The Board

The Board

The Board

Singapore Children’s Society is managed by the Board. The authority, duties and responsibilities of the Board are set out in the Society’s Constitution. As the highest policy and decision-making body, the Board has the ultimate responsibility of ensuring that the Society is governed and managed responsibly and prudently.

Chairman

Mr Koh Choon Hui DUBC
Deputy Chairman

Prof Ho Lai Yun BBM(L)
Honorary Secretary

Assoc Prof Cuthbert Teo Eng Swee PPA(G), PBM

Honorary Treasurer

Mr David Toh Seng Hong PBM

Member

Mr Chan Hiang Tiak
Member

Mr Kurt Wee Chorng Kien JP, PBM
Member

Dr Lena Lee Siow Ling
Member

Assoc Prof Lim Lee Ching
Member

Mdm Rashidah Bte Abdul Rasip PPA(P)
Member

Mr Ronald Liew Wing Kong
Member

Ms Tan Khiaw Ngoh JP, PBM

Member

Capt Suresh Menon
Nominated Member

Assoc Prof Isabella Wong Yuen Fun
Nominated Member

Ms Koh Hui-Jian
Nominated Member

Mr Koh Yeong-Kheng
Nominated Member

Dr Quah Saw Han
Co-opted Member

Ms Fiona Leung Ka Yan
Co-opted Member

Mr Seah Chin Siong

Chairman

Mr Koh Choon Hui DUBC

Mr Koh Choon Hui is the Chairman of Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 1978. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 1975 as Chairman of the Appeals Standing Committee, now known as the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee. He is also currently the Chairman of the Crisis Management Committee, the Human Resource and Remuneration Committee and the Nominations Committee. Mr Koh served as the Singapore Government’s Representative (Children’s Rights) to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children from 2010 to 2022. He is a former Chairman of the Board of Visiting Justices and Board of Inspection, and the Inmates’ Families Support Fund. Mr Koh was Chairman of Singapore Pools from June 2013 to June 2021. He is currently the Chairman of iShine Cloud Limited and several private organisations.

Deputy Chairman

Prof Ho Lai Yun BBM(L)

Prof Ho Lai Yun is the Deputy Chairman of Singapore Children’s Society and he was previously a Vice Chairman from 2002 to April 2021. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 1988 as a member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Standing Committee. He is the Chairman of the Awards Committee, and was the Chairman of the Research and Advocacy Standing Committee from 1999 to 2012 and again, from 2015 to April 2023. He was also the Chairman of the Children In Care Standing Committee from 2012 to 2015. Prof Ho is a Justice of the Peace. He is the Emeritus Consultant, Paediatrician and Neonatologist at the Singapore General Hospital and the Director of the Child Development Programme, Ministry of Health. He is also a Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

Honorary Secretary

Assoc Prof Cuthbert Teo Eng Swee PPA(G), PBM

A/Prof Cuthbert Teo Eng Swee is the Honorary Secretary of Singapore Children’s Society, since 2015. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 1999 as a member of the Research Committee. He was the Chairperson of the Research and Advocacy Standing Committee from 2012 to 2015 and also serves as a Board Member of the National Council of Social Service. A/Prof Teo is a Senior Consultant and Gazetted Forensic Pathologist at the Forensic Medicine Division, Health Sciences Authority. His academic appointments include Associate Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences of the National University of Singapore (NUS); and Senior Lecturer at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. A/Prof Teo is a member of the Faculty of Medical Experts of the Academy of Medicine of Singapore (AMS), and of the Singapore Medical Council’s Panel of Medical Assessors. He is a current member, and past Chairman, of the Executive Committee of the AMS Chapter of Pathologists. He is an advisor to the Editorial Board at the Singapore Medical Association News, and an Associate Editor of the Singapore Medical Journal.

