Keppel Corp. Ltd. said March 20 that Chow Yew Yuen will step down as CEO after 36 years with the Singapore-based company.

Chris Ong, managing director of Keppel FELS Ltd., will be concurrently appointed as acting CEO of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd., effective April 1. Ong joined Keppel FELS in 1999 and has held a range of key appointments, the release said.

Apart from his role in Keppel FELS, Ong is the chairman of Bennett Offshore LLC, Keppel LeTourneau USA Inc., Bintan Offshore Fabricators Pte Ltd. and Keppel SLP LLC and a director of various subsidiaries or associated companies of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd.

In addition, Ong is a board member of The Institute of Technical Education Board of Governors, the Association of Singapore Marine Industries, the Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Council Marine Industries Committee and of the U EnTech Steering Committee.

Ong has a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical and electronics engineering from National University of Singapore. He is a chartered engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and a member of the American Bureau of Shipping.