Meet our people
Wonder what it's like to work in the different divisions in
Changi Airport Group? There is nothing more authentic
than hearing directly from our employees.
Here's what they have to say:
More than 51 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in 2012 & we had a part in that! Growing Changi's traffic and cultivating new air links are Passenger Development's key missions. We work closely with our partners such as airlines, national tourism organisations and travel intermediaries to launch campaigns promoting travel to and from selected destinations in order to grow Changi's traffic. We also jointly participate in trade shows and organise road shows with our partners in emerging markets, such as Brazil and Russia, to increase the awareness of Singapore and Changi Airport as an attractive destination and air hub. "
Each of us oversees a specific region and manages a portfolio of airline accounts. We work closely with our existing airline partners to ensure they continue to grow their traffic at Changi Airport, as well as engage new airlines to commence operations to Singapore. In essence, our division aims to grow Changi Airport as THE air hub in the region by increasing connectivity, seat capacity and airlines, which will in turn benefit the travelling public through increased choices."
Developing not just an air hub but also a centre of excellence for aviation research where insights become strategy. That's what we do."
Airport Management
Much of the joy I received (in the course of my work) came with small improvements I put into the airport for our travellers. In 1996, I introduced the world’s first internet centre in an airport. I also created the world’s first airport game show for passengers to play and win prizes in 2001. In 2008, I worked with my team to implement the world’s first butterfly garden in an airport. My work had certainly allowed me to fulfill the desire to create and innovate for the benefit of our travellers."
Foo Sek Min,Executive Vice President,
Airport Management
(Mr Foo Sek Min has been re-designated as Executive Vice President, Corporate, with effect from 1 Feb 2013)
My job is just like orchestrating a world-class team of musicians to give the audience a memorable time. I work closely with a team of professionals to manage the different touch points in the terminals and ensure operations runs smoothly. I aim to provide a stress-free, personalised and positively surprising experience to our visitors and my greatest satisfaction comes from seeing all the smiling faces passing through our gates."
The dynamism of the company and the industry continuously throws up new challenges and projects, which provide the fuel to keep my fire burning. Knowing that you are part of the team contributing to the world’s most awarded airport and one of Singapore’s most famous icons, keeps me really motivated."
CAG’s Airside Operations plays a key role in maintaining a safe and efficient airside environment. We coordinate various complex and vital tasks at the apron which hundreds of aircraft rely on in order to take-off, land and taxi safely at Changi Airport. If I have to do a sales pitch, I would say Airside Operations gives one a really good understanding of aircraft and airside operations at the airport. Many people work in Changi Airport, but not many can actually claim that their office sits on the airport tarmac!"
Wong Chee Hong,Assistant Manager,
Airside Operations,
Airport Management
Read an interview with Wong Chee Hong (132kb)Each time you receive a stress-free, personalised and positively surprising experience in Changi, it puts another feather in our cap. We are the team that focuses on Service Quality in the airport community, promoting learning and development, reviewing service processes, implementing service and ground operations initiatives so that the airport community delivers the Changi Experience to everyone at the airport."
Some say that Singapore’s Changi Airport is one of the best maintained buildings in Singapore! Indeed, our associates take pride in the upkeep of the terminals and have no qualms sticking their nose in toilets just to ensure that they are fit for our passengers use. It’s no wonder that we have one of the cleanest toilets in Singapore!"
Airport Emergency Service
I love the job, because of its physical and professional challenges. Best of all, I get to learn about the newest equipment and vehicles all the time. I have to also learn how to handle my men and understand their individual personalities and behaviours. This is especially essential because although we are a small team, we play a significant role when responding to any emergency in the airport, and every man counts."
Be it an aircraft emergency or any other safety-related incident, we need to respond quickly and decisively to prevent the incident from becoming a disruption to the smooth and efficient operations that is the hallmark of Changi Airport. We work together as a team to achieve the highest level of professional and operational competency so that all our passengers and airport visitors can take safety for granted. To me, our outstanding safety standard is what underpins our first class Changi Experience."
This is a job that requires you to think on your feet and react to an emergency situation within split seconds. For those who want something out of the extraordinary, away from the routine and mundane, the Sea Rescue Base is the place for you."
It is interesting because apart from dealing with fires, we are also trained to handle situations unique to the airport. The team that you’re in makes you feel like you’re in a family, and if you’re into firefighting, you will wear this uniform with pride."
Commercial
From building business relations and effective tenant-management skills to overseeing events and publicity at the "Landside" (areas that are open to the general public), there is never a dull moment in Commercial. My greatest achievement to date is witnessing the completion of the "T1 Upgrading" and "T3 Revamp", as these fulfilled my dream of having more renowned shopping and dining options at the "Landside". Above all, in helping to shape the Changi (Airport) landscape, what delights me the most is to be able to grow together with an awesome team.