Honorary Treasurer

Mr David Toh Seng Hong PBM

Mr David Toh Seng Hong is the Honorary Treasurer of Singapore Children’s Society and he held the position of the Honorary Assistant Treasurer from 2019 to April 2021. He is currently a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and the Governance Risk Compliance & Internal Audit Leader. Mr Toh is serving as the Board member of the Yellow Ribbon Singapore (formerly known as Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE)) which is a statutory Board under the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the mission of rebuilding lives of ex-offenders by helping them enhance their employability potential. Mr Toh is a Management Committee Member of Securities Investors Association (Singapore) and a member of the Education & Professional Development Committee at Institute of Internal Auditors Singapore (IIAS). He is also currently a member of the Tampines Central Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

Member

Mr Chan Hiang Tiak

Mr Chan Hiang Tiak is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since July 2020. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2020 as the Chairman of the Technology Advisory Committee and a member of the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee. He is Senior Advisor of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and also runs his own businesses in property, skincare and consulting. His professional background has been in IT governance and he has two Masters in business and IT. He would be assisting in strengthening the Society’s IT and fundraising capabilities.

Member

Mr Kurt Wee Chorng Kien JP, PBM

Mr Kurt Wee Chorng Kien is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 2007. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2008. He is currently the Chairperson of the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee and the Chairperson of the Investment Committee. Mr Wee is a Justice of the Peace. He is an investor in various fields of biotechnology and is the Chief Executive Officer of Celligenics Pte Ltd. He is also the President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Council Member of the Singapore Business Federation.

Member

Dr Lena Lee Siow Ling

Dr Lena Lee Siow Ling is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society since 2018, and she held the position of Honorary Assistant Secretary of Singapore Children’s Society from July 2020 to April 2021. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2007 as a member of the Information and Corporate Relations (INFOCORE) Standing Committee. She was later appointed as Deputy Chairman in 2018 and subsequently the Chairman of INFOCORE Standing Committee from May 2023. She is also a member of the Children In Care Standing Committee since 2018. Dr Lee is Senior Administrator of Lee Kong Chian School of Business at the Singapore Management University.

Member

Assoc Prof Lim Lee Ching

Assoc Prof Lim Lee Ching is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 2013. He is the Chairperson of the Research and Advocacy Standing Committee as of April 2023. Assoc Prof Lim started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2010 as a member of the Information and Corporate Relations Standing Committee and was the Chairperson from 2016 to 2023. Assoc Prof Lim is the Dean of the S R Nathan School of Human Development at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Member

Mdm Rashidah Bte Abdul Rasip PPA(P)

Mdm Rashidah Bte Abdul Rasip is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position she held since 2009. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2007 as a member of the Social Work Service Standing Committee. Mdm Rashidah was the Principal of Huamin Primary School (1997 to 2004), West View Primary School (2008 to 2015) and Hougang Primary School (2014 to 2020). She was also posted as a Senior Quality Assessor with the School Appraisal Branch, Ministry of Education in 2005 and thereafter seconded to MENDAKI as its CEO from 2006 to 2007.

Member

Mr Ronald Liew Wing Kong

Mr Ronald Liew Wing Kong is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 2014. He is also a member of the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee since 2018. He was appointed the ambassador for the Society’s 1000 Enterprises for Children-in-Need (1000E) in 2013 and was appointed the ambassador for the 1000 Philanthropists (1000P) in 2014. He was also the Chairman of the Council of Ambassadors for two of the Society’s fundraising programmes, the 1000E and the 1000P programmes in 2016. Mr Liew is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of QCD Technology Pte Ltd.

Member

Ms Tan Khiaw Ngoh JP, PBM

Ms Tan Khiaw Ngoh is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, as well as the Chairperson of the Social Work Service Standing Committee. She is also the Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 1999 as its Honorary Treasurer, and has held the position of Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Assistant Treasurer on a rotational basis from 1999 to 2006. She was also the Honorary Secretary from 2014 to 2015. Ms Tan is a Justice of the Peace.

Member

Capt Suresh Menon

Capt Suresh Menon is a member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 2015. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 1997 and is the Chairperson of the Children In Care Standing Committee. He was the Vice Chairman of the Children In Care Standing Committee from 2016 to April 2021. He was also a nominated member of the Board in 2015. Capt Menon was a Management Pilot with Singapore Airlines having flown for 43 years. He retired in March 2019 and continues his role as a full time Instructor pilot with SIA. He is also an Affiliate Member of the Airline Pilots Association Singapore (ALPA-S).

Nominated Member

Assoc Prof Isabella Wong Yuen Fun

Assoc Prof Isabella Wong Yuen-Fun is a nominated member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society and was a member of the Board from 2018 to April 2021. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2009 as a member of the Social Work Service Standing Committee and served as a member of the Research and Advocacy Standing Committee from May 2018 till present. She is also a member of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) Committee on Fostering since April 2022. She is a faculty member of the Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University.

