New chairman for NKF

SINGAPORE: National Kidney Foundation Chairman Gerard Ee will step down from his post on 29 October.

Taking over the helm is Mr Koh Poh Tiong, who has been a member of the NKF board of directors since May.

Mr Koh retired as CEO of beverage company Fraser and Neave last October, and he served as CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries from 1993 to 2008.

Mr Koh said he hopes to build at least four more dialysis centres over the next few years to cope with an expected rise in the number of patients.

"Looking at the last five years statistically, the increment of new patients — people having end stage kidney problems — has grown by about 4 per cent. Today, NKF, we’re dialysing about 2,500 patients... so if I extrapolate the 4 per cent over the next few years, we are talking about at least 500 new patients that will come in. These 25 dialysis centres we have now, ranging from size 12 to 26 stations or seats, are definitely not sufficient," he said.

Mr Koh also said he hopes more people will recognise the positive changes NKF has made over the last seven years and continue to donate to it.

Mr Koh is currently vice chairman and senior advisor of Ezra Holdings, an oil and gas support contractor, and he serves as director on a number of organisations.

Mr Ee was appointed by the Health Ministry to head the NKF in July 2005 following a corruption scandal that dented the charitable organisation’s image.

Under Mr Ee’s leadership, the NKF brought down its costs and increased patient subsidies so that more could benefit.

"The practice of good governance is (the) renewal of your board, and that certainly includes the chairman. I’ve been at NKF for seven years now," said Mr Ee.

Mr Ee said he spent the last two years looking for a successor who can bring a fresh point of view to the organisation.

He said he was won over by Mr Koh’s background as a businessman and his eagerness to serve the community after spending some four decades in the corporate sector.

— CNA/xq/cc