PUBLISHED ONApril 24, 2026 8:05 AMBYSean LerDr Tan Puay Yok, executive director of the national parks and gardens cluster at the National Parks Board (NParks), and concurrently its group director of the Singapore Botanical Gardens and chief science and technology officer, will take over as the agency's chief executive officer (CEO) from Hwang Yu-Ning on June 1.
Hwang, 57, will be appointed as chief of urban innovation and excellence at the Ministry of National Development (MND) on the same day.
In a joint press release on Friday (April 24), MND and NParks said Hwang has built a distinguished career in the civil service, marked by strong leadership and a breadth of experience across policy and operational roles.
Prior to her current appointment as the board's CEO, she held several senior appointments in ministries and statutory boards, including as deputy CEO and chief planner at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
Hwang is credited with driving active programming and partnerships with healthcare institutions and relevant agencies, thereby enabling more people to immerse themselves in therapeutic landscapes, gardening and activities that support physical and emotional well-being.
"Under her leadership, NParks forged ahead with adoption of science, research and technology throughout the organisation to support the city in nature vision," MND and NParks said.
Dr Tan, 56, has over three decades of leadership across public service and academia, and is recognised as a leading urban ecologist and as a scholar-practitioner.
Prior to his secondment from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2019, Dr Tan led the university's landscape studies cluster at the Department of Architecture.
He also oversaw the horticulture management of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and research functions of the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology.
Dr Tan is credited with enhancing the gardens' international standing as a leading centre for tropical botany and conservation, and as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
During his tenure as group director at the gardens, he also spearheaded the development of environmental sustainability and environmental education frameworks.
MND and NParks said Dr Tan strengthened the translational and interdisciplinary focus of NParks' science and technology agenda as its chief science and technology officer, and oversaw the formulation of research priorities in urban nature, marine science and biosurveillance.
As part of the leadership transition, Dr Tan will be appointed CEO-designate on May 1, before assuming the position on June 1.
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