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J. Y. Pillay

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J. Y. Pillay
DUNU (First Class) DUT (with Distinction)
Pillay in 2023
Chairman of Singapore Airlines
In office
1972–1996
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMichael Fam Yue Onn
Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore
In office
1985–1989
Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew
Goh Chok Tong
Chairman of the Singapore Exchange
In office
1999–2010
Prime MinisterGoh Chok Tong
Lee Hsien Loong
Preceded byPosition established
President of Singapore
Acting
In office
1 September 2017 – 13 September 2017
Other offices
Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers
In office
September 2005 – 2 January 2019
PresidentS. R. Nathan
Tony Tan
Halimah Yacob
Preceded bySim Kee Boon
Succeeded byEddie Teo
Chairman of Tiger Airways
In office
2011–2014
Chancellor of Singapore Management University
In office
1 September 2015 – 1 August 2019
Preceded byYong Pung How
Succeeded byLim Chee Onn
Personal details
Born (1934-03-30) 30 March 1934 (age 90)
Klang, British Malaya
Spouse
Beatrice Rasammah
​
(m. 1963)​
EducationImperial College London
Alma materUniversity of London (BEng)

Joseph Yuvaraj Pillay, also known as J. Y. Pillay DUNU (First Class) DUT (with Distinction) (born 30 March 1934), is a Singaporean retired civil servant.

For 34 years, Pillay was one of Singapore's top-ranking civil servants. He is also one of the pioneers who helped build the Singapore economy after its independence in 1965, including the country's national airline Singapore Airlines, having served as its first chairman for 24 years from 1972 to 1996.

Pillay served as the country's acting president for 13 days from 1 to 13 September 2017 as an interregnum between Tony Tan and Halimah Yacob during the 2017 Singaporean presidential election. He had also served as the chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) between 2005 and 2019.

Early life and education

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Pillay was born Klang, British Malaya in 1934. He is Tamil. He graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1956.[1]

Career

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Singapore Airlines

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His most significant contribution during his civil service was building Singapore Airlines (SIA) into a world-class carrier with a distinguished reputation.[1][2] He served as Chairman of Singapore Airlines from 1972 until 1996. In 1978, his bold and calculated move to purchase 19 Boeing aircraft, including multiple Boeing 747s, at the total cost of US$900 million for the airline, made headlines worldwide as "the sale of the century" as it was the largest purchase at the time by any airline in the world.[3][4] He is one of the few Civil Service officers to reach Staff Grade III.[5]

Monetary Authority of Singapore

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He was managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 1985 to 1989.[3]

Singapore Exchange

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In the 1990s, he headed the advisory panel that reviewed the merger of the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange (SIMEX).[3] The resultant Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) was established on 1 December 1999 and he was the first Chairman of the Singapore Exchange between 1999 and 2010.[6][3]

Post-civil service

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Few can match his record of public service in the Ministry of Finance, Temasek, GIC, MAS, MND and not to speak of SIA and SGX.

Pillay retired from civil service in March 1995 and subsequently served as the Singaporean High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Ambassador to Ireland until 1999.[3]

He was the Chairman of Tiger Airways Holdings[8] from 2011 until 2014. He was the Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers from 2005 until 2019.[9]

Pillay was the longest serving chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisors (CPA).[10] He stood down as Chairman of the CPA on 2 January 2019 which was handed over to Eddie Teo.[11]

Pillay took over from former Chief Justice of Singapore Yong Pung How as Chancellor of Singapore Management University (SMU) from 1 September 2015.[12][13] Pillay was then succeeded by Mr Lim Chee Onn as the next Chancellor of SMU with effect from 1 August 2019.[14]

Pillay was the Acting President from 1 September 2017 when President Tony Tan's term expired on 31 August 2017, until the next president Halimah Yacob, was sworn into office on 14 September 2017.[15]

He is currently Rector of National University of Singapore (NUS) University Town's College of Alice and Peter Tan and adjunct professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP).[16][17]

Awards

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In 2012, the National University of Singapore (NUS) set up two professorships in his honour, for his contributions.[18][19]

For his public service, Pillay was awarded the Order of Nila Utama (First Class), one of Singapore's most prestigious National Day Awards on 9 August 2012.[20][21]

In August 2019, Pillay was awarded the Order of Temasek (With Distinction), Singapore's highest civilian honour.[22][23]

In the same year, he received the Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th South Asian Diaspora Convention organised by the NUS Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS).[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b "J Y Pillay Profile". National University Singapore. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. ^ Lee, S.H. (10 April 1998). "Ex-SIA chiefs honoured as "legends'". The Straits Times.
  3. ^ a b c d e Arunasalam, Sitragandi. "J. Y. Pillay". Singapore Infopedia. Singapore Government Agency. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  4. ^ Low, Aaron (17 June 2022). "How J.Y. Pillay helped Lee Kuan Yew turn Singapore Airlines into a global giant". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  5. ^ Ibrahim, Zuraidah (26 March 1995). "J. Y. Pillay: Visionary with a clear focus". The Straits Times. p. 1.
  6. ^ "J Y Pillay to step down as SGX chairman at year-end". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  7. ^ "J. Y. Pillay a pioneer in public, private sectors". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Tiger Airways: Appointed Mr. J Y Pillay As Non-Executive Chairman". ShareInvestor. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Istana — Council of Presidential Advisers". Istana, Singapore. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  10. ^ Goh, Melissa (9 August 2019). "J Y Pillay heads list of National Day Award recipients". CNA. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ^ "J Y Pillay retires as Council of Presidential Advisors chairman, Eddie Teo to succeed". CNA. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Former top-ranking civil servant appointed as Chancellor of SMU". Singapore Management University (SMU). 3 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  13. ^ Huiwen, Ng (3 September 2015). "JY Pillay appointed SMU chancellor". The Straits Times. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Great national honour for SMU Chancellor Mr Lim Chee Onn". Singapore Management University (SMU). 6 August 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Pillay takes on role of acting president". The Straits Times. September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  16. ^ "J Y Pillay Global-Asia Programme and Study Award". Yale NUS College. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Faculty". NUS College of Alice and Peter Tan. National University of Singapore. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  18. ^ "NUS honours Prof J Y Pillay". National University of Singapore. 17 January 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  19. ^ "NUS honours J Y Pillay". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  20. ^ "J Y Pillay awarded highest public service honour". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  21. ^ "Recipients". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. 2012.
  22. ^ "Top honours for J.Y. Pillay who built up SIA, led GIC, MAS". The Straits Times. 9 August 2019.
  23. ^ "Recipients". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. 2019.
  24. ^ Min Zhang, Lim (15 November 2019). "NGO founder, veteran civil servant J. Y. Pillay among South Asian diaspora lauded for their contributions to society". The Straits Times. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
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