The Singapore Tourism Board Appoints New Director, Conventions and Meetings, for its Business Travel and MICE Group

With effect from 22 June 2009, Mr Oliver Chong, Regional Director, Europe, is concurrently appointed as the new Director of Conventions and Meetings, Business Travel and MICE Group. He takes over this portfolio from Ms Catherine McNabb who will be fully seconded to the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) with effect from the same date. Ms McNabb was previously on concurrent part-time secondment to SYOGOC under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports (MCYS) as Director, Marketing & Sponsorships.

Mr Chong assumed the position of Regional Director, Europe, in March 2007. In this portfolio, he oversees the operations and overseas marketing activities of three offices in Europe including London, Frankfurt and Moscow. Under his stewardship, STB’s Regional Offices in Europe strive to increase the contribution of the European markets to Singapore’s overall tourism performance by achieving strong growth in tourism receipts and visitor arrivals from these markets, and building a robust pipeline of business and leisure events.

Prior to this position, Mr Chong was the Board’s Director for Events & Entertainment Clusters Development since August 2005. He steered the development of the events and entertainment clusters in Singapore, with the aim to transform Singapore into a global city for events across the arts, entertainment and sports sectors.
A veteran with the STB, Mr Chong began his career with the Board in 1993 as an Assistant Manager for Events, and has garnered vast and multi-faceted experience from the various portfolios he has held over the years. He was later posted to the STB office in London as Deputy Regional Director, a post which he held from 1996 to 1999, and where he was responsible for the implementation of overseas marketing activities and the cultivation of trade relations in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries. Throughout the course of his career in the STB, he has also held other management positions such as Director of Cruise, Director of Tourism Shopping, and Director of Mega Events. During his tenure with the STB, he has been responsible for the successful execution of two mega events – the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards and the closing leg of the ASEAN-India Car Rally, both of which were hosted in Singapore in 2004. He was also recently part of the working team that negotiated successfully for Singapore to host the FORMULA 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

“The Singapore tourism industry is entering an exciting phase, with watershed developments such as the two Integrated Resorts, the Gardens by the Bay and the International Cruise Terminal coming on stream. Hence, I look forward to my new appointment and seek to galvanize my team in sustaining our leading position as an award-winning business events destination,” said Mr Chong.

Mr Chong holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration (Distinction) from Cornell University, USA (1993) under the then STPB (Singapore Tourist Promotion Board) Overseas Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies. He was also awarded the 10 Years Long Service Award in 2003 for his dedication and commitment to the Board over the past decade.
source : Singapore Tourism Board