Mr Chng Hak-Peng appointed new Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore and Dr Eugene Tan to lead Singapore Art Museum as Chief Executive Officer & Director from 1 January 2027
Singapore, 28 September 2026 – National Gallery Singapore (NGS) and Singapore Art Museum (SAM) today announced a leadership transition. Mr Chng Hak-Peng will be appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of NGS, succeeding Dr Eugene Tan, with effect from 1 January 2027. Dr Tan, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2024, will remain with NGS until end December 2026 to support the transition, before focusing his efforts on leading SAM as its Chief Executive Officer & Director.
The appointment reflects the continued development of both institutions as they enter a new phase of growth, setting higher ambitions, and developing new strategies for the future. In this phase, each institution would be best served by dedicated leadership. At the same time, both museums are natural partners, and even as they take on separate leaderships, they will continue to collaborate closely, synergise efforts and share resources, as they have in the past, to strengthen the visual arts eco-system in Singapore.
Incoming Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore
Mr Chng Hak-Peng brings over three decades of leadership experience across the arts, public and private sectors. He was Deputy Chair and then Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Symphony Group (SSG) from 2014 to 2022, where he transformed the organisation into a future-ready institution with strengthened governance and digital capabilities, while overseeing a transition in music directors through the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra was recognised among the world's best orchestras by BBC Music Magazine in 2022 and, a year earlier, placed third in Gramophone magazine's Orchestra of the Year Award, as the only Asian orchestra nominated.
Prior to SSG, Mr Chng spent ten years at management consultancy Bain & Company, advising chief executives and private equity funds on strategy and execution. He currently sits on the boards of Library and Archives Solutions (LAAS) Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Library Board, and Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, and chairs the advisory council of Chua Chu Kang Secondary School. A long-time volunteer docent at two local museums including the Asian Civilisations Museum, he has most recently pursued academic interests as a PhD candidate in History at the National University of Singapore. He has also been a Fellow of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s Culture Academy.
As NGS enters its next phase of growth, the Board is confident in Mr Chng’s ability to build on its achievements and take it forward.
Mr Peter Ho, Chairman of National Gallery Singapore, said, "Eugene has been an important part of the Gallery’s growth since 2013, and we are deeply grateful for his stewardship these past 13 years. In looking to the Gallery’s next chapter, we sought a leader who could match this ambition with renewed drive and found this in Hak-Peng. His record of transforming the beloved ensembles of the Singapore Symphony Group speaks for itself, as does the strategic and operational acumen he brings from his years in the private sector. We are confident the Gallery is in good hands as it continues to grow its voice for Singapore and Southeast Asian art."
On the appointment, Mr Chng Hak-Peng said, “I am honoured to be appointed the next Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore, an institution I have long admired for its role in championing Singapore and Southeast Asian art and artists on the global stage. Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving the cultural sector in different capacities and working alongside many dedicated colleagues, artists, patrons, volunteers and partners who share a common commitment to making the arts accessible and meaningful to our communities. I see this appointment as an opportunity to continue that work, and to strengthen the role that the arts play in our society.
NGS has established itself as a leading visual arts institution in the region, uniquely positioned to tell the stories of Singapore and Southeast Asia through art. I hope to build on these strong foundations and continue the path forged by Eugene and his predecessor, Chong Siak Ching. I look forward to working with everyone at NGS and across the visual arts community to build a Gallery that Singapore continues to love and be proud of.”
Dr Eugene Tan's continued leadership of Singapore Art Museum
Dr Tan has been Director of NGS since 2013 and of SAM since 2019 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer of both institutions in 2024. As SAM enters its next phase of growth, Dr Tan will now focus his efforts on leading the museum as its Chief Executive Officer & Director.
Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Singapore Art Museum, said, “We are pleased that Eugene will be able to devote his focus on SAM. SAM is entering an exciting new phase as it deepens its focus on global contemporary art with an international outlook, while remaining rooted in a Southeast Asian perspective. Thus, dedicated leadership will be key to advancing this mission! We look forward to the museum's continued growth under his leadership, as we continue to nurture a deeper appreciation of art and artists in our society.”
On the transition, Dr Eugene Tan said, "I am grateful to have had the privilege of leading both NGS and SAM, and to see both institutions grow in ambition and international standing. As both museums enter a new phase of growth, I believe this is the right time for each to benefit from dedicated leadership, while I devote my energies to leading SAM through its next chapter. I am also convinced that the synergies between the two museums will continue to grow, and I remain committed to working with Hak-Peng as partners to build the visual arts cluster. I will support him through the handover and have every confidence that NGS will continue to thrive under his leadership."
Please refer to the Annex below for more information on Mr Chng Hak-Peng.
Annex: Biography of Mr Chng Hak-Peng
Mr Chng Hak-Peng brings over three decades of leadership experience across the arts and private sectors. He was Deputy Chair and then Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Symphony Group (SSG) from 2014 to 2022, where he transformed the organization into a future-ready institution with strengthened governance and digital capabilities, while overseeing a transition in music directors through the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra was recognised among the world's best orchestras by BBC Music Magazine in 2022 and, a year earlier, placed third in Gramophone magazine's Orchestra of the Year Award, as the only Asian orchestra nominated.
Prior to SSG, Mr Chng spent ten years at management consultancy Bain & Company, advising chief executives and private equity funds on strategy and execution. He currently sits on the boards of Library and Archives Solutions (LAAS) Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Library Board, and Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, and chairs the advisory council of Chua Chu Kang Secondary School. A long-time volunteer docent at two local museums including the Asian Civilisations Museum, he has most recently pursued academic interests as a PhD candidate in History at the National University of Singapore. He has also been a Fellow of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s Culture Academy.