SMRT appoints ex-military officer as CEO

Regimented approach to operations awaits including slashing off dividends, says MayBAnk.

In its new land transport sector report, Maybank Kim Eng acknowledged that SMRT’s new CEO Mr Desmond Kuek (wef 1 Oct 2012) has deep-seated experience in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and should be seen as a natural choice for SMRT’s executive hot seat. 

"We think he will mark his era of leadership with a more regimented approach to operations and maintenance, and in the process spare no expense to fill the gaps left by the previous management regime. This reaffirms our expectation that dividends would be further cut from the previous year to manage the weight of an increased maintenance burden on profitability and cashflow," the brokerage firm said.

Mr Desmond Kuek’s credentials
 Awarded SAF Overseas Scholarship in 1981
 B.A. in Engineering Science (Oxford University)
 M.A. from Oxford University
 Master’s in Public Administration (Harvard)
 Entered Administrative Service in 1993
 Held key appointments in SAF:
o Chief of Army
o Chief of Defence Force
 2010: Permanent Secretary (Environment and
Water Resources)