National honours conferred on two business leaders for significant contributions to Singapore

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, conferred national honours on two business leaders today. The Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award was conferred on Mr Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Evonik Industries AG, and Mr Hung Chia-Tsung (Stan Hung), Chairman of United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), during a ceremony held at the Istana.

Mr Png Cheong Boon, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), said: “Mr Christian Kullmann and Mr Stan Hung have overseen major investments that have expanded the capabilities of our specialty chemicals and semiconductor industries, and reinforced Singapore’s global leadership in high-value manufacturing. We appreciate Evonik’s and UMC’s partnership in fostering innovation and developing future-ready talent in Singapore, as we strengthen our economic resilience. Congratulations on your award and thank you for your continued confidence in Singapore.”

Mr Christian Kullmann

Mr Christian Kullmann is the Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Evonik Industries AG, a global leader in specialty chemicals and a significant player in Singapore’s chemicals industry. He has been with the company since 2003 and has served as its Chairman and CEO since 2017.

Evonik first established its presence in Singapore in 1969 and has since invested over S$1.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) here. Under Mr Kullmann’s leadership, Evonik has made a series of landmark investments in manufacturing and research and development (R&D) that have significantly strengthened Singapore’s position as a leading specialty chemicals hub in Asia. In 2018, Evonik established its Asia Research Hub (ARH) in Singapore, which has over 60 R&D employees today. The ARH expanded its mandate in 2022 and 2024 to work on new areas such as life sciences and skin sciences.

On the manufacturing front, Evonik has invested in two world-scale methionine facilities on Jurong Island — the largest such complex in the world. In 2024, Evonik completed the Singapore Methionine Expansion (SIMEX) project, which further expanded capacity while incorporating low-carbon technologies to significantly reduce the complex’s carbon footprint. This was followed by Evonik’s inauguration of a world-scale alkoxides facility on Jurong Island in 2025 — its first in Asia.

Mr Kullmann has consistently championed Singapore’s strategic relevance to Evonik across multiple areas — manufacturing, innovation, headquarters, and now AI. Beyond Evonik, he has advocated for Singapore as a reliable partner for companies looking to scale and innovate. Today, Singapore serves as a critical node in Evonik’s strategy to unlock growth opportunities across Asia and beyond.

On being conferred the Award, Mr Kullmann said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Public Service Star, which I accept on behalf of our more than 700 dedicated employees in Singapore. For nearly six decades, the Singapore Government and the company have fostered a partnership founded on trust, mutual respect, and shared ambition. This meaningful collaboration has been nurtured and strengthened by dedication and effort, for which I am profoundly grateful. For Evonik, Asia is a key growth region, and Singapore plays a central role in shaping our business here. Thanks to Singapore’s stability, talent, and connectivity over many years, we have been able to grow steadily here.”

Mr Stan Hung

Mr Stan Hung joined UMC in 1991 and served as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President before assuming his current role as Chairman. Under Mr Hung’s leadership, UMC — a leading semiconductor foundry — has made transformative investments in Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem, strengthening Singapore’s position as a critical node in the global semiconductor supply chain.

Mr Hung championed UMC’s most recent S$6.7 billion (US$5 billion) investment in a new semiconductor fabrication facility in Singapore — the company’s second major investment here since it first established its presence in 2001. Operational since 2025, the advanced fab is on track to create approximately 700 jobs locally, building on more than 1,800 existing jobs from UMC’s current operations. Beyond job creation, the investment will enable Singapore to pioneer critical new capabilities in specialty semiconductor technologies that drive communications, Internet of Things (IoT), automotive and AI innovations. UMC’s continued expansion reflects the company’s enduring confidence in Singapore as a leading base for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor R&D.

Beyond expanding UMC’s operational footprint, Mr Hung has made significant contributions to local talent development in Singapore. He personally drove discussions with Ngee Ann Polytechnic, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance engineering training programmes and develop a steady pipeline of skilled talent for the semiconductor industry.

Mr Hung has been a strong and consistent advocate for Singapore within the broader semiconductor industry and leadership community. This has helped foster dialogue with several semiconductor companies, paving the way for potential investments and expansions in Singapore.

UMC’s investments and Mr Hung’s efforts to catalyse broader ecosystem development are expected to generate meaningful economic benefits for Singapore, including increased manufacturing output, higher value-added activities, and job creation, while further enhancing the competitiveness, resilience and long-term growth of Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem.

On being conferred the Award, Mr Hung said: “It's a great honour to be a recipient of the Public Service Star. I am grateful for EDB's unwavering support in facilitating the establishment of UMC's supply chain partnerships here, which have helped build a more comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore. UMC is also proud to contribute to the development of local talent and capabilities, and we appreciate EDB's dedication to strengthening Singapore's position as a global leader in the semiconductor industry.”

About the Awards

Initiated by the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1998, the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award recognises senior business executives for their outstanding contributions to the economic growth of Singapore. Between 1998 and 2025, 53 senior business executives, including Mr Kullmann and Mr Hung, have been conferred the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award.