Nominated Member

Ms Koh Hui-Jian

Ms Koh Hui-Jian is a nominated member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society and was a nominated member of the Board from 2018 to April 2021. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2017 as a member of the Children In Care Standing Committee. She is currently CEO at Manulife Investment Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Nominated Member

Mr Koh Yeong-Kheng

Mr Koh Yeong-Kheng is a nominated member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society, a position he held since 2020. He started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2013 as a member of the Appeals Standing Committee, now known as the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee. He also started serving as a member of the Investment Committee since 2020. He is currently Director (Finance) of Straits Construction Group Pte Ltd and the Assistant Honorary Secretary of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Nominated Member

Dr Quah Saw Han

Dr Quah Saw Han is a nominated member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society. She was a co-opted member of the Board from May 2020 to April 2023 and nominated member of the Board from May 2019 to April 2020. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2015 as a member in the Research Committee. She has also joined the Research and Advocacy Standing Committee as a member in 2019. She is currently Director and Principal Clinical Psychologist of T.A.P: The Affinity People Pte Ltd.

Co-opted Member

Ms Fiona Leung Ka Yan

Ms Fiona Leung Ka Yan is a co-opted member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society. She started volunteering with Singapore Children’s Society in 2021 as a member of the Investment Committee. She also started serving in the Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee in 2022. She is currently the managing partner of Olive Vista Capital Pte Ltd.

Co-opted Member

Mr Seah Chin Siong

Mr Seah Chin Siong is a co-opted member of the Board at Singapore Children’s Society. He is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Institute of Management.

Prior to this, Mr Seah was the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Pools (Private) Limited. Mr Seah was also the founding Chief Executive Officer of IDA International, a subsidiary of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. He was responsible for crystallising and executing IDA International’s mission and vision to help public agencies deliver socio-economic outcomes through public service infocomm.

In his earlier years, Mr Seah was the Managing Director of Accenture’s Public Service Operating Group for Asia-Pacific and the Country Managing Director of Accenture Singapore.

Role of Board

The authority, duties and responsibilities of the Board are set out in the Society’s Constitution. As the highest policy and decision-making body, the Board has the ultimate responsibility of ensuring that the Society is governed and managed responsibly and prudently.

 

(A) Board Selection and Composition

The Board comprises up to 12 members who are elected at the Annual General Meeting, no more than five members who are nominated by the Standing Committees of the Society, and no more than two members who are coopted by the Board based on their expertise, experience and ability to contribute to the development of the Society.

Board members will hold office for a term of two years and be eligible for re-election as stipulated in the Society’s Constitution. There is a maximum term limit for the Honorary Treasurer of four consecutive years. The Honorary Treasurer can be re-elected to the same post after a lapse of at least two years.

All members of the Board are volunteers and receive no monetary remuneration for their contributions. Children’s Society continuously seeks to identify committed and suitable volunteers who understand the complexity of the social service sector to serve on the Board. Some members of the Board have served more than 10 consecutive years as they offer invaluable expertise to the Society, particularly in areas such as audit, risk management, information technology, investments and human resource. Where necessary, board members of the Society are prepared to serve for the long term to ensure continuity and sustainability of Singapore Children’s Society.

 

(B) Board Evaluation and Performance

The Board conducts a bi-annual (once every two years) self-evaluation exercise to assess its effectiveness. As part of the assessment, each board member is required to complete an evaluation form. The assessment covers areas such as the Board’s contribution to driving the vision and mission of the Society, its ability to raise funds for the Society and the effectiveness of its oversight of the CEO and the organisation, particularly with regard to regulatory compliance. Board members are also asked to assess the diversity of the Board and the effectiveness of processes such as the conduct of board meetings.

The findings of the board evaluation are reviewed by the Nomination Committee which makes recommendations to the Board on areas of improvement.

Training, seminars and conferences are arranged for board members based on their area of involvement in the Society. New board members and committee members attend induction sessions conducted by Senior Management staff members.

