Asia Society Australia is delighted to announce Mr Khoo Teng Chye as the 2024 Asia Society-Victoria Distinguished Fellow.

Mr Khoo is the Director, NUS Cities and Practice Professor with the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore. He is a Fellow and former Executive Director for the Centre for Liveable Cities, Ministry of National Development, Singapore.

The Victoria Distinguished Fellow is a partnership between Asia Society Australia and the Victorian Government. It's goal is to bring the best minds and thought leaders from Asia to Victoria to foster innovation and drive engagement with the region. It offers a unique opportunity for Victoria to gain access to expert knowledge and build connections for bilateral collaboration.

Mr Khoo's distinguished career spans leadership roles including as former CEO and Chief Planner at the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the CEO of PSA Corporation which operates the world's largest transhipment hub. He brings a wealth of expertise and experience in urban planning, sustainability, resilient cities, and infrastructure management.

Upon his appointment and as a returning alum to Melbourne, Mr Khoo said, "I am very honoured to be appointed the Asia Society Australia’s Victoria Distinguished Fellow. As a beneficiary of the Colombo Plan scholarship programme, I had the great fortune of receiving my undergraduate education in civil engineering at Monash University. This educational foundation has certainly provided me the ballast as I progressed in my career. I am happy to be able to contribute in a small way towards the building of stronger partnerships in urban development with this Fellowship."

"Melbourne is one of the most liveable cities in the world. At the recent World Cities Summit in Singapore (May 2024) , it was awarded a Special Mention in the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize. As all cities face resilient challenges like climate change and ageing populations, Melbourne is in a leading position to share what it has accomplished through its officials, companies and academia. I hope this Fellowship gives us the opportunity to facilitate such exchanges."

Asia Society Australia CEO, Mr Anthony Bubalo said, “We are grateful that Mr Khoo has taken time out of his very busy schedule to spend time engaging with key government, business and academic stakeholders in Victoria on what is a critical issue.”

As part of the Fellowship, Mr Khoo will engage with government, corporates, academia, media and relevant stakeholders during his visit to Melbourne later this year. Asia Society Australia will be hosting both public and private engagements to facilitate discussions on urban planning and resilient cities.

Asia Society Australia-Victoria Distinguished Fellowship is a partnership between Asia Society Australia and the Victorian Government to bring the best minds and ideas from Asia and Australia to Victoria. It aims to generate new ideas and promote greater economic, strategic and cultural connectivity between Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. The Fellowship will showcase the state of Victoria as Australia's centre of excellence for Asia insights and capabilities.