Chng Hak-Peng named new CEO of the National Gallery Singapore

The National Gallery Singapore (NGS) and the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) announced yesterday in a joint statement that Chng Hak-Peng will be the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Gallery, starting 1 January 2027, as ArtAsiaPacific reports. He will succeed Eugene Tan in the role, who will leave his roles at the Gallery at the end of the year to focus solely on the Singapore Art Museum, where he will continue as CEO and director.

The appointment closes an unusual two-year period, during which Tan simultaneously led Singapore’s two leading visual arts institutions — a situation created in 2024 after the retirement of his predecessor. According to the joint statement, the change reflects “the continued development of both institutions, which are entering a new phase of growth”, while the two museums will remain “natural partners” cooperating closely to strengthen Singapore’s visual arts ecosystem.

Chng comes with over 30 years of experience in Singapore’s arts and culture sector. From 2014 to 2022 he served first as deputy chairman and then as chief executive of the Singapore Symphony Group; under his leadership, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra ranked third in Gramophone magazine’s “Orchestra of the Year 2021” award, as the only Asian orchestra among the nominees. Earlier he spent a decade at the consulting firm Bain & Company, while he is currently a doctoral candidate in history at the National University of Singapore and a long-time volunteer docent at local museums.

In the appointment statement, Chng described the new role as an opportunity to continue “making art accessible and meaningful to our communities” and to “strengthen the role that art plays in our society”. Gallery chairman Peter Ho welcomed the appointment, stressing that “Chng’s track record in transforming the beloved ensembles of the Singapore Symphony Group speaks for itself” and that he believes “the Gallery is in safe hands as it continues to raise its voice for Singapore and Southeast Asian art”.