A BUSINESS leader and human resources practitioner, Mr Richard B. Y. Khoo, has been appointed the Director of Finance, Administration and Programmes (DFAP) of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS). He started work at Methodist Centre on Sept 19, 2005.
His appointment ends several months of search for a person to fill the top-level position.
Mr Khoo told Methodist Message that for him, the challenge of the post is to “facilitate and continually strengthen the connectional structure of diverse components within the ambit of MCS in the best Wesleyan tradition”.
“Personally, I look forward to the excitement, challenge and joy of serving the Lord at MCS,” he added.
The DFAP reports to the General Conference Executive Council (GCEC) and the Finance and Administration Council (FAC) through their respective chairmen. He has direct oversight of the Finance, Administration and Property Departments, and staff of the smaller agencies.
His other responsibilities include:
■ THE setting up of reporting protocols and communication flow between the GCEC and all programme agencies;
■ THE facilitation of administrative and financial policies of the GCEC that involve the programme agencies; and
■ THE development of staff functions that can be brought together with economies of scale, e.g. human resource development and deployment, training, computerisation and information technology, property management, finance and investments Mr Khoo fits the bill. He has proven management skills, with a good grasp and practical knowledge of governance and fiduciary issues, and skills in formulating and implementing human resources policies, strategies and practices to match organisational goals in a rapidly changing environment and competitive market place. He also has the added advantage of having served in church leadership for more than 15 years.
An Old Boy of Anglo-Chinese School, he is a long-time member of Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC), having served the Local Church Executive Committee from the late 1980s, and was, until his MCS appointment, the Chairman of the Pastor-Parish Relations and Staff Committee (PPRSC). He remains a member of the PPRSC. He had previously served as a Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Lay Delegate and represented BRMC on the TRAC Board of Finance, among other local church positions.
Mr Khoo, who holds a B. Sc. Honours degree from the University of Malaya, has a track record in identifying a broad spectrum of business issues relating to organisational change and people development across diverse cultures, having worked in the United States, New Zealand, India and Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), besides Singapore.
He last worked with China Xpress Pte Ltd as an independent consultant, and where he was the Corporate Adviser from February to April this year.
From 1995 to 2001, he was the Chief Executive of Service Quality Centre, a $10-million training and consultancy company established in 1990 as a joint venture of Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) and Spring Singapore (formerly Singapore Productivity and Standards Board).
In his earlier career with SIA, he served as Assistant Director of Personnel (Corporate Headquarters), Assistant Director of Marketing (Corporate Headquarters), Vice-President Southwest USA, based in Los Angeles, General Manager New Zealand, based in Auckland, and General Manager India, based in Bombay.
He served as the Chief Executive of SATS Passenger Services Pte Ltd and subsequently as General Manager of Apron/Passenger Services in the expanded SATS Airport Services Pte Ltd.
Mr Khoo is currently an Independent Director on the Board of publicly-listed Amara Holdings Ltd, a Board Director of Christian Columbarium Pte Ltd, and a consulting Senior Fellow at The Idea Factory (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
