University Awards

Outstanding Service Award

NUS has made tremendous progress in driving research, innovation and interdisciplinary education, establishing itself successfully as a comprehensive university of world-class standing. I hope NUS will hold fast to its sense of wonder about the world – to be always forward-looking and seeking new ideas. I’m very grateful and honoured to be bestowed this award.” Mr Peter HO
 
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Current Portfolio

  • Senior Advisor, Centre for Strategic Futures
  • Senior Fellow, Civil Service College
  • Chairman, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore; Social Science Research Council; Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering; and National Gallery Singapore
  • Chairman, National Supercomputing Centre Steering Committee; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise Governing Council; Office for Space Technology & Industry Board; and Precision Health Research Singapore’s Board Oversight Committee
  • Board member, National Research Foundation
  • Member, NUS Board of Trustees; and Board of Governors of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), and the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies

Lifetime Achievements

  • As former Head of Civil Service, Mr Ho carved a distinguished 34-year career in the public service, including permanent secretary appointments at the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, and the Prime Minister’s Office. He was also inaugural Chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. A strong believer in a networked government, he played an instrumental role in galvanising various agencies to work together on key national challenges
  • At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ho steered a series of policy reviews that strengthened its ability to respond to new and emerging challenges of globalisation and a fast-changing geostrategic landscape
  • Mr Ho also oversaw the setting up of the National Security Coordination Secretariat in the Prime Minister’s Office to respond to transnational terrorism; and helped to set up the Centre for Strategic Futures, where he remains a senior advisor
  • At the Ministry of Defence, Mr Ho initiated the process of transformation that led to the 3G SAF, the modernisation of Singapore’s defence capability to enable SAF to harness new concepts and technologies to better deal with a new spectrum of threats

Service to Nation and the International Community

  • As a long-standing member of the NUS Board of Trustees since 2011, Mr Ho has provided invaluable guidance and perspectives in charting the University’s growth and direction in education and research. He is concurrently Chair of the Campus Planning and Development Committee, and Nominating Committee; and is a member of the Executive Committee and Remuneration Committee
  • A member of the LKYSPP Governing Board and Executive Committee, and Chair of the Finance Committee, Mr Ho provides strategic guidance and counsel to LKYSPP in various aspects, from strategic planning and school development, to finances and programme development
    • Spearheaded a Scenarios Exercise in 2019, which identified opportunities and areas of competitive advantage for KYSPP, charting its strategic direction amidst a fast-evolving and increasingly complex landscape. The results from that Scenario Exercise critically informed the follow-on Singapore Strategy Review Committee, whose work then closely guided the development of a Strategy Map now being used at LKYSPP
    • Imparted knowledge on how LKYSPP could draw on Singapore’s experience in policy, governance and strong international reputation to distil thought leadership and position itself as a leading school of public policy globally
  • As Founding Chairman of the Faculty of Engineering Advisory Board from 2017 to 2021, Mr Ho pioneered a faculty framework termed the 3Rs—Rapid Change, the Real World and Relevance (to Industry)—to steer toplevel discussions by faculty management and Board members on areas spanning curriculum revisions, student outreach and industry engagement

Awards and Accolades

  • Distinguished Service Order (2016)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (2007)
  • Public Administration Medal (Gold) (1997)

Education

  • MA, BA (University of Cambridge)
 
 Honour Roll Recipients