MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore's Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and Singapore's Ambassador to the Italian Republic

The Government has appointed Mr Philip Eng as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and Dr Loo Choon Yong as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Italian Republic. They will be resident in Singapore.

Mr Philip Eng is currently Singapore's High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is also the Deputy Chairman of MCL Land Limited and Vice Chairman of Network Indonesia and sits on the boards of several public-listed companies. He started his career with Price Waterhouse Singapore from 1972 to 1976. He subsequently joined Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited in 1982 and retired as its Group Managing Director in February 2005. He continues to provide services to the Group's motor operations on a consultancy basis.

Dr Loo Choon Yong is currently the Executive Chairman of Raffles Medical Group Limited. He is also a Nominated Member of Parliament. Dr Loo co-founded the Raffles Medical Group in 1976 and was appointed to his current position in 1997. He holds several directorships in other companies. He was awarded The Public Service Medal in 2003.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
25 JANUARY 2006

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Philip Eng was appointed Deputy Chairman of MCL Land Limited on 1 March 2005. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Accord Customer Care Solutions and City Gas Pte Ltd, Director of Asia General Holdings Ltd, Singapore Computer Systems Limited, MTQ Corporation Ltd, Chinese Development Assistance Council and Commissioner of PT Bank Danamon Indonesia. Mr Eng is also Singapore's High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Vice Chairman of Network Indonesia.

Born in Singapore on 24 August 1946, Mr Eng received his primary and secondary education in Singapore during the tumultuous years of post-World War II. He graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy in 1969. Upon graduation, he worked in a Chartered Accountant firm in Australia while studying to qualify as a Chartered Accountant, which he obtained in 1971.

Mr Eng began his career in Singapore with Price Waterhouse Singapore from 1972 to 1976. He was the Finance Director of Rank O'Connors from 1976 to 1980 and Company Secretary of Rheen Hume Industries from 1980 to 1982. He joined Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited in 1982 and was appointed Company Secretary in 1983. In 1985 he assumed responsibilities for the motor operations of the Jardine Cycle & Carriage Group and in 1996 he was appointed Group Managing Director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited with overall responsibility for the Group's businesses throughout the Asia Pacific region.

During his tenure, Mr Eng diversified the Group's motor business to Australia and New Zealand where the markets achieved leadership positions in the respective market segments, and he also expanded the Group's property business to Malaysia. In 2000, he was responsible for Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited's successful and largest investment ever in PT Astra International Tbk, one of Indonesia's conglomerates and the largest independent automotive group in Southeast Asia.

Mr Eng retired as Group Managing Director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited on 28 February 2005. He continues to provide services to the Group motor operations on a consultancy basis.

Mr Eng is married to Mdm Goh Lee Lee and they have two children.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Dr Loo Choon Yong is currently the Executive Chairman of Raffles Medical Group Limited. He is also a Nominated Member of Parliament.

Dr Loo was born in Malaysia on 27 February 1949. He graduated from the University of Singapore, as it was then known with a MBBS in 1973, and obtained his diplomate membership of the College of Family Physician (MCFP) in 1980. He also obtained a Diploma in Cardiac Medicine from the University of London in 1984. Besides his medical training, Dr Loo also read Law, obtaining the LL.B. (Hons) in 1979 from the University of London and was called to the bar of Middle Temple in 1984.

Dr Loo co-founded the Raffles Medical Group in 1976. He was appointed to his current position in 1997. Dr Loo holds a number of directorships in several companies, including Raffles Holdings Limited, International Medical Insurers Pte Ltd, Raffles Hospital Pte Ltd and CapitaLand-Raffles Properties Pte Ltd.

In the area of social service, Dr Loo is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Action Committee for Entrepreneurship (ACE), a public-private collaboration to promote entrepreneurship in Singapore. Dr Loo is also the Vice Chairman of National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) and was the President of the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA), a position he held from 1996 to 2005.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Management University (SMU), the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), and the Board of Governors for Raffles Junior College. He is also the Chairman of the Asian Medical Foundation Ltd.

Dr Loo was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2003 and the Distinguished Service Award in September 2005 from the Ministry of Home Affairs for contribution to Singapore's fight against drug abuse.

Dr Loo is married to Mdm Jacqueline Leong and they have a son and a daughter.

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