Appointment of High Court Judges and International Judge

The President of the Republic of Singapore, on the advice of the Prime Minister, has appointed the following as Judges of the High Court under Article 95(1) of the Constitution with effect from 1 Aug 2019:

1. Judicial Commissioner (“JC”) Pang Khang Chau (彭康钊);
2. JC Audrey Lim Yoon Cheng (林茵倩); and
3. JC Ang Cheng Hock (洪清福)

The President of the Republic of Singapore, in accordance with Article 95(4)(c) of the Constitution, has also appointed Mr Arjan Kumar Sikri as International Judge (“IJ”) of the Singapore International Commercial Court (“SICC”) from 1 Aug 2019 till 4 Jan 2021.

Appointment of three High Court Judges

JC Pang Khang Chau

JC Pang was appointed JC of the Supreme Court in August 2016. As a JC, he specialises in shipping and insurance, intellectual property as well as company, insolvency and trusts. He also hears criminal trials. Prior to this, JC Pang was the Director-General of the International Affairs Division in the Attorney-General’s Chambers (“AGC”) where he advised the government on international law matters and represented the government in international negotiations and disputes.

In addition to his judicial duties, JC Pang is President of the International Law Association (Singapore Branch) and the Vice-Chairman of ASEAN Law Association’s Singapore National Committee.

JC Audrey Lim Yoon Cheng

Prior to her appointment as a JC of the Supreme Court in August 2016, JC Lim was the Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel in the AGC. She had also served in various postings at the Supreme Court, State Courts and the AGC since 1994. As a JC, she handles civil matters (primarily in companies, insolvency and trust), criminal matters and family cases.

JC Lim is also a member of the Board of the Singapore Mediation Centre, and sits on various committees such as the Rules of Court Working Party, Family Justice Rules Working Party, Singapore International Commercial Court Rules Working Party and Law Reform Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law (“SAL”).

JC Ang Cheng Hock

JC Ang was appointed JC of the Supreme Court in May 2018. Prior to his appointment as a JC, he was a senior partner in Messrs Allen & Gledhill, and a member of its Litigation and Dispute Resolution department. His areas of expertise include civil and commercial litigation, international arbitration and corporate-related disputes. He was appointed a Senior Counsel in 2009.

JC Ang has also been active in leadership roles outside of his judicial duties. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Professional Affairs Committee and the Chairperson of the Professional Values Chapter, both under the SAL. He is also a Board Member of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education as well a member of the Supreme Court’s Civil Justice Commission and the Ministry of Law’s Civil Justice Review Committee

Appointment of International Judge of the SICC

Mr Arjan Kumar Sikri

Mr Sikri was a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India from Apr 2013 to Mar 2019. He was appointed Judge of the High Court of Delhi in Jul 1999 and served as the Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court from Oct 2011 before being elevated to the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in Sep 2012. He was subsequently appointed a Judge at the Supreme Court of India in Apr 2013.

As a Judge, Mr Sikri issued a number of landmark judgments, particularly in the field of commercial and arbitration laws, tax laws, intellectual property matters and economic laws. He retired as the second most senior judge of the Supreme Court of India in Mar 2019.

He is currently a Visiting Professor in two National Law Schools in India and conducts arbitration and mediation sessions. Mr Sikri was conferred Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa in November 2013. In 2007, Managing Intellectual Property Association (MIPA) selected him as one of the 50 most influential persons in Intellectual Property in the world.

With the above appointments, the Supreme Court will have a total of 23 Judges (including four Judges of Appeal and the Chief Justice), four Judicial Commissioners, four Senior Judges and 17 International Judges.

PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
SINGAPORE
15 JULY 2019