Francis Yuen

Ex-President (Asia), Honeywell & Ingersoll Rand

BBA, Class of 1981
MBA, Class of 1992

Right after completing his ‘A’ Level Examinations, Francis joined the Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and had served the force for a good six years before receiving an SAF scholarship for his university education. Choosing to pursue his BBA at NUS Business School, he was thankful for the valuable opportunity, and at the same time also felt the need to excel as a scholarship recipient. He eventually exceeded expectations, graduating with First Class Honours and racking up accolades including the Mobil Gold Medal, SGV Gold Medal, and Toh Chin Chye Book Prize. Fondly recalling his time at the Bukit Timah campus, he admits that his time at NUS Business School had profoundly impacted his life, launching him into a successful career and helping him form lifelong friendships. 

After graduation, Francis found his tenure in the RSAF highly satisfying. At that time, the RSAF was undergoing significant reorganisation and modernisation, and he played a major role in the planning and execution of key changes, with the skills he acquired during his BBA programme proving invaluable. 

Francis decided to pursue an MBA at his alma mater after leaving the RSAF in 1989, intending to transition into the aerospace industry. He believed it was an opportune moment to recharge his intellectual capital before facing new challenges in an uncertain environment. The MBA programme was to him invigorating, not primarily because of the lectures, but due to the interactions with classmates from diverse backgrounds. He cherished the late-night discussions with project teammates and the strong team spirit they cultivated. 

Following his MBA graduation, Francis’ career soared as he joined Singapore Aerospace in a senior management role. He was later headhunted by Honeywell, where he made the bold decision to relocate to China for new experiences and challenges. “It was day versus night compared to what China is today and what it was like during the 1990s and early 2000s when I was there,” he reflects. Establishing new offices, building a robust team to capture market share, and collaborating with Chinese joint venture partners were significant challenges, but Francis felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to combine the leadership skills gained from his RSAF experience with the business acumen acquired during his university studies, equipping him for success in a demanding environment.  

His roles as President of Honeywell Asia, President of Ingersoll Rand Asia, and CEO of Hong Leong Asia testify to his successful career, which he attributes largely to his education at NUS Business School.