Dr Jason Phua, who led Alexandra Hospital (AH) through its foundational years and kickstarted its redevelopment, will be succeeded by Ms Margaret Lee, CEO-Designate, on 1 January 2026.
SINGAPORE, 30 December 2025 – Dr Jason Phua, the inaugural CEO of AH since its transition to the National University Health System (NUHS), will relinquish his appointment on 31 December 2025. He will be succeeded by Ms Margaret Lee who is currently CEO-Designate and a former Chief Nurse and Chief Culture Officer of the hospital. Dr Phua will continue to focus on care models and workforce transformation across the health system in his role as Deputy Chief Executive (Clinical Transformation), NUHS.
Since 2018, Dr Phua steered the hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic, even as it strengthened its integrated general hospital model, in which inpatients are cared for by a consistent multidisciplinary team regardless of whether their needs are acute or subacute; outpatients are looked after by one principal doctor who consolidates care for them; and patients at home are covered by a Virtual Care Centre hotline. Today, AH is a vibrant space for healthcare innovation, complete with virtual hospital and artificial intelligence initiatives as it redevelops into a 1,300-bed hospital which will progressively open from 2028.
“Under Jason’s dedicated leadership, the team cultivated a culture of excellence, innovation and empowerment, driven by their quest to redesign healthcare. This succession is a testament to our commitment to grow leaders and recognise talent from within the NUHS family”, said Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Chief Executive, NUHS.
Succeeding Dr Phua is Ms Margaret Lee, who has achieved nursing excellence in her 30-year-long healthcare career. As the inaugural Chief Nurse of AH since 2018 to 30 June 2024, Ms Lee developed the "Future of AH Nursing" roadmap to advance nursing practice and integrated care. She elevated nursing roles through nurse-led care models, acuity-based staffing, and championed “nursing practice across settings”, including scaling of virtual nursing practice.
A strong advocate for patient and caregivers, she championed initiatives to enhance patient and caregiver inclusion and support across the hospital campus. Appointed as AH’s first Chief Culture Officer in 2022, Ms Lee was instrumental in embedding AH’s care philosophy and the learning, daring, and fun culture. Her exemplary service was recognised with the highest honours, including the President’s Award for Nurses 2021, and the NUHS-Mochtar Riady Pinnacle Award 2019.
During her tenure as CEO-Designate, Ms Lee spearheaded the hospital’s strategic transformation with innovative tools and role-rescope to future-proof the workforce. She also fostered a culture of continuous learning and data-driven agility, firmly positioning AH for its redevelopment and future challenges.
Dr Catherine Koh, Group Chief Nurse, NUHS, highlighted the significance of this appointment: “Ms Lee's journey from Chief Nurse has propelled her training and leadership to put her in good stead to assume the weightier responsibilities of a CEO. Her leadership will inspire future generations of nurses to pursue diverse career paths, including leadership and management.”
Ms Lee shares the vision of the hospital, “The redevelopment of AH is a significant project. My focus will be to ensure we deliver a hospital that meets the changing needs of our patients, the population and our system for the decades ahead,” To keep patient care sustainable and excellent, we need to harness technology, data analytics, and new care models like our virtual ward and empowered caregiver networks are critical enablers for the future of health and care.”
-End-
About Alexandra Hospital
Alexandra Hospital (AH) will be redeveloped into an integrated health campus which will open progressively from 2028. It is currently open and operational under the National University Health System (NUHS) since 1 June 2018. Its care model provides a single continuum of care across different settings from acute, sub-acute to rehabilitative care under one roof. Care is anchored by a team with a principal doctor and provided through key programmes. The team works with patients, families and community partners to initiate clinical and social interventions early. The aim is to provide as seamless and holistic an experience as possible with the best patient outcomes by being the patient’s link to the NUHS system of members, GPs, Polyclinics, VWO and social care partners.
By 2028-2029, the new campus will be fully integrated with the larger Queenstown community, providing greater accessibility for patients and their families. It will be an Integrated General Hospital with a full suite of hospital services, and signature multidisciplinary programmes in Integrated Care, Geriatric Medicine, Supportive and Palliative Care Medicine, Rehabilitative Medicine, Psychological Medicine, and Surgery and Anaesthesia Programme.
AH and the Rail Corridor will be well-integrated in design and will promote active living and biodiversity. There will be seamless connectivity across AH and its surrounding communities, and AH will be a healthcare campus designed with and for the community. Age-friendly community and green spaces will be strategically linked to the Rail Corridor. This will include cycling or walkthrough paths with heritage trail and memory markers of the hospital’s rich history.
Chinese Glossary
| Dr Jason Phua Deputy Chief Executive (Clinical Transformation) NUHS | 潘杰绅医生 副总裁（临床转型） 国大医学组织 |
Ms Margaret Lee | 李桂香 总裁 亚历山大医院 |
To download the PDF version of the press release, click here
