Sing Lun Holdings CEO Lee Kien Hwa Elected New Chairman of Singapore Business Federation
Lee Kien Hwa, CEO of Sing Lun Holdings, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), succeeding former Chairman Teo Siong Seng, who earlier announced his temporary leave and did not seek re-election.
The SBF held its 24th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday (June 24) and elected the 13th Council, with a term of two years until 2028.
In a statement, SBF said the new Council has 24 members, including 12 elected council members, 11 representatives from trade associations and chambers, and one co-opted member.
The new Council includes six new members: Adam Click, Chairman of AmCham Singapore; Mo Sixiang, President of the Restaurant Association of Singapore; Lee Teck Ming, Chairman of SGTech; and Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin, CEO of hedge fund Quantedge Capital.
During the AGM, SBF also held the fifth Future Ready Business Dialogue, with Guest of Honour Chan Chun Sing, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service and Minister for Defence.
Themed “Whole-of-System Readiness: What Must Change for Government and Business,” the dialogue brought together corporate leaders and policymakers to discuss how businesses can enhance resilience, build future-ready capabilities, and cope with growing uncertainty.
Lee Kien Hwa: Ensuring Businesses Stay Competitive and Resilient for Future Development
New Chairman Lee Kien Hwa is also a Nominated Member of Parliament. In the statement, he said geopolitical tensions, rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), and shifting trade patterns are reshaping the global economy, bringing both challenges and opportunities to businesses.
Lee said: “My top priority is to ensure that businesses remain competitive, resilient, and future-ready. We will work closely with enterprises, government, and industry partners to develop practical solutions, create a pro-business environment, and help companies build the capabilities needed for innovation, internationalization, and sustainable growth.”
He also noted that Singapore will chair ASEAN next year, an opportunity to deepen regional economic integration and strengthen ASEAN as a key driver of global growth. “SBF will work with regional partners to turn these opportunities into tangible business outcomes and promote a more connected, innovative, and sustainable ASEAN.”
Lee previously served as SBF Deputy Chairman and Treasurer, and acted as Chairman during Teo Siong Seng’s temporary leave.
Teo, 71, announced in May that he would not seek re-election after his term as SBF Chairman ended on June 24. He had earlier temporarily stepped down from his roles as SBF Chairman, Executive Chairman and Director of Pacific International Lines, among others, to deal with charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. Earlier, Lianhe Zaobao reported that U.S. authorities accused him of involvement in manipulating dry cargo container prices.
