The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has sacked its chief executive Edmund Kwok with effect from 14 Nov, over a “personal indiscretion” involving a male staff member. NKF said that it had also lodged a police report over the incident. In saying that the incident is a ‘reportable offence’, the organisation refused to give any further details of the nature of the personal indiscretion.
Kwok’s termination is a blow to the charitable organisation which had been working hard to win back public trust following the financial scandal involving one of its former CEO, T T Durai, in 2004.
Kwok was employed by NKF in 2012 as Chief Operating Officer, before becoming CEO in 2013. Prior to starting at NKF, Kwok was vice president of oncology at Parkway Healthcare. He had previously also been employed in Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Institute of Mental Health.
NKF said that another of its former CEO, Eunice Tay, will helm the organisation as interim chief executive after 14 Dec. A three-member executive committee appointed by the board will cover the duties of Kwok in the meantime. The board is searching for an appropriate candidate to fill the position vacated by Kwok.
Ms Tay had been CEO from 2006 to 2013. She took over from interim CEO Goh Chee Leok. Goh became interim CEO after NKF’s Board resigned en masse after the Durai scandal.
Durai was found culpable of misusing his authority after he confessed to utilising NKF funds to upkeep himself. Durai eventually repaid $4.05 million to NKF. He also served two-thirds of the three months jail sentence handed down to him for deceiving NKF to pay $20,000 to his friendm an interior designer.
The board of NKF assured all its stakeholders, including patients, donors, supporters and employees, that Kwok’s personal indiscretion has nothing to do with the stewardship of their finances.
“Our operations are not affected by this matter and our services to patients and beneficiaries continue as per normal,” it added.