Outgoing CEO Saw Phaik Hwa reflects on SMRT experience in new blog
“It is now the time for me to express my personal thoughts,” she wrote.
In outgoing SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa’s first post on her new personal site, the 57-year-old shared that she will be “taking a walk down memory lane, and moving on” in her final weeks at the transport operator.
“I will be sharing my life, reflecting on how the experience has changed me,” Saw added, possibly referring to the series of train disruptions that affected thousands of commuters last December.
Public clamour for Saw grew then and petitions for her ouster circulated online.
Saw had earlier pledged to stay on as CEO to “put everything right”, before deciding in January that she will resign “to pursue personal interests”. Currently serving her three months notice, Saw's last day with the company will be 5 April, reported Straits Times.
In her first blog entry, Saw also wrote that she will be “talking about how I think SMRT has changed, what we were then and what we are today, and what the future holds for both of us.”
Her choice to step down marks the end point of a nine-year ride with SMRT since she was appointed in December 2002.
“A lot has happened in the last 9 years during my time as SMRT CEO,” Saw reminisced. “So much has been said, many moments and words I will always remember.”
“I feel so much for SMRT and the men and women in the organisation who serve the nation selflessly every day,” she said.
Also shedding light on how the journey began, Saw wrote about how “the board convinced me (her) that they were ready for leadership that would bring the company to a real listed corporation with opportunities to find synergy in 2 newly merged organisations.”
“So I took the plunge, left my comfort zone and boarded a completely new train,” concluded Saw, in her first and only blog entry.
Like most profile pages, the “About” section shared personal and interesting snippets of Saw’s life, complete with a list of “Favourites”.
Passionate about Tai Chi, Chinese opera and Life Arts, Saw spoke of her childhood dream, which was to conquer Mount Everest.
She added that she plans to travel to the Baltics and the Safari “with older aunts and uncles before we (they) lose the opportunity”.
Botanic Gardens is her “absolute favourite place in Singapore” and like most Singaporeans, she enjoys eating good food and watching exciting movies.
“If there are other sites who claim to be Saw Phaik Hwa’s, believe nothing unless you hear it from me on my official site,” she added.
“I will blog as and when I can and want to, and I’ll write only what I’ve seen, and how I view things. “
“I write for myself, and I write from my heart.”