Roy Chan to succeed Ng Chad-Son as DSTA chief executive from Sept 1

Roy Chan, currently deputy chief executive for operations at the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), will be appointed as its chief executive from Sept 1, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced on Thursday (July 30).

He takes over from Ng Chad-Son.

Chan, 52, became a member of the defence technology community in 1998.

Since then, he has been involved in the integration of sensor-guided systems for both the air force and navy.

He also undertook a stint as deputy head at Mindef's strategic planning office between 2009 and 2012, before returning to the agency.

After his return, Chan was involved in land systems project, including the Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle.

He was appointed to his present role in 2021.

Mindef said in its statement that Chan has developed deep experience in systems engineering and architecture, large-scale programme management and systems interoperability, having led the delivery of complex defence capabilities over the years.

It also paid tribute to outgoing chief executive Ng, who will be taking over as Permanent Secretary of National Research and Development (NRD), and Public Sector Science and Technology and Plans Office (S&TPPO) in the Prime Minister's Office.

The 51-year-old will also be concurrently appointed as permanent secretary for defence development at Mindef. 

"Under his leadership, DSTA delivered significant defence capabilities for Mindef and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)," the ministry said.

These capabilities include the Invincible-class submarines, Multi-Role Combat Vessel, Titan Infantry Fighting Vehicles, F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet, and the P-8A and G550 maritime patrol aircrafts.

It also includes facilities to meet the SAF's training needs, such as Safti City and the expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia.

Mindef said that the outgoing chief executive has also advanced transformational developments such as drones, robotics, counter-drone systems, and artificial intelligence.

"Throughout his tenure, he championed a culture of innovation and collaboration, and prioritised people development to build a future-ready workforce," Mindef said.

DSTA's role

Established in 2000 as a statutory board, DSTA's role is to harness science and technology and provide technological and engineering support to meet the defence and security needs of Singapore. 

Over the years, its role has been expanded to include providing technical support to other non-defence agencies.

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editor@asiaone.com