SINGAPORE – A new director-general will helm the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) from Aug 2.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on Wednesday (May 12) that Mr Han Kok Juan, who is currently deputy secretary at the ministry and senior deputy director-general at CAAS, will take on the role.

He will be appointed first as director-general-designate at CAAS from June 1 to Aug 1. The 47-year-old will replace Mr Kevin Shum, 50, who has headed CAAS since Aug 2, 2015.

Mr Shum will be posted to Mr Han’s former role as a deputy secretary for transport.

Mr Han has been the deputy secretary at MOT since September 2019. The ministry said he has helped to advance its agenda in aviation, maritime and international relations, among other matters.

He is also credited with playing a key role in coordinating the transport sector’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before his appointment at MOT, Mr Han was deputy secretary in the Law Ministry from November 2015 till September 2019.

Among his contributions there were leading a team to support the Parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.

Mr Han studied at the University of Oxford in Britain, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics. He later obtained a Masters in Public Administration from the Peking University in China.

On Mr Shum, MOT said he led the Changi air hub to new heights during his time at CAAS. This is illustrated by Changi Airport reaching an all-time high of 68 million passengers in 2019, and Singapore Airlines carrying a record 36 million passengers to 136 destinations.

Changi Airport Terminal 4 and Jewel Changi Airport were also opened during his tenure.

MOT said Mr Shum had worked with the aviation sector to innovate and invest in technology. He had also overseen significant enhancements to Singapore’s air traffic management system.

“Under his watch, the safety record was exemplary,” said MOT. “Employment and productivity increased during the period.”

The ministry lauded his role in strengthening Singapore’s profile and contributing to the development of the international aviation regulatory regime.

For example, he had chaired international committees and contributed to multilateral efforts to revive the international air transport sector amid the Covid-19 pandemic, said MOT.

“The Ministry of Transport would like to put on record its appreciation to Mr Kevin Shum for his significant contributions in his six years as the director-general of CAAS,” MOT added.

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