Appointed on 26 April 2021
Siang joined DAS on 15 December 2001 and assumed the post of CEO on 1 September 2014. He also sits on the Board of DAS subsidiaries, DAS Academy and DAS International. Siang was on the Board of the US-based International Dyslexia Association and Chair of their Global Partners Committee from 2016 to 2018, he still remains a member of the Global Partners Committee representing Singapore. He has been awarded the International Dyslexia Association’s Excellence in Leadership Award 2020. Reflecting the significant overlap between dyslexia and other specific learning differences, Siang was on the SPARK (Society for the Promotion of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Research & Knowledge) 2.0 Steering Committee. Siang contributes regularly to the DAS CEO BLOG. He is co-author of the book titled “International Book of Dyslexia In Education” to be published by Routledge (2022). In 2023, Siang was invited to join the Board of the African Dyslexia Organization to share Singapore’s experience.
Siang has played a key role in the rapid growth of DAS into a thriving social enterprise with a multi-disciplinary professional workforce that provides a continuum of services for an evolving spectrum of clients. He emphasizes that DAS “must strive to fulfil our social mission by combining entrepreneurial and business skills with the philanthropic objectives of non-profits”. Siang has placed great emphasis on building a pool of expertise in dyslexia and other learning differences in Singapore. He has encouraged programme evaluation and research to ensure that DAS programmes are evidence-based. Additionally, Siang promises that DAS will strive to ensure that children with dyslexia from lower-income families are able to access much-needed DAS programmes and services through the provision of bursaries which are enabled by generous donations from sponsors and supporters of DAS.
Siang obtained his BA from the National University of Singapore via the sponsorship of the Singapore Armed Forces. He also has a Certificate in Dyslexia Studies, a PGC in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and a PGC in Specific Learning Differences from London Metropolitan University, a PGDip in Financial Management from the Singapore Institute of Management and an MBA from the University of Western Australia. It is this unique balance of experiences and qualifications that has allowed Siang to oversee the diverse services and functions of the DAS family.
