Bernard Toh

Immediate Past Director of Alumni Relations
National University of Singapore (Singapore)

Bernard worked in the area of advancement over the last twenty years at the National University of Singapore and retired very recently. He first joined the National University of Singapore in April 2005 as its Corporate Communications Director. In this role, he oversaw the branding, marketing and corporate communications of the university. In December 2008, he was appointed to the Office of NUS President, leading strategic projects and communications. During this tenure, he also served as Director of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) Secretariat from 2009 to 2013, harnessing the deep talents within ten of the world’s leading research universities to develop and model strategic leadership for the global higher education sector. In July 2016, after eight years in the NUS President’s Office, Bernard was appointed as Director of NUS Office of Alumni Relations to build meaningful, lifelong relationships with NUS’ 330,000 strong alumni family then. After seven enriching years, he relinquished this role and returned to the NUS Office of the President in July 2023 as Director of Special Projects for the next two years. He retired at the end of October 2025 after spending twenty exciting and meaningful years with one of Asia’s leading universities.

Prior to joining the University, Bernard served in the Republic of Singapore Air Force as an air defence professional for two decades, from 1985 to 2005, attaining the rank of full colonel. His highest held command appointment was Brigade Commander before he joined the Air Staff as Chief of Human Resources for the Air Force. In 2001, he was appointed as Director, Public Affairs of the Ministry of Defence, Singapore and served as its chief spokesman. Even after leaving active service in March 2005, Bernard continued to help develop identified high-potential officers through executive coaching and has been actively coaching since 2008.

Bernard graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts (Architectural Studies) in 1985 and obtained a Master of Business Administration from Cranfield University, UK in 1998, and a post-Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Lancaster University, UK in 2008. Bernard is in the process of upgrading his coaching credentials with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).