Tony Soh Succeeds Melissa Kwee as Chief Executive Officer of National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

By Jennifer Wee  /
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The leadership renewal puts into action NVPC’s advocacy for planned leadership succession in non-profit organisations

Singapore, 7 September 2022 – Ms Melissa Kwee will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer at National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) after eight years at the helm. Current Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NVPC, Mr Tony Soh will succeed Ms Kwee as the new chief executive from 1 October 2022.

The leadership renewal is part of NVPC’s planned leadership succession and is timely as the organisation works on refreshing its Singapore: City of Good strategy for its next phase. Under Ms Kwee’s stewardship, NVPC established Giving.sg, a simple, safe, and trusted national donation platform to inspire the public to contribute their treasure and time to support 640 registered charities with Institutions of a Public Character (IPC) status in Singapore and raised more than $400 million in donations with more than 560,000 registered users.  The Company of Good initiative was launched in 2016 to rally organisations in Singapore to do good strategically, and has since grown into a network of more than 2,400 companies. NVPC is also spearheading the Alliance for Action on Corporate Purpose.  

NVPC Chairman Mr Seah Chin Siong said, “Melissa has been a fearless and trailblazing CEO growing the organisation by leaps and bounds into uncharted waters. At the height of the pandemic, she initiated the Migrant Workers Colabs bringing together public, private and people sectors to reimagine a total quality of life for our migrant workers bringing hope and agency to counter frustration and despair. NVPC has achieved so much in the eight years under Melissa’s leadership, and we have no doubt it will rise to new heights with Tony succeeding her.”

Echoing Mr Seah’s confidence in her successor, Ms Kwee said, “We are at a very good time in our (NVPC) history. I am grateful to work alongside Tony. The City of Good needs a servant leader whose heart and mind is committed to uplifting others. Tony loves to build and empower teams which is what NVPC can do with staff and partners alike. His personal example and faithful service have enabled many of our key achievements in the last three years.” 

Mr Soh’s experience as NVPC’s Deputy CEO for four years coupled with his rich tri-sector background serve as a strong foundation as he steps into his new role.

On his upcoming appointment, Mr Soh said, “It has been a joy and privilege to work alongside this capable and passionate team as we strive to become a City of Good together. I am humbled and honoured to be given this opportunity to lead NVPC at this critical point in our history.  By capturing hearts and minds through our programmes and initiatives, I hope to work closely with our partners and the wider community to deepen the culture of other-centeredness in Singapore where the spirit of care can be felt everyday and everywhere.”

Ms Kwee will remain within the organisation’s leadership team supporting Mr Soh in the strategic foresight and activation capacity.