Dear Members,

As the year draws to a close, the season naturally invites reflection on our progress and renewal of our aspirations. It is a fitting moment to update you on an important leadership transition at the Association.

Chief Executive Mr Sia Kheng Yok to Retire

At our Annual General Meeting on 24 October, I shared that our Chief Executive, Mr Sia Kheng Yok, will be retiring at the end of November after nearly ten years of dedicated service to AAIS, and decades more in service of the industry. Here, we take the opportunity to honour his remarkable contributions.

Since joining AAIS in 2016, Kheng Yok has been a steady and inspiring presence, guiding the Association through challenges, significant growth, and transformation. He led a strategic review that shaped our mission and vision going forward, as well as expanded our reach across the aerospace community. Under his leadership, we saw the establishment of the Panel of Experts and the formation of communities for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Space and in the defence sector with RSAF.

His steady stewardship and persistence to support our industry were particularly pivotal in helping our community weather the COVID-19 storm. His policy acumen was instrumental in mooting key initiatives to then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, resulting in the upgrade of Aerospace to Tier 1 support under the Jobs Support Scheme, as well as crucial funding for on-the-job training through the Career Conversion Programme.

Kheng Yok's impact extends far beyond AAIS. With a professional journey encompassing more than 20 years at the Economic Development Board (EDB) including a stint as Director of Transport Engineering, and at A*STAR as Director of the Singapore Aerospace Programme, his influence spans Singapore's aerospace sector. He played key roles in the planning and implementation of Seletar Aerospace Park, the creation of the Singapore Airshow, and other critical investment and infrastructure initiatives. He has also served on several government education and advisory committees, contributing to emerging sectors and human capital development efforts.

On behalf of the Management Committee, Secretariat, and all our members, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Kheng Yok for his extraordinary contributions. I am pleased that he will continue to support the Association as Senior Advisor, to facilitate a seamless transition and lend his strength as we advance our core mission.

Welcoming Mr Chew Hwee Yong, Incoming Chief Executive

With this transition, I am delighted to introduce Mr Chew Hwee Yong, who has joined the Secretariat team since early this month for his induction and will officially assume the role of Chief Executive on 1 December 2025.

Hwee Yong brings with him decades of experience across public and private sector leadership roles. Most recently, he served as Director of the Partners Division at Enterprise Singapore, where he worked closely with Trade Associations, Chambers, and SME Centres to support local enterprises. Before that, he held senior roles at Menicon—Japan's first and largest contact lens manufacturer—with postings in both Japan and Singapore. He began his career at EDB, where he led the Precision Engineering team and served for three years in Osaka as EDB Centre Director and Consul of Singapore.

An engineer by training, Hwee Yong holds a degree in Precision Engineering from the University of Tokyo and a Master of Engineering from Princeton University. Across his professional journey, he has demonstrated the ability to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and build strong networks—qualities that will serve AAIS well as we continue to advance our mission. We can look forward to the perspectives and leadership he will bring.

A Time to Celebrate and Look Ahead

We warmly invite you to join us at our year-end networking event on 11 December as we mark Kheng Yok’s milestone of stewardship, and welcome Hwee Yong as he steps into his new role.

This leadership transition, fully supported by the Management Committee, positions AAIS for an energising and purposeful year ahead. Together, let's continue building on our strong foundation and explore the many opportunities before us to continue strengthening Singapore's aviation and aerospace sectors.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

Warmest Regards,

Wong Yue Jeen

President