SBS Transit chief executive Gan Juay Kiat has resigned.

Straits Times revealed it was due to extra-marital affair

The Straits Times reported on Friday, Dec. 28 that it understood the reason for his departure was due to an extra-marital affair.

Gan, 61, is leaving to take responsibility for a “personal indiscretion”, ST said.

ST also revealed that the CEO is married with grown-up children.

SBS Transit chairman Lim Jit Poh was quoted by ST as saying: “Juay Kiat tendered his resignation to me this morning and expressed deep regret over his actions."

“He has accepted full responsibility for his lapses in conduct, and the board has accepted his resignation.”

Gan will serve three months' notice and leave on March 27, 2019

Why resign over personal affair?

In a bid to explain how one executive's personal life can have a bearing on him discharging his professional duties as a CEO, ST quoted a human resource director to draw that link.

The HR director said: “In other countries, such indiscretions are tolerated... In Singapore, we expect our public or corporate leaders to be whiter than white. It is our social norm.”

This has couched the action as a matter of ethics.

However, it was not reported or ascertained if the extra-marital affair took place with a personnel within the SBS Transit organisation or outside of it.

A cursory reading of the HR director's quote appears to suggest it is with someone outside of the organisation.

But the HR director's quote can also be disputed as extra-marital affairs have ruined high-flying careers elsewhere overseas.

Having an affair would open one up to blackmail and lead one to be compromised.

The Business Times carried the full statement by SBS Transit Chairman

BT carried the full statement by Lim:

In response to queries from The Business Times, SBS Transit chairman Lim Jit Poh said: "Juay Kiat tendered his resignation to me this morning and expressed deep regret over his actions. He has accepted full responsibility for his lapses in conduct, and the board has accepted his resignation. We have lost a good CEO who has done much for land transport in Singapore."

Channel News Asia left the reason for Gan's departure vague

No extra-marital relationship was mentioned by CNA.

CNA only reported:

It is not clear what the actions were.

But CNA did mention the portion about Gan's "lapses in conduct".

To highlight the severity of this resignation, Gan's departure is recognised as a matter of sufficient public interest though.

This is so as his resignation has to be made publicly known, as an announcement was filed by the ComfortDelGro-owned company on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on Friday.

This fact was also reported by ST.

Who is Gan Juay Kiat?

Gan started his career in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he held several senior command and staff appointments, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

He then held senior positions in Ascott Group, CapitaLand, Times Publishing, and General Electric.

In 2016, he was awarded the Medal of Commendation by the National Trades Union Congress for his contributions to the promotion of harmonious labour-management relations.

Gan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Engineering Tripos) from the University of Cambridge, UK.

He was a President’s Scholar and an SAF (UK) Scholar.

More details:

Top photo via Gan Juay Kiat Facebook