Mediacorp has announced the appointment of Niam Chiang Meng as Chairman with effect from April 21. Niam, 59, was appointed as a director of the Mediacorp Board in November 2016. He chairs the company's Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Board Committee and is a member of its Executive Committee and its Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

Before this, he was Chairman of the then-Media Development Authority from 2011 to 2016. He held key positions over a long career in the civil service including Permanent Secretary (Information, Communications and the Arts) and Permanent Secretary (National Population and Talent Division), Prime Minister's Office, before retiring in 2016.

Of his appointment Niam said: “I look forward to working with the team and our partners in the ecosystem to ensure that Mediacorp delivers great content to our consumers and harnesses the opportunities created by digital disruption and new consumer trends. As we do this, Mediacorp will remain committed to its public service broadcasting responsibilities, a commitment underscored by the establishment of the new PSB Board Committee that I chair.”

He added, “My predecessor Ernest has positioned the company well for its next phase of growth and development in the digital age.”

Wong, 72, will complete his two-year term with the Mediacorp Board on April 20. During his term as Chairman, he was tasked to prepare the company for a digital future. A veteran banker, Wong was United Overseas Bank Group President from 1990 to 2000 when he left to join Mediacorp as its Group CEO, a role he held for five years.

“Chiang Meng is a strong pair of hands and the natural choice for Mediacorp Chairman,” said Wong. “Mediacorp has benefitted from his vast experience, deep insights to the media industry and understanding of public service since he joined the board. It is timely that he steps up to helm the board now, as the company sharpens its focus on consumers and on increasing its relevance in a digital age.”