Adrian Ning Hong Yeo is an academic and former politician. He served in the Singapore Government for 14 years as a Cabinet Minister with portfolios in Communications and Information, National Development, and Defence. He graduated from Christ’s, is a former Fellow, and has been an Honorary Fellow of the College since 1998.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science, University of Singapore and then came to Christ’s in 1967 where he pursued research in Chemistry and graduated with a PhD in 1970, then being elected to a Fellowship here which he held until 1973. He accepted a postdoctoral position at Stanford University before returning to Singapore to become a Chemistry Lecturer at the University of Singapore, after which he assumed several senior managerial positions in an international pharmaceutical company. In 1980 he became a Member of Parliament for the governing People’s Action Party and served in various ministerial roles, including Minister for Communications and Information and Minister for Defence, until 1994.
After leaving politics he continued his role as President of the Singapore National Olympic Council until 1998 (he had been Vice-President from 1982 until becoming President in 1990). In 1995 he became the Executive Chairman of the Singapore Technologies Group and in addition the following year became Chairman of the Port of Singapore Authority, managing what was then the busiest port in the world, retiring in 2001. He held Directorships with DBS Group Holdings and DBS Bank, and with the Board of the Singapore Press Holdings Limited from which he retired in 2013 after 12 years of service. He has also served as Chairman of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra Trust, the Singapore Totalisator Board, and Keppel Golf Club.
Christ’s College elected Adrian an Honorary Fellow in 1998, and a year later The National University of Singapore announced it would be honouring him with its Distinguished Science Alumni Award noting his contributions over 30 years to the nation, to industry and to science.
He was named Adjunct Professor at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 2006. He lectured on government and public policy to senior government officials from China, India, Vietnam, Philippines, and other Asian countries. He has published research papers in international journals. He also continued his ties with academia by chairing the International Academic Advisory Panel for Singapore’s universities comprised of distinguished academics and industry leaders from around the world, with the objective of developing the higher education landscape and achieving world class standards. He has also published maths books aimed at school children, including Trig Or Treat (2007) and The Pleasures of Pi,e and Other Interesting Numbers (2012).
Photo Credit: Half-length portrait of Dr Yeo Ning Hong, see National Library Board, Singapore, image from Tan, Sumiko, Kim Seng: A Reflection of Singapore’s Success, Singapore: Kim Seng Publication Committee, 1996