(Gelephu, Bhutan, 1 October 2024) – In a significant move, His Majesty the King of Bhutan has appointed Mun Leong Liew as CEO to lead the groundbreaking Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) in the Kingdom’s Special Administrative Region. His Majesty, Chairman of the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Mindfulness City, concurrently appointed Liew to the BOD alongside Joichi “Joi” Ito, Yee Ean Pang, Seow Hiang Lee, Arun Kapur and Lauren Chung. Further additions to the Mindfulness City BOD will be announced shortly. His Majesty also named Ito as Chairman of the Gelephu Investment Development Corporation (GIDC).

With decades of global experience, these leaders in their fields will work with Bhutanese peers and international partners to establish GMC as a beacon of mindful development, blending cutting-edge infrastructure with Bhutanese values to drive sustainable, transformative growth. Announced by His Majesty in December 2023, Gelephu Mindfulness City is a global economic hub designed to reframe core principles of economic and social development.

Mun Leong Liew will lead the charge based on his extensive experience at the helm of international investment and development projects. He has a solid track record in urbanisation, infrastructure and airport development garnered planning and executing groundbreaking projects across global markets in leadership roles with CapitaLand, Changi Airport and Surbana Jurong Group. As founding president and CEO of CapitaLand Group, he grew the publicly listed company to a USD 12 billion market capitalisation and expanded its footprint to more than 20 countries, making it Southeast Asia’s largest real estate group. His leadership at Changi Airport Group saw the creation of the globally recognised Jewel Changi Airport, among other developments. 

This positions Liew well to steer GMC’s strategic vision, infrastructure projects and global investments. A core focus of his mandate will be capacity building, developing Bhutanese talent in preparation for future leadership succession of the Gelephu Mindfulness City team.

Commenting on his appointment, Liew said, “I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with this leadership role and thrilled to build the team that will bring Gelephu Mindfulness City to life. This project will redefine sustainable urban living, and I am eager to collaborate with a diverse team of bright, passionate professionals to realise His Majesty’s vision. Together, we will create a truly unique city that embodies Bhutanese values while shaping the future of mindful economic growth.” 

Joichi “Joi” Ito has concurrently taken the role of Chairman of the Gelephu Investment Development Corporation (GIDC). Ito will work with Bhutanese and international peers to facilitate investment and economic growth and development for enterprises in Gelephu Mindfulness City SAR, other areas of Bhutan and globally. 

This will include working to enhance digital connectivity for the Mindfulness City and the Kingdom and driving investment in green energy sources such as hydropower and solar. At the same time, GIDC will foster the establishment and growth of technology industries to utilise carbon-free power, including data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) companies.

Ito is uniquely qualified for this mandate based on extensive technology sector experience. His current role as President of Chiba Institute of Technology and previous position as Director of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) put him at the forefront of research & development in areas such as green energy, AI, web3 and Blockchain. Similarly, his work with The Digital Society Council of the Digital Agency of Japan and international organisations such as The Mozilla Foundation and The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) means that he brings a broad network of relationships with him. 

Ito commented on his appointment, saying, “Gelephu Mindfulness City and the Kingdom of Bhutan are trailblazers in environmentally responsible and mindful development based on abundant green energy sources; entrepreneurs pushing boundaries in areas such as AI, blockchain and drone development; and commitment to harnessing technology to improve the human condition.”

Yee Ean Pangjoins the BOD with a strong investment track record in greenfield and infrastructure development across Asia, with a USD 6 billion portfolio, a significant portion of which is dedicated to renewable energy. He is currently focused on social sustainability investments. As the founder and director of Urbina Capital, former CEO of Surbana Jurong Capital and Director General of Operations at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, his expertise will guide Gelephu’s alignment with triple sustainability investment strategies, working to ensure economically, socially and environmentally responsible development.

Seow Hiang Lee, former CEO of Changi Airport Group, brings unmatched insights into urban development and international connectivity to the BOD. Having overseen the rise of Changi Airport to global prominence – the transportation hub has been named the World’s Best Airport multiple times – his deep understanding of the interplay between government and the private sector in the pursuit of infrastructure development and economic growth will be pivotal in ensuring Gelephu Mindfulness City’s competitiveness as a regional economic hub.

Arun Kapur, who led the establishment of the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute (DGI) at Paro, Bhutan, contributes deep understanding of training and education systems to the BOD. He will play a key role in upskilling Bhutanese talent to take leading roles in private and public institutions in the Mindfulness City. Prior to his work with DGI, Kapur held leadership positions with some of the highest ranked schools across India, including as Principal of The British School and Headmaster of the Vasant Valley School, both in New Delhi, and as Executive Director of Learn Today, headquartered in New Delhi.

Lauren Chung, Asia Pacific CEO of Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, brings significant expertise in international relations and communications strategy to the BOD. Lauren is a trusted advisor to corporate boards, CEOs, investors, governments and civil society leaders, helping them achieve strategic goals while navigating high-stakes economic, geo-strategic, regulatory, media, social, technological and environmental change. She will provide guidance on the necessary communications infrastructure and skills development to support the City’s global stakeholder engagement.

The new appointees attended the opening session of the Bhutan Innovation Forum this morning in Paro, Bhutan, where Bjarke Ingels, founding partner & creative director of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), presented the concept masterplan for GMC.

Together, these development, technology and education pioneers will lay the foundation for Gelephu Mindfulness City to emerge as a global model of economic and social development in harmony with the human spirit and the environment. As Bhutan embarks on this visionary journey, it continues to seek like-minded, visionary professionals to join this pioneering initiative, driving forward a new era of growth and mindfulness for the Kingdom and beyond.

About Gelephu Mindfulness City

The Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project is a pioneering initiative creating an urban environment centered around mindfulness, sustainability and innovation. The city will integrate traditional Bhutanese values with cutting-edge design and technology, harnessing the Kingdom’s abundant green power to serve as a global exemplar of holistic development. The GMC will operate as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power. 

Media Contacts

Carissa Nimah 

Managing Director, Communications – GMC

carissa@gmc.bt

Yuri van der Leest

Managing Director, Teneo

gelephu@teneo.com