 

(C) Attendance of Board Meetings
Name
Previous Board Term (2021/2023)
2 meetings held in 2023
Current Board Term (2023/2025)
3 meetings held in 2023
Mr Koh Choon Hui
2
2
Prof Ho Lai Yun
2
3
Assoc Prof Cuthbert Teo Eng Swee
1
3
Mr David Toh Seng Hong
2
3
Mr Chan Hiang Tiak
1
3
Mr Kurt Wee Chorng Kien
2
3
Dr Lena Lee Siow Ling
2
3
Assoc Prof Lim Lee Ching
2
2
Mdm Rashida Bte Adul Rasip
1
3
Mr Ronald Liew Wing Kong
1
2
Capt Suresh Menon
2
2
Ms Tan Khiaw Ngoh
1
3
Assoc Prof Isabelle Wong Yuen-Fun
1
3
Ms Koh Hui-Jian
NA
3
Mr Koh Yeong-Kheng
2
3
Dr Quah Saw Han
2
1
Ms Fiona Leung Ka Yan
NA
3
Previous Board Members:
Mr Alex Lee Ka But
2
NA
Ms Theresa Sim May Ling
–
NA
Ms Lee Kwai Sem
1
NA
Dr Tan Seok Hui
1
NA

 

Standing Committees and Other Committees

The Board is supported by five Standing Committees and nine other committees. Each committee has established a set of Terms of Reference documenting its authority, composition and responsibilities. The five Standing Committees work hand in hand with full-time staff members in the areas of Children In Care, Community Engagement and Partnerships, Information and Corporate Relations, Research and Advocacy, and Social Work Service. The nine other committees provide advice and oversight in areas of board nominations, governance of financial assistance programmes, research, recognition of our supporters and various corporate support functions.

All committee members are volunteers of Children’s Society and come from diverse backgrounds such as education, healthcare and business.


Terms of Reference:

The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) supports the Board of the Society in its discharge of its fiduciary responsibilities set out in the Code of Governance for Charities and IPC (“the Code”).

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Overseeing the effectiveness of the internal control structure and providing advice to the Management on matters relating to Enterprise Risk Management. It also reviews the whistle blowing policy and related party transactions of the Society.

  2. Reviewing the financial reporting and disclosure process to ensure integrity of financial statements.

  3. Reviewing the effectiveness and adequacy of the internal audit function and audit plan of the external auditors. It also makes recommendations for the appointment of external auditors.

The Community Engagement and Partnerships Standing Committee (“CEPSC”) oversees the strategies and initiatives undertaken by the Society to achieve the fundraising targets of the Society. It also provides direction on the effective engagement of donors, volunteers and the community.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Overseeing the planning and implementation of key strategies and initiatives to achieve the fundraising targets of the Society and to effectively engage donors and volunteers. This includes ensuring cost effectiveness in implementation and reviewing the success of these strategies and initiatives.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the Community Engagement and Partnerships Department to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

  3. Reviewing the fundraising practices of the Society to ensure that they are compliant with regulations.

The Crisis Management Committee leads the Society in the event of a crisis, such that the Society is able to contain the crisis and restore key services and functions in an effective and timely manner. The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Reviewing and approving Crisis Management Plan and Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans of the Society, providing guidance in the identification of risks and vulnerabilities for each centre, as part of the preventive measures in averting a crisis and in preparation for disaster recovery.

  2. Activating the relevant plans in the event of a crisis and conducting post-crisis evaluation to identify areas for improvement in the plans, if any.

The Human Resource and Renumeration Committee (“HRRC”) supports the Society in the effective recruitment, retention, development and succession planning of staff through a comprehensive set of frameworks and policies.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Establishing a framework for the remuneration for all staff of the Society, overseeing the periodic remuneration benchmarking exercises conducted by the Human Resource Department, reviewing and approving key decisions on staff appointments, promotions, increments and bonus payments during the annual salary review process, and ensuring that appropriate recruitment, development and succession planning programmes are in place.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the Human Resource Department to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Investment Committee (“IC”) manages and oversees the investments of the Society’s reserves and assets responsibly, prudently and effectively to achieve financial returns within an acceptable risk level.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Managing and monitoring the performance of all the investments of the Society on a regular basis.

  2. Proposing the appointment of third-party investment managers or consultants to manage investments and recommend investment parameters and asset allocation frameworks as part of the Society’s Investment Policy.

