Thursday

Mr SIA: Fly Past
Ken Hickson
Singapore: World Scientific, 2014
ISBN: 9789814596442

Introducing the life and times of a legend in international aviation -- Lim Chin Beng -- the man they called Mr SIA.

Absorbing the life and work of Lim Chin Beng is like watching a fly past of airlines and aircraft old and new. In this book, his past comes to meet you in many forms -- designs, shapes, figures, photographs, episodes, places, people and you discover the connections with business, society and international aviation today and into the future. Here's a man who was instrumental in taking the very basic components of a business -- like a potter taking the clay -- and creating what has become one of the world's leading brands, Singapore Airlines. But this airline "specialist", trained as an economist, had more jobs to do. His broad range of interests -- arts and sports, property and tourism -- led to him being called on to do his "national service" for Singapore. He was Ambassador to Japan for two terms and trade negotiator, chairman of the Singapore Tourism Board, Changi Airport International, Singapore Airshow, Singapore Press Holdings, Ascott Group, and ST Aerospace. Described as a quiet achiever and a visionary, this modest gentleman was not afraid to make bold decisions and take risks, even to the extent of setting up a budget airline, Valuair. Here was one man, who in his time, played many parts, on the world's stage and at home

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