Leadership transition at one of Singapore’s oldest private education institutions

The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) has announced that its group chief executive, Poon Joe Keen, will step down on March 31, just five months after taking on the role. The institution stated that Poon, 54, is leaving to “pursue personal interests,” without providing further details.

Replacing him from April 1 will be Wei Kwok Kee, the current president of SIM Global Education.

To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Poon will continue serving as an adviser to SIM chairman Euleen Goh for three months following his departure.

Before joining SIM, Poon held leadership positions at several publicly listed companies. He previously served as president of Kaplan Singapore and Southeast Asia and as managing director and group chief technology officer at Surbana Jurong. His academic background includes a Master of Business Administration from Imperial College London and a Bachelor of Science from King’s College London.

Poon was appointed as SIM’s group CEO on October 1, 2024, following the departure of Seah Chin Siong in July of the same year. SIM, which marked its 60th anniversary in 2024, acknowledged Poon’s contributions during his tenure and expressed gratitude for his service.

Chairman Euleen Goh expressed confidence in the institution’s future under the leadership of incoming CEO Wei. “With Prof Wei’s deep understanding of SIM’s mission and vision, we believe he will steer the organisation towards further growth and international expansion,” she said.

Prof Wei, who has been with SIM since 2020, previously served as the founding dean of the National University of Singapore’s School of Continuing and Lifelong Education from 2016 to 2020.

In response to his appointment, Prof Wei said he was thankful for the trust placed in him by the board. “I look forward to leading SIM into its next phase, working alongside the board and staff to build on our successes and drive sustainable growth,” he stated.