We thank Dr Michael Loh Toon Seng for his views in his letter (Experience in transport industry should count in choice of SMRT chief, April 19).

We would like to share our key criteria and considerations in selecting SMRT's next group chief executive: personal values, leadership qualities, relevant engineering knowledge, track record in operations and people management, and the ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders. Of course, a key attribute considered in the final selection was the candidate's understanding of the needs of Singapore's commuters and public transport system. An executive search firm was engaged to conduct a comprehensive global search based on the selection criteria.

The interview panel finally decided on Mr Neo Kian Hong as they were particularly impressed with his personal values and leadership qualities.

Industry experience was considered in the process.

The panel recognised that Mr Neo has engineering qualifications and can be well supported by a team of committed and professional rail engineers. As the chairman of DSO National Laboratories and the Defence Science and Technology Agency, he has knowledge and good experience in building strong engineering, system acquisition and maintenance capabilities.

SMRT therefore decided to give the group CEO position to a Singaporean with strong leadership qualities and the right heart to serve SMRT and, most importantly, our commuters.

He also has the ability to keep staff morale high, and unite and motivate staff to do better for commuters.

Margaret Teo (Ms)

Vice-President

Corporate Communications

SMRT Corporation

I am disappointed that yet another chief executive of the SMRT will be someone without the relevant experience (SMRT confirms ex-general Neo Kian Hong as new CEO; April 18.)

When I visited Russia a year ago, I was impressed by its metro.

The lavish Moscow metro system was built way back in 1935 while Josef Stalin was in power.

Today it is over 300km long and consists of 12 lines serving 212 stations and transports about 10 million passengers daily.

Trains run more speedily than those we have here, there is free Wi-Fi, carriages are longer and the frequency of trains faster (minimal interval between trains is 90 seconds).

The former head of the Moscow Metro, Mr Dmitry Pegov, graduated as an electrical engineer, but did an MBA, and earned a law degree too.

He started his career as an assistant engineer in a locomotive depot, then worked as a train driver and even became a driving instructor of locomotive crews, and was eventually promoted to head of the St Petersburg-Moscow October Railway railcar depot and several other senior positions before being appointed as head of the metro in 2014.

With due respect, how did the relevant decision-makers end up appointing another SMRT chief with zero experience in the transport industry, zero experience working in the private sector and zero experience at the board level of any company, let alone a $1 billion company?

Michael Loh Toon Seng (Dr)