In an interview with The Edge Singapore on June 2, Chiao shared a conversation with his daughter that illustrated how ingrained the demand for sustainability is amongst today’s youth. At a dinner table discussion, Chiao’s daughter wondered aloud why sustainability had to be “discussed” and added that to her, sustainability was a concept that was inherently considered.
This highlighted a shift in culture to Chiao, signalling to him that sustainability would henceforth always be a consideration in the new market: the younger generations have inculcated sustainability into their way of living, and it is no longer something that needs to be talked about.
Transforming SJ
When Chiao joined SJ from Dallas-based Aecom in April 2023, the Taiwan-born industry veteran, who has over 35 years of experience in design and engineering consulting for the built environment and global business leadership, already had the company on his radar. Hence, Chiao, who had been living in Hong Kong with his family for 28 years, leapt at the opportunity to relocate to Singapore and take up the challenge to bring the firm into a new chapter, with encouragement from his wife.
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“This is a company with technical strength, a legacy of nation-building, and ambition. It stood out as a homegrown success story with global reach. For me, it was only a matter of time,” he says.
That foresight was one of the reasons behind Chiao’s appointment. After all, SJ had a clear objective for its new group CEO, which is to grow the group into a global platform and “drive lasting positive change through leadership,” according to SJ’s group chairman, Chaly Mah, in the group’s statement dated March 31, 2023.
A unified SJ
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In bringing SJ to the next level, Chiao first set out to unite the group’s various brands — 10 companies spread across 40 countries — the result of years of strategic acquisitions.
“When I joined, it was clear we had the building blocks, but they were scattered. The priority was to bring alignment. One of the first steps was to uncover a shared purpose that could unify us and give deeper meaning to our work: delivering real impact, made together,” Chiao says.
He spent his first three months on the ground understanding the company before delivering the blueprint for change, in July 2023, to SJ’s board of directors. Chiao’s plan, which is to operate on three major business lines instead of by brand or location, was eventually executed in January 2024. “Everything we’ve done, this transformation, is about focusing on what matters most: the client. When we serve well, we succeed.”
Finding a common thread between the different company cultures and brands was not easy, compounded by the fact that each brand virtually operated on entirely different vocabularies. Furthermore, SJ's employees number over 16,000 architects, engineers, ecologists, data scientists, project managers, facilities managers and security officers.
“You can’t bring together 10 companies overnight. Each came with its own systems and culture. The challenge — and the opportunity — is to shape a shared identity without losing what has made each one great,” Chiao says.
In that setting, how do you measure profit, efficiency and productivity, Chiao asks.
Aside from financial goals set by shareholders, Chiao wants to build a better, more united company overall, noting that it was important to bring vision and strategic direction, articulate a shared purpose, and let employees bring it to life within their respective disciplines.
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While leading a company of SJ’s size and keeping up with its various business units is no easy task, Chiao keeps things simple: that is, to lead with empowerment, clarity and alignment. To him, empowering his leaders, in particular, is key due to the sheer size of the company.
Sustainability goals
Sustainability has become increasingly important for businesses across all industries, particularly in the built environment, thanks to growing awareness of climate change, shifting consumer expectations and resource scarcity.
Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a guideline, SJ has geared its projects to follow goals outlined in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The World Green Building Council has also called for members of the industry to commit to having net-zero office spaces by 2030. SJ has pledged to become carbon-neutral in 2035.
While the target is not an easy one, Chiao points out that it would be “no fun” if the group set an easy target to begin with.
On the costs of being sustainable, the market has already priced that in with sustainability, more of than not, seen as a requirement and not an add-on, says Chiao. He believes that the market will adjust itself accordingly if being sustainable commands a higher price; as the supply chain evolves, costs will drop.
The group’s role is to help clients make the case with data, to show how regenerative design reduces lifecycle costs, mitigates risk and attracts green financing, leveraging digital tools, such as emissions tracking software and climate modelling platforms, to enhance decision-making and efficiency, reducing costs.
The group’s member brands, such as Atelier Ten and SAA Architects, have completed iconic projects such as Gardens by the Bay and Mandai Rainforest Resort, and are currently working on Changi Airport’s Terminal 5.
