Distinguished Lifetime Member

[2025 DLM] Ernest Kan

Dr Ernest Kan Yaw Kiong, FCA (Singapore) served in Deloitte leadership as Chief-of-Operation (Clients & Markets) from 2007 to 2016 and Deputy Managing Partner (Markets) from 2016 to 2018. Dr Kan has held prominent leadership positions in the accounting profession, including President of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS) in 2009, and he led the transition and transformation of ICPAS into the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) in 2013. During his time as ICPAS Council member and concurrently as Board Member of the Public Accountants Board (PAB), he was appointed by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to chair the Auditor Independence Committee that developed the auditor independence rules, which were gazetted in 2002,this is not only a significant milestone that enhanced corporate governance and public accountancy practices but also first for Singapore in its governance standing as a world-class business and financial centre. He was the first Chairman of the Singapore Institute of Accredited Tax Professionals in 2010. In the corporate sector, he is a Non-Executive Independent Director of CapitaLand India Trust and Zheneng Jinjiang Environment Holding, both listed on SGX, with prior experience at SGX promoting capital markets in China. His public service includes roles with MOF, ACRA, the Singapore Accountancy Commission and was part of the Committee to Develop the Accountancy Sector formed by MOF in 2008. He also served with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Monetary Authority of Singapore, and is taking on leadership roles in grassroots and sports organisations. In early 2025, he was appointed Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to Kenya. He was a recipient of the Public Service Medal in 2008 and the Public Service Star in 2017.