Ida Chao KHO
Member
Singapore Institute of Directors
Education
Ida obtained her Bachelor of Laws (Juris Doctor equivalent) from the University of the Philippines in 2000, where she graduated 15th in her cohort. During her studies, she represented the university at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C., served as Editor of the Philippine Law Journal, and was an active member of the U.P. Women in Law Society.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Ateneo de Manila University, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of The Guidon, the university’s official newspaper — becoming only the fourth woman in its 70-year history to hold that position. She was also a varsity fencer, Vice President of Ateneo Celadon, a minister in the Debate Society, and represented the university at the UNIV International University Congress in Rome.
Professional Appointments
From May to June 2025, Ida served as an Associate Faculty member at the Singapore Management University Executive Development (SMU ExD) and as a Complex Markets AI Legal Policy Adviser, where she provided insights on how businesses can responsibly adopt and scale artificial intelligence (AI) within their enterprises.
Prior to this, Ida spent 17 years at IBM across Singapore, China, and the Philippines in several senior legal and compliance positions. These include Senior Counsel for Worldwide Emerging Regulatory Policy, focusing on AI, privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance; Head of the Trust & Compliance Office for IBM’s Greater China Group; Chief Compliance Officer of Inspur Power Commercial Systems (IBM’s joint venture); Counsel and Trust & Compliance Officer for IBM Legal Investigations (Asia); and Country Counsel for IBM Philippines. She also led global compliance initiatives for IBM’s integrated supply chain operations across five continents.
Earlier in her career, Ida practised law at the Law Offices of Castillo, Laman, Tan, Pantaleon and San Jose, where she served as a Senior Associate, handling corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, investment, and dispute resolution matters.
Research Areas
Ida’s areas of specialisation include Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Governance, Security, and Privacy, and Company Law. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of technology, business, and law, with a focus on AI governance, responsible technology adoption, and policy development in complex and rapidly evolving markets.
Other Information
Ida was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2001 and is currently a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. She is also pursuing an AI Governance Certification with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Her published works include “The Rise of Interventions to Protect Human Rights in the Waning Years of the 20th Century” in the Philippine Law Journal (2000), which received the Supreme Court Justice Irene Cortez Award for Best Legal Writing, and she co-edited Doing Business in ASEAN (Institute of International Legal Studies, 1998).
With over 25 years of legal, policy, and governance experience across Asia, Ida has developed deep expertise in corporate governance, compliance, crisis management, and technology regulation.
