Singapore’s Surbana Jurong Group (SJ Group) has announced that Sean Chiao will retire as group chief executive officer and step down from the board of the group, effective 31 July 2026.

Mr Chiao has led SJ Group since April 2023. Under his leadership, SJ Group has made significant progress in its ambition of becoming a leading global architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) player. He steered the group’s transformation agenda and anchored its enterprise approach through One SJ, unifying its businesses and brands around a shared vision and culture framework.

Mr Chiao also strengthened and refreshed SJ’s senior leadership team through a combination of high-calibre internal appointments and external hires, reshaped the group’s operating model into a globally integrated one, and sharpened its focus on operational excellence. These efforts have reinforced SJ’s standing among the top AEC firms in Asia and globally – the group ranked 24th among ENR’s Top 225 International Design Firms, which tracks revenue from design services on projects outside a firm’s home country.

“It has been a tremendous privilege to lead SJ through a transformative chapter in its history. Building One SJ and bringing our people together around our shared purpose is what I am most proud of,” said Mr Chiao. “I am grateful to the chairman and the board, and all my colleagues for the trust and partnership these past three years, and retire from the role knowing that the group has the talent, the global platform, and the ambition to go even further as it builds a resilient, regenerative future.”

“We thank Sean for his leadership and his contributions in positioning the group for future success, and wish him the very best in his future endeavours,” said Chaly Mah, chairman of SJ Group. “The board has commenced a global search for Sean’s successor. In the interim, I will take on the role of executive chairman to manage the key operations of the group. The board and management team are focused on ensuring a seamless transition.”