Lim Eng Hwee, 60, who has served as CEO of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) since 2017, will step down on Aug 31. He will be succeeded by Tan Shiao Ling, Adele, 52, who is currently deputy CEO and chief planner of URA.
Lim Li Chuen, Yvonne, 49, who is currently group director (physical planning) at URA, will take over Tan’s role as deputy CEO and chief planner.
The Ministry of National Development (MND) and URA announced the changes on March 20 without stating Lim’s next role.
During his nine-year tenure, Eng Hwee steered Singapore’s land use planning through major milestones, including the Draft Master Plans (DMP) 2019 and 2025, as well as the Long-Term Plan Review (LTPR) 2022.
“His commitment to public and stakeholder engagement fostered a more inclusive land use planning process in Singapore, creating more opportunities for people from all walks of life to share their feedback and aspirations for the future Singapore in which they live, work and play,” reads URA’s announcement.
Eng Hwee led URA in advancing plans for several business nodes and new growth areas across the island, which brought more housing options. This includes the plans for Jurong Lake District, Paya Lebar Air Base and the rejuvenation of Orchard Road.
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Meanwhile, Tan was appointed deputy CEO and chief planner at URA in June 2023. Prior to that, she was chief infrastructure planning officer (CIPO) at MND.
At URA, Tan steered the review of the DMP2025, shaping development strategies over the next 10 to 15 years.
“She guided the identification and analysis of long-term trends, risks and uncertainties, and led the formulation of land use strategies that carefully balanced land optimisation, flexibility and resilience,” says URA. “Her leadership ensured that the myriad demands for land — such as to support economic growth, housing, sustainability, infrastructure needs and future optionality — were systematically assessed and integrated into a cohesive national framework.”
Yvonne was appointed to her current role in July 2015. “Since 2015, she has driven successful Master Plan reviews, strengthening policy communication, public and stakeholder engagement as well as planning innovation,” says URA.
Under her leadership, key growth areas such as Jurong Lake District and new housing areas such as the former Bukit Timah Turf City were shaped through close collaboration with agencies, community stakeholders and the private sector, adds URA.
