Alumni Excellence Award
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Mr. Ajay Bhattacharya, Founder and Managing Director of Fortrec Chemicals and Petroleum Pte Ltd, has been a visionary leader in the petrochemical industry for over 25 years. Under his leadership, FORTREC has become a key player in the global market, known for innovative solutions and sustainable practices. Ajay also oversees Fortrec Capital Pte Ltd, which enhances the company's core trading activities with strategic asset management. His tenure includes a successful joint venture in China and managing a refinery in Ulsan, South Korea. Ajay's leadership has earned FORTREC prestigious accolades, including the Global Trader Program by Enterprise Singapore and multiple Enterprise 50 Awards. His industry impact is further highlighted by honors such as the AsiaOne Global Indian of the Year Award.
Mr. Ajay's contributions extend beyond business to public and community service. He is an active member in professional associations like the Singapore Institute of Directors and the American Fuel and Petrochemicals Association. A chemical engineering graduate, Ajay supports future engineers through partnerships with his alma mater, NUS, and financial aid programs such as the Chemical Engineering Fortrec Bursary. He also spearheads the FORTREC Young Talent Experience Program, offering students practical experience in the petrochemical industry. Ajay's holistic approach integrates commercial success with community and environmental stewardship, ensuring FORTREC remains competitive and responsible.
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Ms. Khoo is the head of the Coastal Protection Department at PUB, where she leads whole-of-nation efforts to safeguard Singapore from the threats of rising sea levels. She plays a vital role in developing national policies and strategies for coastal protection, including establishing the Coastal Protection and Flood Management Programme (or the CFRP), which aims to drive research and knowledge development in coastal protection and flood resilience.
Ms. Khoo also serves on
- The Advisory Board of the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) and NUS,
- The Industry Advisory Board and Department Consultative Committee for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at NUS, advising on curriculum matters and providing strategic guidance, and
- The Board of the St Johns Island National Marine Lab
Ms. Khoo is actively engaged in sharing her experience through speaking engagements at international conferences. She has spoken at events like COP28 in Dubai, the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), Professionals Engineering Board (PE Board) Symposium and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Sea Level Conference, focusing on climate impacts, sea level rise, and coastal protection strategies. She is committed to promote collective action through raising awareness, engaging the community, and facilitating collaboration to achieve coastal and flood resilience.
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Mr. Ng was appointed to the board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer of YTL PowerSeraya Pte Limited (“YTL PowerSeraya”) on 15 January 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Nanyang Technological Institute in Singapore, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from National University of Singapore and a Master of Science in Material Science from Carnegie Mellon University, USA.
He joined the Public Utilities Board, which was established by the Singapore Government to be sole supplier of electricity, gas and water in Singapore, as an Engineer in 1985 and transitioned with the company following the restructuring of the Public Utilities Board in 1995, which resulted in the creation of various entities, including YTL PowerSeraya. He was promoted to Deputy General Manager (Business) in 2001 and Senior Vice President (Retail & Regulation) in 2004 before assuming the position of Chief Executive Officer in 2009. Under his leadership, he expanded the Group’s multi-utility services and maintained its leading position in Singapore's energy sector. A notable achievement was leading YTL PowerSeraya to become the first power generation company in Singapore to export electricity to Malaysia's Tenaga Nasional in 2011. This historic commercial deal marked the first cross-border electricity export between the two countries.
He left YTL PowerSeraya in 2013, taking on the role of Chief Executive Officer of Singapore LNG Corporation Pte Ltd, where he expanded the first and only LNG terminal in Singapore from a capacity of 3 million tonne per annum (mtpa) to 11 mtpa , launched Singapore’s first LNG trucking facility and built one of the world’s largest LNG tank at that time.
In January 2019, he re-joined YTL PowerSeraya as the Chief Executive Officer. He expanded the operations of YTL PowerSeraya through the acquisition of the Hyflux’s 400 MW Tuaspring power station and investment and construction of a new 600 MW hydrogen ready combined cycle gas power plant to be completed by end 2027.
Mr. Ng has been actively involved in public and community service, holding roles such as Chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSH), Vice-President of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and board member of the PUB. He also serves as a Director at the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and has participated in various boards and national committees, including the Central Provident Fund Board, the National Integration Council and co-chair of the Security Tripartite Cluster Committee.
His contributions to the energy sector have been recognized through his leadership in driving energy security, efficiency and sustainability initiatives. Additionally, John was a Board Member of the Energy Studies Institute at NUS from May 2018 to April 2020, underscoring his commitment to advancing the field through academia.
