Leadership Change at SG Enable

Singapore, 4 Oct 2024 — SG Enable, Singapore's focal agency for disability and inclusion, announces that Ms. Ku Geok Boon, its founding CEO, will be stepping down from her role after 11 years of dedicated service. Ms. Lee May Gee, current Deputy CEO, will take over as CEO with effect from 4 December 2024.

Honouring Ms. Ku Geok Boon’s Tenure

1. Ms. Ku Geok Boon has been at the helm of SG Enable since its inception in 2013, leading with vision, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to disability inclusion. Under her leadership, SG Enable has grown from a fledgling organisation to the leading agency playing a pivotal role in the disability sector.

2. During her tenure, Ms. Ku spearheaded the expansion of SG Enable’s suite of services, ensuring comprehensive support for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. One of her significant achievements was the establishment of Enabling Village in 2015, an award-winning inclusive community space which has been lauded as a model for inclusion and innovation with catalytic prototypes such as Singapore’s first inclusive ActiveSG gym, inclusive preschool "Kindle Garden" with Lien Foundation and AWWA, and Tech Able with SPD, Singtel, and ST Engineering. These initiatives, alongside the co-location of employment support partners Autism Resource Centre, MINDS, and SPD, reflect Ms. Ku’s ability to inspire systemic change for sector growth.

3. Ms. Ku’s leadership has extended beyond the disability sector, as she has established strategic partnerships with social service agencies, businesses, institutes of higher learning, and government agencies. Her contributions have been critical in building a robust ecosystem of support for persons with disabilities. This has advanced inclusive employment and lifelong learning for persons with disabilities and promoted greater social integration with more inclusive mindsets. Through impactful initiatives such as Enabling Mark, Enabling Academy, The Unlimited by UOB, financial and digital literacy programmes by DBS Foundation, Temasek Trust-CDC Lifelong Learning Enabling Fund, and Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund and Awards, persons with disabilities have had more opportunities and received greater support to fulfil their potential and aspirations. The invaluable partnership with Tote Board in the Enabling Lives Initiative garnered $68mil to support the sector in developing social innovations to meet emerging and evolving needs over the last decade. Ms. Ku has also elevated SG Enable’s profile on the international stage, with SG Enable serving as the Asia Pacific partner for Zero Project, a global research-driven initiative to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

4. For her significant contributions, Ms. Ku was conferred the Public Administration Medal (Silver) at the National Day Awards 2024. As she moves on to her next role in the public service, SG Enable, the disability sector, and its many stakeholders express their profound gratitude for her leadership and dedication.

Welcoming Ms. Lee May Gee as the New CEO

5. Ms. Lee May Gee, who joined SG Enable as Deputy CEO in December 2023, will take over the leadership reins. With over 20 years of public sector experience spanning various ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Education, and the Public Service Division, Ms. Lee brings a wealth of experience in policy development, strategic planning, and finance. In her last role as the Principal Private Secretary to former President Madam Halimah Yacob, she worked with diverse stakeholders across the public, private, and people sectors, including social service agencies supporting persons with disabilities.

6. As Deputy CEO, she led SG Enable in enhancing and scaling the continuum of services for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, through programmes such as the Enabling Services Hub. She also worked closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and social service agencies to engage persons with disabilities and their caregivers, understanding their needs and aspirations for community living. She helped shape the recommendations by the Enabling Masterplan 2030 Taskforce on Community Living to extend the range of support for persons with disabilities to live well in the community, including the development of new housing and care models. She also established a disability strategy unit to drive thought leadership and accelerate the development of the disability ecosystem. Ms. Lee led the communications and partnerships efforts of SG Enable to build mindshare and sustain support for disability inclusion.

7. With a strong track record of delivering results, Ms. Lee is well-positioned to lead SG Enable as the focal agency dedicated to driving disability inclusion in Singapore. She will steer the next phase of SG Enable's journey, working closely with partners in the public, private, and people sectors to strengthen collaboration, expand opportunities, and ensure that persons with disabilities remain at the heart of an inclusive society.

A New Chapter for SG Enable

8. “As SG Enable transitions to new leadership, we remain committed to our mission of creating equitable opportunities for persons with disabilities to aspire and fulfil their potential, and building a more caring and inclusive society. On behalf of SG Enable’s Board of Directors and the Management, I sincerely thank Geok Boon for her stellar contributions and leadership with distinction for the past eleven years. I also warmly welcome May Gee to her new role and look forward to working with her to create a future where everyone has the opportunity to live a full, dignified life,” said Mr. Moses Lee, Chairman, SG Enable.

9. SG Enable looks forward to continuing its strong partnerships with social service agencies, businesses, and government agencies to achieve the goals of the Enabling Masterplan 2030 and beyond.

Media Contact:

Ms. Chia Ai Ling, Director, Communications and Partnerships  
Email: chia.ailing@sgenable.sg | DID/Whatsapp: 6411 4427

About SG Enable

SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion in Singapore, enables persons with disabilities to live, learn, work, and play in an inclusive society. We create equitable opportunities for persons with disabilities through thought leadership, sustainable social innovation, and impactful partnerships. Guided by our core values of professionalism, innovation, and empathy, we envision a more inclusive Singapore and enabled lives. Set up by the Ministry of Social and Family Development in 2013, we are a registered charity and an Institution of a Public Character.