• Incoming CSO Abigail Ng brings regulatory and international disclosure expertise to strengthen sustainable finance policy.
• MAS creates a dedicated Chief Sustainability Officer role as Singapore’s sustainable finance agenda matures.
• Outgoing CSO Gillian Tan advanced major initiatives including the Singapore-Asia Taxonomy and blended finance coalitions.

Singapore signals next stage in sustainable finance strategy

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has appointed Abigail Ng as its new Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), effective 6 October 2025, marking a shift in how the city-state’s central bank embeds sustainability leadership within its financial governance. Ng replaces Gillian Tan, who has held the dual responsibilities of Assistant Managing Director (Development & International) and CSO since 2022.

The move reflects Singapore’s decision to establish a standalone CSO role, separating sustainability oversight from broader international and developmental functions. Officials said the change comes at a time when MAS’ sustainability framework has moved from design and launch to scaling implementation.

Laying foundations for green finance in Asia

Over the past three years, MAS’ Sustainability Group has been instrumental in shaping regional and global sustainable finance initiatives. Under Tan’s leadership, the authority introduced the Finance for Net Zero Action Plan, aimed at mobilising capital to fund Asia’s low-carbon transition.

Key programs launched include the Singapore-Asia Taxonomy, which sought to standardise sustainable finance definitions across markets; the Transition Credits Coalition (TRACTION), designed to advance credible transition credits; and the Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (FAST-P), a blended finance platform to crowd in private capital for energy transition. MAS also rolled out a Sustainable Finance Jobs Transformation Map to align workforce skills with the industry’s accelerating needs.

Tan will remain with MAS as Group Head of the Development & International Group, continuing to oversee the regulator’s international engagement and developmental mandates.

New leadership with regulatory focus

Ng steps into the CSO role from her current position as Department Head of the Markets Policy & Consumer Department, where she has been closely involved in shaping sustainability disclosure rules and engaging with international bodies on financial standards. Her appointment signals MAS’ intent to deepen regulatory frameworks for sustainable finance while maintaining Singapore’s position as a regional hub for capital flows.

She is expected to focus on strengthening policy clarity for sustainable finance products, working with global peers on disclosure alignment, and guiding financial institutions as they implement transition financing strategies.

RELATED ARTICLE: MAS, PBC Advance Integration of Singapore-Asia Taxonomy to Boost Green Finance

Implications for global finance executives

For C-suite leaders, the handover underscores three developments. First, Singapore’s central bank is institutionalising sustainability at the highest level, ensuring continuous focus as Asia’s capital markets confront the challenges of decarbonisation. Second, MAS’ past initiatives—taxonomy work, blended finance coalitions, and skills mapping—have moved into execution, requiring new oversight focused on regulatory precision and international credibility. Third, the appointment aligns with a wider trend among regulators embedding sustainability functions in permanent senior roles rather than temporary taskforces.

International banks, investors, and corporates using Singapore as a base for green bond issuances, transition finance, or carbon market activities should expect closer alignment with disclosure frameworks and potentially higher scrutiny of taxonomy-based claims. The new CSO is also likely to play a role in shaping global dialogues on transition finance, where Asia’s pathway diverges from European and US approaches.

A regional and global pivot

Singapore has long positioned itself as a bridge between Asian markets and global capital. MAS’ decision to strengthen its sustainability governance comes as investors press for credible transition finance and as governments across the region balance energy security with decarbonisation. The establishment of a dedicated CSO role highlights Singapore’s calculation that climate finance is not a temporary initiative but a structural pillar of financial regulation.

Ng’s appointment will be watched closely by financial institutions across Asia and beyond, as Singapore continues to refine its role in setting standards, mobilising blended finance, and shaping the discourse on transition pathways. For global investors, the shift offers both clarity and signal: sustainability is now firmly integrated into the core architecture of one of Asia’s most influential financial regulators.

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