A retiree's retirement project, now officially wrapped up
Khaw Boon Wan has stepped down as chairman of SPH Media Trust, effective October 1, 2026, handing the role to CEO Chan Yeng Kit after five years at the helm of Singapore's largest news organisation. "As the SPH operations have stabilised, I think it is a good time for me, a retiree, to wind down my involvement in this project," Khaw, 73, said in announcing the move.
It's a quiet, fairly routine-sounding exit line for a job that was anything but routine when Khaw took it on in 2021 — steering a storied but financially struggling media company through a restructuring into a not-for-profit entity, at a moment when nobody was entirely sure the model would even work.
A career that moved through nearly every major ministry
Before any of this, Khaw spent close to two decades in Singapore's cabinet, a career notable for how often he was handed the portfolios nobody particularly wanted. He served as Health Minister, National Development Minister, and ultimately Minister for Transport, along with a stint as chairman of the ruling People's Action Party from 2011 to 2018. He earned the nickname "Mr Fix-It" for a reputation built on being dropped into ministries facing genuine operational trouble and being expected to sort them out.
His highest-profile crisis moment came early: from February to June 2003, Khaw played a lead role in Singapore's response to the SARS outbreak, a period that shaped much of how he was publicly perceived for years afterward. He retired from politics, including stepping down as Transport Minister, in 2020.
Taking on a job he admitted he wasn't qualified for
Retirement didn't last long. In May 2021, with SPH's media arm bleeding money and facing a genuine existential question about its business model, the government and SPH's management shareholders turned to Khaw to chair the newly created SPH Media Trust — a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee set up to take over the group's newsrooms.
Khaw didn't pretend the fit was obvious. "I accept it with some anxiety as I have no digital media experience," he said at the time, calling the role a "heavy responsibility." Some critics, including former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng, publicly questioned why a newly restructured, digitally challenged media company had turned to two men in their late sixties — Khaw as chairman and veteran journalist Patrick Daniel as interim CEO — to lead its turnaround.
What actually happened over the five years
Khaw spent much of his tenure navigating a genuinely difficult balancing act: pushing SPH Media toward sustainable government funding while fielding recurring questions about whether that funding would compromise editorial independence. He told staff at an internal town hall early on that editorial independence was a "given," and later outlined government support discussions built around metrics like audience and subscription numbers rather than blank-check funding.
On his way out, Khaw pointed to SPH Media's coverage of the 2025 General Election and the country's SG60 anniversary celebrations, along with a string of international industry awards, as evidence the organisation had found its footing. He credited the management team under Chan Yeng Kit — who joined as CEO in 2024 after a career as a senior civil servant, including permanent secretary roles and founding chairman of Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority — with sharpening the company's mission and accelerating its digital shift.
Handing off to someone genuinely different from him
Chan's appointment as the new chairman is notable in its own right: he's the first chairman of SPH Media, or its predecessor Singapore Press Holdings, in 20 years who wasn't previously a Cabinet minister. Every chairman going back to 2005 — Tony Tan, Lee Boon Yang, and now Khaw — came from a ministerial background.
Khaw himself drew the contrast directly, saying Chan's experience in new media and technology gave him "an edge over me," and that being a former minister was useful for the chairman's job but never strictly essential. "With Mr Chan Yeng Kit and his team firmly established, this is the right time to move aside," Khaw said. "I am confident he and his team will do well."
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Khaw Boon Wan step down as SPH Media Trust chairman?
He said SPH Media's operations had stabilised after a five-year turnaround and that, as a retiree, it was the right time to wind down his involvement, handing the chairman role to CEO Chan Yeng Kit effective October 1, 2026.
What ministries did Khaw Boon Wan oversee in Singapore's government?
He served as Minister for Health, National Development, and Transport, and was also chairman of the People's Action Party from 2011 to 2018, before retiring from politics in 2020.
When did Khaw Boon Wan become chairman of SPH Media Trust?
He was appointed in May 2021, when SPH restructured its media business into a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee amid falling advertising revenue.
Who is replacing Khaw Boon Wan as SPH Media chairman?
Chan Yeng Kit, SPH Media's CEO since 2024, is taking over as chairman while continuing in his CEO role — making him the first SPH Media chairman in 20 years without a prior Cabinet ministerial background.
What was Khaw Boon Wan known for during his political career?
He earned the nickname "Mr Fix-It" for taking on ministries facing significant operational challenges, including leading Singapore's response to the 2003 SARS outbreak.
