News: Honouring LKCMedicine Founding Chairman Lim Chuan Poh’s Exemplary Leadership

By Retna Devi, Senior Assistant Manager, Media and Publications

On 13 February, LKCMedicine held a special dinner for founding Chairman Mr Lim Chuan Poh in appreciation of his more than 14 years of exceptional service to the School.

Attended by some 60 leaders, partners, students and alumni, the event celebrated the immense success of his leadership, which began at the end of 2010 when the School was first set up jointly by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Imperial College London. 

Mr Lim stepped down as Chairman of the medical school on 1 January 2025, and leaves behind sturdy foundations and a strong legacy, reflected in LKCMedicine’s internationally benchmarked MBBS programme, the seven cohorts of young doctors now delivering care with compassion on the frontlines of Singapore’s healthcare system, the School’s transformative research programme aimed towards better patient outcomes, and the solid corporate governance at the School.

These achievements did not come easy, but Mr Lim’s steady leadership set the tone for the School’s culture and ethos from the early days of intensive Board meetings and crucial decisions.

In her welcome speech, new board Chair Ms Chan Lai Fung opined that as former Permanent Secretary for Education at the Ministry of Education, and having been involved in the creation of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School back in 2005, Mr Lim was the best person for the job, as she recalled the first event she attended at the School – the groundbreaking ceremony of LKCMedicine in May 2012.   

“As I stood there at the event, I was thinking what a masterstroke to get Chuan Poh to chair this young medical school… as then-Permanent Secretary for Education, knowing that Chuan Poh was going to be the chair, I can rest easy.”

Despite having the experience of establishing Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, setting up another medical school in mere three years was undeniably a herculean effort – one that Mr Lim did not shy away from. He took the then-unnamed medical school which only existed in official paperwork between Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and transformed it into a fully-fledged institution driven by passionate leaders and educators.

As Chairman, Mr Lim was bold in his vision and strived for excellence from the very beginning of the School’s inception. This, in turn, inspired many to follow suit.

LKCMedicine Dean Distinguished University Professor Joseph Sung, reiterated these traits as he shared the highlights of his working relationship with Mr Lim, during which Mr Lim paid equal attention to efforts towards education excellence, groundbreaking research and good governance. “Thank you, Chuan Poh, …it is more than about your comforting presence; it is knowing that we can always rely on your institutional knowledge, your familiarity with every key stakeholder, and your sharp reading of what needs to be addressed.”

Throughout his 14 years as Chairman of LKCMedicine, Mr Lim displayed great humility, integrity, conscientiousness, inclusivity and an unwavering sense of purpose.

He was actively involved in every phase of the School, from planning curriculum and pedagogy, and cultivating partnerships within Singapore’s healthcare landscape and beyond, to articulating the School’s vision and mission that will ensure a collective sense of purpose, as well as to guiding LKCMedicine through its latest milestone of evolving from a joint medical school to an NTU medical school.

Mr Lim’s hands-on leadership and foresight in shaping LKCMedicine into the world-class medical school today has earned the respect of many significant players in the healthcare and medical education sectors.

Professor Kenneth Mak, Director-General of Health at the Ministry of Health, also a member of the LKCMedicine board, shared, “Chuan Poh has been very keen to explore how the School can do better in Singapore not just in the delivery of healthcare but also in the research and innovation space. He’s always asking questions about whether or not this research that we are going to fund and support value-adds to our system, not just in the here and now but also in the future when it comes to the care model that we are influencing and impacting.”

Group Chief Executive Officer of National Healthcare Group, Professor Joe Sim, said “We have worked together to produce generations of doctors who are not just competent, but also having the right values and mindset that will take them far in their career as they make a difference to the lives they touch and the system that they serve.”  

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Dean Professor Chong Yap Seng, observed, “One of the greatest things I’m most happy about is as two undergraduate medical schools in Singapore, we have similar missions but slightly different styles. Under [Mr Lim’s] chairmanship, the differences have been sources of inspiration, and reasons for collaboration, rather than competition or conflict. And for that, we have him to thank for, for the way he set the tone for the way the two schools work together.” 

Apart from his incredible leadership at LKCMedicine, Mr Lim holds a sterling record in public service, helming several sectors in his distinguished career spanning defence, education, research, foreign service, and future technology.

As a gesture of thanks and deep appreciation for his invaluable contributions and staunch belief in the School’s mission, on behalf of the School, Ms Chan presented him with two tokens of appreciation: a framed print of a watercolour painting of the School’s heritage Headquarters Building, and a specially-produced coffee-table book capturing highlights of his 14-year stewardship of LKCMedicine.

The dinner ended on a high note, with laughter peppering the candid photo-taking of Mr Lim with attendees at every table.

The School is immensely grateful to Mr Lim for his many years of service, his time and tireless support to bring our vision to fruition. It is with pleasure that we wish him the very best for his next adventure!