NUS appoints new member to its Board of Trustees

The National University of Singapore (NUS) will appoint a distinguished scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, to its Board of Trustees on 1 April 2025.

Dr Swaminathan is former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization and previously Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research. She is a paediatrician from India and a globally recognised expert in tuberculosis and HIV research. She is now Chairperson at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and Principal Advisor to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme in India.

As part of board renewal, two members of the NUS Board of Trustees, Professor Cheong Koon Hean and Mr Loh Chin Hua, will retire from the Board on 31 March 2025 after serving for 12 years and 9 years respectively. Prof Cheong is Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities and former Chief Executive Officer of the Housing & Development Board, while Mr Loh is Chief Executive Officer of Keppel Ltd.

Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board, said, “We warmly welcome Soumya to our Board. With her expertise and deep experience in research translation, she will bring valuable insights to guide the University’s thrusts in this respect. Her international perspective will enrich discussions on charting the growth of NUS towards becoming a leading global university.”

“We also want to extend our deepest appreciation to Koon Hean and Chin Hua for their many contributions and dedication to NUS. Both have served the Board and its committees very well. From their broad experience, they have provided guidance on many strategic issues. We will miss them indeed,” Mr Hsieh added.

With the latest changes, the NUS Board of Trustees will have 19 members.

Members of the Board of Trustees are appointed by the Minister for Education. The Board is made up of eminent leaders from the public sector, academia, business and various professions. The Board works closely with the management and stakeholders of the University to shape its vision, chart major directions, and guide significant initiatives to produce a strong and enduring impact for the University, and for Singapore and beyond.

More information on new Trustee Dr Soumya Swaminathan can be found in Annexe 1. The full list of Trustees can be found in Annexe 2.