Hsuan Owyang
Hsuan Owyang | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1928 Guangzhou, China |
| Died | August 23, 2018 (aged 90) |
| Occupation(s) | Stockbroker, banker, corporate chairman |
| Known for | Chairman of the Housing and Development Board (1983–1998) |
Hsuan Owyang (24 March 1928 – 23 August 2018) was a prominent Singaporean stockbroker and served as chairman of the Housing and Development Board from 1983 until 1998.
Early life and education
Owyang was born in Guangzhou, China, as the eldest child of Chi Owyang, a banker who achieved the position of assistant general manager at the Industrial and Commercial Bank's Guangzhou branch. He had five brothers and one sister.
He completed his secondary schooling in Chongqing, China. Owyang began his tertiary education at Lingnan University in 1946, then transferred to St. John's University, Shanghai for the years 1947 to 1948. In 1949, he moved to the United States and enrolled at the University of Dubuque, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in 1950. He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1952.
Career
Starting in 1952, Owyang worked as an investment counsellor at Thomson & McKinnon, a New York-based investment and brokerage firm, a role he held for twelve years. Upon returning to Singapore in 1964, he joined Overseas Union Bank (OUB) as assistant to the general manager, eventually advancing to general manager and director.
At a banking management seminar in 1977, Owyang forecasted greater globalisation and substantial progress driven by computer technology. In 1982, he became a founding director of OUB’s wholly owned subsidiary in Toronto and was appointed director of its international division to manage worldwide operations.
On 1 February 1983, he resigned from OUB to assume the roles of deputy chairman and CEO at Post Office Savings Bank (POSB). Later that year in August, he took over from Michael Fam as chairman of the Housing and Development Board (HDB). In April 1985, Owyang was named deputy chairman of Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) and elevated to chairman in April 1986.
After completing his five-year tenure at POSB in February 1988, he departed from the bank. In September 1989, he succeeded Yong Pung How as chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). By February 1995, he was appointed pro-chancellor of Nanyang Technological University alongside Herman Hochstadt and Tang I-Fang.
Owyang relinquished his position as HDB chairman on 1 October 1998, with Ngiam Tong Dow succeeding him. On 18 April 2000, he assumed chairmanship of DBS Land (currently CapitaLand), succeeding Han Cheng Fong. After serving fifteen years at IPS, he retired as chairman in July 2004, passing leadership to Tommy Koh.
Personal life
On 31 May 1967, Owyang married June Tong during a ceremony held at the auditorium of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The couple had two children: a daughter and a son. Following his retirement in 2008, he moved to San Diego, California, to be closer to family members. Owyang died on 23 August 2018.
Bibliography
Awards and decorations
- Meritorious Service Medal, received in 1993.
Notes