Singaporean state wealth fund appoints first chief technology officer

By | 14 August, 2017

SINGAPORE’S sovereign wealth fund GIC is beginning to take technology investments seriously, as evidenced by its appointment of Wu Choy Peng as its first chief technology officer (CTO).

Wu will be tasked with “[augmenting] its leadership bench as it prepares for an environment of increasing disruptive innovation”, reported the Straits Times. Wu will be tasked with developing the state’s technology ambitions through a careful strategy of investment and project development. Her role will be critical to strengthening GIC’s organizational capabilities.

Wu previously worked as the group chief information office for Neptune Oriental Lines Group (NOL), one of the biggest shipping companies in Singapore’s logistics empire. She was later named IDC-Enterprise Innovation’s CIO of the Year 2011 in the Asia-Pacific region.

This isn’t Wu’s first rumble with the Singaporean governments – some of the roles she has served include the country’s chief information officer, the deputy chief executive of industry of the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), and the Education Ministry chief information officer.

SEE ALSO: Singapore to install 10,000 smart showers across country

She will be bringing her data analytics experience to GIC, as well as developing integrated oversight policies for technology.

The Singaporean government has a track record of looking for opportunities to invest in technology. Aside from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Smart Nation ambitions, which are centered on driving the country’s digital economy through data and digital technologies, the country’s various state-linked organizations have been diving deep into sub-industries such as foodtech, medtech and so on.



READ MORE