Football: S'porean is Valencia's first female chairman

Singaporean Chan Lay Hoon was yesterday appointed as chairman of the board of administration at Spanish football club Valencia.

The former auditor will be the La Liga outfit's key decision-maker, and is the first woman to hold the role in the club's 95-year history.

Spaniard Amadeo Salvo will remain as club president, overseeing their day-to-day operations.

Singapore's International Olympic Council member Ng Ser Miang was also named on the board as president of Valencia CF Foundation.

He said of his appointment: "In this role, I will be able to develop my passion for sport and community work at one of the most important football clubs in Europe.

"With my experience in sport, with the intention of building strong values and with the tradition and relevance of Valencia, we will be able to create a strong connection between the young sportsmen of Singapore and young Valencians."

Chan is a trusted financial adviser of billionaire Peter Lim, who recently bought Valencia for €420 million (S$683 million).

She serves as a director at Lim's private investment company Meriton Holdings.

According to her Bloomberg Businessweek profile, she was an auditor at Ernst & Young in Singapore and London, before joining the financial services industry.

She has also been the executive chairman of Thomson Medical Centre since Lim purchased the company in Dec 2010.

"There's a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, but success does not come overnight," Chan said in an interview with Valencia's club channel. "We have a very young team so we need to keep encouraging them. Peter and the rest of us have been very warmly welcomed by Valencia fans. This is a beautiful city with a lot of potential."

This article was first published on December 5, 2014.
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