The Singapore Management University (SMU) has established a new Ho Bee Professorship in Chinese Economy and Business with a S$3 million endowed gift from Ho Bee Investment Ltd (Ho Bee). The Ho Bee Professorship will be the University's first professorial chair to provide for a distinguished visiting faculty to advance education and research in the area of Chinese entrepreneurship and businesses within the larger context of the Chinese economy.

The prestigious Ho Bee Professorship will be awarded to an eminent individual who is an acclaimed research scholar of high international standing, a thought leader with considerable expertise and contributions to the Chinese economy and business, as well as a passionate academic with a sterling track record in business education. He or she will provide leadership in advancing the study of Chinese economy and business at SMU, and promoting educational, economic, cultural and community development in Singapore and the region (in particular with China) for the benefit of the business community.

The professor will be appointed as a visiting faculty of SMU. Among some of the professor's responsibilities will include contributing to the University in the areas of curriculum planning, teaching, joint research, faculty development and mentorship of younger faculty. He or she will also conduct seminars, workshops and lectures to share the latest trends and research insights with students and faculty of SMU as well as the larger business community. The objective of these activities is to keep the academic community and the general public engaged in and informed of emerging innovative entrepreneurial activities and other important developments in the dynamic Chinese economy.

Mr Chua Thian Poh, Chairman and CEO of Ho Bee Investment Ltd said: “We are honoured to play a part in furthering education and knowledge creation by establishing the professorship in SMU, marking our first contribution to an educational cause. We believe the professorship will enable new ground to be explored in the study of the Chinese economy and business at SMU. This will, in turn, create new frontiers and areas of interest for students, faculty and the business community in Singapore. We look forward to the start of a long and fruitful contribution from Ho Bee to the local educational community, as part of the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility and giving back to society.”

Professor Howard Hunter, President, SMU said: “SMU thanks Ho Bee for their generosity in supporting and funding a professorship of key importance and relevance to the University. Appointments to endowed chairs recognize exceptional leadership and innovation in education and research. The holders of chairs usually are important catalysts for the development of research. The Ho Bee Professorship in Chinese Economy and Business adds to SMU's five existing professorial chairs in the fields of law, banking and accounting. It is a strategic appointment at a time when the world is witnessing phenomenal economic growth of China .”

The S$3 million contribution by Ho Bee will be matched dollar for dollar by the Singapore government.

About Ho Bee Investment Ltd

Ho Bee Investment Ltd is principally engaged in the business of real estate development and investment in Singapore and overseas. Established in 1987, it has earned a reputation as a builder of quality developments, in the residential, industrial and commercial sectors.

The Group is highly focused on its core business and adopts a nimble and fleet-footed approach to all investment decisions. It has an able and experienced management team that has an aggregate of about 100 years of experience in the business.

The Group is the biggest buyer of residential sites on Sentosa Cove since land parcels in that upscale housing district came on the market in late 2003. To date, it has bought eight parcels of land totalling over 1.4 million sq ft on the island.

As opportunities arose, the Group has also diversified overseas, namely in the UK and China . It also has a diversified portfolio of investment properties that consist of residential, industrial and commercial properties in Singapore. The Group was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1999.