YEONG Zee Kin

Professional Appointments

Mr. Yeong Zee Kin is the Chief Executive of the Singapore Academy of Law, a promotion and development agency for Singapore’s legal profession. A globally recognised expert in AI ethics and technology regulation, he spearheaded the development of Singapore’s Model AI Governance Framework, which received the UN ITU WSIS Prize in 2019. He was also a member of the OECD’s AI Group of Experts (AIGO), which developed the OECD Principles on AI that were endorsed by the G20 in 2019, and served as an observer participant in the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on AI.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Yeong was Assistant Chief Executive (Data Innovation and Protection Group) at the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Deputy Commissioner of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC). At IMDA, he oversaw Singapore’s AI and data industry development strategy, focusing on forward-looking governance, ecosystem adoption, and capability building. At PDPC, he led the administration and implementation of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act, and drove public education and compliance initiatives.

Research Areas

Mr. Yeong has contributed extensively to legal scholarship in data protection and technology law, including as a contributor to Data Protection Law in Singapore and Law and Technology in Singapore. He is also the author of Technology Regulation in the Digital Economy, launched at TechLaw.Fest 2023. He continues to be a sought-after speaker at both international and domestic forums on the legal and ethical dimensions of emerging technologies.