SMI Vantage Limited has appointed Leong Lai Yee, Edna, as an independent and non-executive director to its board.
Leong is currently the deputy director and head, communications, partnerships & fund development of RSVP Singapore The Organisation of Senior Volunteers. RSVP is an Institution of Public Character and the National Centre of Excellence for Senior Volunteerism. President Halimah Yacob is its patron.
Leong will be replacing Wee Sung Leng who is stepping down having served over nine years on the SMI Board, as part of the board renewal process. Leong will step into the role with effect from Jan 1, 2023.
According to SMI Vantage, Leong boasts extensive experience in marketing, investment, banking and consulting includes stints in some of the world’s largest financial institutions, in addition to her later work with heading non-profit non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises.
At the same time, SMI Vantage appointed Jocelyn Chng as a member of its advisory board committee.
Like Leong, Chng will step into her role effectively on Jan 1, 2023.
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Chng is the group CEO of JR Group Holdings, a one-stop food and beverage (F&B) solutions provider. She will replace outgoing board member Kevin Shao as he retires.
“Having been personally involved with developing multiple companies and platforms particularly in the F&B space, Ms Chng has a deep understanding of what it takes to scale businesses to the next level,” says SMI Vantage in its Dec 27 statement.
Mark Bedingham, president and CEO of SMI Vantage welcomed both appointments.
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“I am delighted to welcome Edna to our board at the start of this new year. Besides her proven entrepreneurial talent, she brings with her valuable and deep experience in the areas of corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and organisational development. She has worked tirelessly over the years towards the goal of a more equitable and caring society and will help SMI develop a pathway to a more inclusive approach to its corporate responsibilities and a fresh approach to ESG related matters,” he says.
He adds: “I am delighted to welcome Jocelyn to our advisory board. She brings a wealth of experience in the F&B space, having launched many highly successful ventures and growing JR Group Holdings to where it is today. As our company enters the Robochef business, her expertise and experience will be highly relevant and extremely helpful in helping us grow this business and helping the company look at other related opportunities.”
In return, Leong says, “I am excited to be appointed to the board of SMI Vantage and look forward to assisting SMI Vantage with its many new projects and businesses and being part of the company’s next chapter in its business journey I would like to see the company be a responsible and strong corporate citizen that is able to give back to society.”
She adds: “Being personally involved with various social enterprises over the years, I am passionate about bringing more “heart” to all we do. I will work closely with Mark, the board, and the rest of the leadership team to capitalise on the many opportunities ahead and usher in SMI Vantage’s next chapter of growth and success.”
Chng says, “I am honoured to be appointed to the advisory board of SMI Vantage and am excited to learn more about SMI Vantage’s exciting projects. F&B is in the midst of transformation from being a labour-intensive industry, to one that leverages on technology and automation for higher productivity and return on investment. SMI Vantage’s use of artificial intelligence and robotics in the Robochef concept is a good example of this trend in the F&B industry. I look forward to working closely with Mark, the board, and the rest of the leadership team to capitalise on the many opportunities ahead and usher in SMI Vantage’s next chapter of growth and success.”
In its statements, SMI Vantage also thanked Wee and Shao for their contributions and advice to the board and company.
Shares in SMI Vantage closed 0.2 cent lower or 7.41% down at 2.5 cents on Dec 27.