Pricing and Commercial Strategy ensures that the aeronautical charges at Changi Airport are priced responsibly and competitively against international airports in the region. This maintains the sustainability of our air hub and success of our business partners."
Venture into little known areas of the airport and work “behind the scenes” to facilitate the operations of our tenants. We get to liaise with a diverse network of tenants, honing our social and negotiation skills in the process."
Corporate
In CAG, HR has moved beyond the concerns of traditional staff welfare, and made efforts to really engage at ground level – understanding them, hearing them and getting to know the needs of individual employees through a robust communication platform, including townhalls, lunches and employee surveys. It is a challenging process, but at the end of the day, the real value lies in touching people and hearing how things have changed for them. On a broader level, we also need to understand the context of the organisation and its stage of development as well as its needs and direction. We then adapt what we learn to suit CAG and what would work for it – tailoring it to have the biggest impact. This all involves knowing the business, the drivers of the business and seeing areas where HR can work with business units to really bring out value."
Corporate Development & International Relations handles a myriad of different issues. From planning and implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives, engaging foreign delegates and managing international relations, to identifying and rolling out corporate development programmes and spearheading efforts to promote an innovative culture and improve internal processes. There is never a dull moment in the office as every day poses a different challenge. It is the place for those who thrive on handling the curve balls in life!"
Our division is responsible for compliance with the economic regulation framework for Changi Airport. My work has involved collaborating with various divisions to ensure CAG's interests are safeguarded, conducting robust analyses of regulatory issues and their implications to the business and making well thought-through representations and policy positions on the regulatory framework which Changi Airport has to operate under. My area of work has enabled me to learn about the various parts of the airport business and the experience has been challenging but ultimately, immensely enriching and satisfying."
We are the eyes, the ears and the mouth of the organisation. We reach out to the public through various media platforms, to help them understand what Changi Airport and CAG stand for, what we do and what we have to offer. We listen to what people think and say about us, both in traditional media as well as through social media channels, and work with our colleagues in other departments to improve the public perception of Changi."
Will Changi Airport have sufficient capacity to support the growing number of passengers? Can the airport and its partners further improve punctuality of flights, and thus reduce the waiting time for passengers? These are just some of the exciting challenges I had the chance to be involved in at Corporate Strategy & Business Development."
As an auditor, my key role is to provide independent and objective reviews of the organisation’s activities, functions and processes to ascertain the effectiveness and adequacy of internal controls at all levels of the organisation. Working in Internal Audit gives me the unique opportunity to gain an insight on most aspects of the airport’s operational/financial processes. For example, in the course of my recent audit, I learnt what each colour of the airfield lighting meant."
Engineering & Development
What I enjoy about doing building works at the airport is the satisfaction of working on something that is recognisable to all Singaporeans. While the things I work with are tangible bricks and mortar, they create intangible benefits of a pleasant travelling experience and allows so many people to enjoy their time at the airport. It is these experiences, derived from what I built, that inspires me to do even better. In my job I create great memories. What I fashion here at Changi becomes the start of an unforgettable journey for you."
If you think that aerobridge replacement is just another equipment replacement project with little room for innovation, you will be surprised how we manage to transform the usually dull and boring tunnel into an interesting passageway that "wows" our passengers. We work closely with consultants, contractors and various airport users to ensure that the projects are completed on time, within cost and at the highest safety and quality standards."
Well-functioning building engineering systems are vital to deliver the exemplary Changi Experience for all airport users. We pride ourselves in ensuring the reliability of the systems and planning ahead for infrastructure upgrades to meet the needs of a world-class airport."
As a planner, I get to plan the various developments in the airport terminal. Planning brings together people from various divisions with different viewpoints. In order to turn a plan into reality, it requires everyone to be on board and agree to move in the same direction. And it's precisely this working with people which makes the job exciting, as well as the broad spectrum of projects in which an airport undertakes which keeps things fresh and me looking forward to the future of Changi."
Finance
With the constant changes in accounting standards and statutory reporting requirements, our Financial Reporting team is at the forefront in assisting management to implement and seek efficient reporting solutions. To me, various divisions in CAG are like different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle where everyone plays a part in delivering and enhancing the Changi Experience. I am proud to be part of this dynamic family and world class organisation."
Coming into CAG Finance as a fresh graduate, I've been given numerous opportunities to interact with my colleagues from multiple functions, as well as engage external parties such as financial institutions. The exposure I get at CAG allows me to continuously learn on-the-job, and drives me to deliver my best at all times."