Their global headquarters, SJ Campus, is built on a greenfield site in Singapore, and has achieved over 40% energy savings compared to standard buildings through sustainability features such as an underfloor air distribution system and rooftop solar panels.
When asked how Asia compares to the rest of the world, Chiao says the region is “more than ready” for sustainable and digital transformation in infrastructure.
Entering a new age with innovation and digital transformation
While much of SJ’s transformation has centred around restructuring, alignment and the growing shift towards sustainability, Chiao believes true change must also come from within — through a culture that encourages creativity, collaboration and bottom-up ideas.
“Innovation isn’t a department; it’s part of who we are. It’s in our DNA, from building a million homes in Singapore to what we’re doing now with AI and digital tools,” says Chiao.
This is done by taking a centre of excellence (COE) approach, where the group has built different groups of COEs to connect the grassroots, identify talents, skillsets and best practices and bring them together for the betterment of the company.
In this area of architecture, Chiao believes there is also space for AI to play a role. From handling routine tasks like note-taking to optimising designs for greater energy efficiency, AI offers the potential to save both time and resources.
An additional design team was created to use AI to accelerate the design process and enhance creativity through the generation of ideas. A software dubbed Podium was developed in-house to help clients visualise construction.
Pointing to Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona as an example, Chiao explains that a more sustainable way to revitalise the stadium is to add 10,000 additional seats to the current structure instead of tearing it down and building a new one.
AI would help the team visualise the design, which will then help communicate the idea to their clients. This is especially helpful for larger-scale and more complex projects.
“Design with care, and you build smarter. You save time, cut waste and make something that lasts. That’s the power of sustainable, regenerative thinking,” says Chiao.
External collaborations with research institutions and universities such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU), through the Surbana Jurong-NTU Corporate Laboratory, have also helped SJ to develop next-generation sustainable solutions.
“Our job is to serve our clients and communities, and to do it better, faster and more efficiently. Digitalisation is helping us bring that precision and foresight to every project,” says Chiao.
Infrastructure demand
The aviation industry is seeing a boom in infrastructure demand, exemplified by countries aggressively building and expanding their airports.
SJ, along with Arup and Mott MacDonald, was selected as the master building consultants to provide engineering design and management services for Changi Airport Terminal 5’s key structures.
When completed, Terminal 5 will help make Changi an even more notable airport. “The projects we’ve taken on, they don’t just build capability. They build confidence, they build credibility,” Chiao says.
The healthcare sector is also seeing a demand for infrastructure as ageing populations grow more conscious about health. A rising middle class also demands better infrastructure in the form of better education, environment, roadways and more.
The multidisciplinary nature of the demand plays into SJ’s strengths and helps them create a better communal impact. “At the end of the day, it’s about impact. We want to work on projects that uplift communities, transform cities and leave a lasting legacy,” Chiao says.
When asked about an influential project he wishes he had worked on, Chiao says: “SJ’s next project. Because the best project is always the one ahead of us, the one that challenges us to grow, lead and make a real impact.”
Expansion plans
Currently, 85% of SJ’s projects are based in Asia and Australia. The company is keen on expanding its reach, particularly in the UK and US.
Through its fourth business line, the company aims to explore newer endeavours through project management, taking up larger and more complex projects.
How has the company changed since Chiao took over? He says SJ has not completely changed. “This isn’t about starting from scratch. We have strong roots. It’s about evolving, becoming more cohesive, more united, and ultimately stronger together.”
When Chiao joined SJ in 2023, the group was in its “year of transition”. 2024 was SJ’s “year of transformation” and 2025 is its “year of excellence”.
But that does not mean the group will stop transforming. In fact, it is still in the middle of transforming itself, with the confidence that it has built a “very solid foundation” and is evolving to become a better company.
Moving forward to SJ’s next phase, Chiao hopes that the company can become “one of the most significant design engineering consultants in the world”.
“We’ve made real progress. We’re more aligned, more agile, more ambitious. But we’re not done. We want to make a bigger impact globally, and we’re getting there,” he says.