  3. Monitoring compliance with the Society’s Investment Policy and reporting any non-compliance to the Board.

The Research and Advocacy Standing Committee provides direction in the conduct of research, advocacy and public education on issues relevant to children, youth and families in Singapore.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Overseeing the work carried out by the Research and Advocacy Group and ensuring wide dissemination of research findings and successful advocacy efforts in advancing the interest of children, youth and families.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the Research and Advocacy Group to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Social Work Service Standing Committee provides oversight to the planning, development and provision of programmes/services to meet the needs of beneficiaries. It also promotes collaboration with stakeholders to identify and meet service gaps.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Overseeing existing programmes/services to ensure that they are relevant and impactful and reviewing service gaps identified with the view to develop new programme/services if necessary.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the service centres under the Family Services Service Category and Children and Youth Services Service Category to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of their workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that they have sufficient resources to carry out their work.

The Awards Committee ensures that donors and volunteers are appropriately recognised for their contributions to the Society through the Singapore Children’s Society’s Awards (‘the Awards’).

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Establishing the criteria for the Awards, and reviewing the criteria on a periodic basis

  2. Overseeing the selection of Awards recipients

  3. Overseeing the organisation of the Awards ceremony

The Children in Care Standing Committee protects and promotes the best interests of vulnerable children and youth, by providing residential care and working towards safe, stable and permanent care for them in family-based settings whenever possible.

The Committee is responsible for: 

  1. Overseeing and guiding delivery of services within the Vulnerable Children and Youth service category, including regular reviews of the care plans of residents and the physical condition of Sunbeam Place, the reunification and other relevant services for vulnerable children and youth in out-of-home care, and ensuring prompt action to grievances and concerns raised by beneficiaries

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the services within the Vulnerable Children and Youth service category to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Financial Assistance Committee provides oversight, establishes eligibility criteria, and approves applications for financial assistance from the Children Medical Fund, the Children Medical Fund (S) and Casework Fund to ensure alignment with their objectives, as well as their sustainability.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Reviewing and endorsing budgets of the funds.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the Financial Assistance Unit to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Information and Corporate Relations Standing Committee (“INFOCORE Standing Committee”) facilitates the exchange of information within and outside the Society in order to enhance the brand image and understanding of the Society, and to raise awareness of the causes it works towards.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Overseeing the development of communications channels, materials and initiatives (e.g. corporate website, new media platforms and annual reports); and regularly review their effectiveness in raising awareness of the Society’s work.

  2. Overseeing the governance and management of the Corporate Communications Department to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Nomination Committee supports the Board of the Society to fulfil its responsibilities in retaining an appropriate structure, size and balance of skills on the Board, assesses the effectiveness of the Board; and identifies steps to improve its effectiveness, as well as undertakes succession planning for the Board.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Identifying and reviewing potential candidates suitable for appointment to the work of the Board and nominating candidates to join the Board.

  2. Reviewing induction and training needs of Board members, and overseeing the process by which the Board is assessed on its effectiveness.

The Research Committee oversees research studies undertaken to provide insights on practices and policies on matters relevant to children, youth and families.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Guiding the research studies conducted by the Research Unit and building a strong research culture within the Society.

  2. Reviewing and approving research grant applications.

  3. Overseeing the governance and management of the Research Unit to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The Technology Advisory Committee (“TAC”) guides and oversee the strategic direction of the Society in relation to the use of information technology (IT) in the organisation. It seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the work undertaken by the Society, establishes the information management framework and guidelines that can be used to safeguard and protect information assets of the Society, and identifies strategies and initiatives to mitigate the cybersecurity risks and concerns.

The Committee is responsible for:

  1. Providing expertise and advice on the IT vision and strategy of the Society, including the relevant infrastructure management frameworks to achieve the vision.

  2. Overseeing the identification and management of IT risks, including cybersecurity risks; and providing guidance on and monitoring the progress of key technology-related projects.

  3. Reviewing with Management the IT work progresses, resource needs security posture and other operational matters, and bringing to the attention of the Board and Management, as appropriate, changes in the information technology landscape that may impact the Society. It also oversees the governance and management of the IT Unit to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, including the review of its workplans, budgets and expenditures, and making sure that it has sufficient resources to carry out its work.