set by Mr Nicholas Kong, whom he succeeds.
Mr Kong, the incumbent Chief Investment Officer from 2007, will be appointed Special Advisor (East Asia Investments), Office of the President, from 1 May. A veteran with deep experience in treasury, investment and foreign exchange reserve management and endowment investing, Mr Kong helped strengthen the University’s financial position, with the assets under management growing from $1.5 billion to $14 billion during the 15 years of his tenure.
“I am hopeful that over the years ahead I can build on what Nicholas has established – a world-leading investment office – and contribute in my own way back to the rich tapestry of talent here at NUS,” said Mr Kim.
Multi-market audit expertise
Ms Jennifer Ong, a seasoned head of internal audit with over 20 years of experience, will commence her role as Chief Audit Officer from 1 June.
“NUS has always stood at the forefront of education. Here, renowned programmes are imbued with strong industry relevance, helping to produce practical solutions to real-world issues,” she said.
“I am excited to be given an opportunity to contribute alongside a diverse and dedicated group of colleagues who strive to push boundaries in education, research and services.”
Ms Ong brings to the table deep audit expertise across a variety of industries, including helming the audit function of Singapore’s public healthcare ecosystem as HOD Director, Group Internal Audit with the Ministry of Health Holdings (MOHH Group).
While at MOHH Group, she managed 26 audit committees and boards, supported MOH in the audit of healthcare schemes like CHAS and Medisave, and assisted in the data analytics journey for the healthcare sector as a member of the MOH Analytics Blueprint Project Working Committee.
A Chartered Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor, Ms Ong has also been a Governor of the Institute of Internal Auditors from 2019.
She is a strong advocate of harnessing the latest methodologies and digital tools to enhance audit efficiency, and has demonstrable exposure to auditing across various markets and operations, both domestically and globally.
“Technology is transforming how we live, work, play and think. This is happening faster and on a larger scale than any point in history. Institutes of higher learning need to equip today’s young with the skills to thrive in tomorrow’s world, even if we don’t know what it looks like yet,” stressed Ms Ong.
Ms Ong succeeds incumbent Chief Audit Officer, Ms Audrey Han, who took on the role in 2011 and will be retiring from 1 June.
A strong and meticulous leader, Ms Han introduced many key initiatives within NUS, such as the Enterprise Risk Management study, formalisation of a whistleblowing policy, centralisation of key functions for effective control and efficiency, and deployment of data analytics as an audit and management tool. Under her sterling leadership, NUS has become recognised internationally for its progressive approach to internal audit.
