Sundaresh Menon will retire as Chief Justice of Singapore on 26 February 2027, with Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court Sushil Nair to succeed him.
Nair, a former deputy CEO at Singaporean law firm Drew & Napier, will become Singapore’s fifth chief justice.
Menon, who has served as chief justice since 2012, said in a statement, “This was not something I would have dared to even dream about, much less to have sought.”
He thanked the Singapore government for its support of key initiatives during his tenure, including the establishment of the Family Justice Courts in 2014, the Singapore International Commercial Court in 2015 and the Appellate Division of the High Court in 2021.
Menon said he looked forward to working with Nair in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.
“When I took office in 2012, I pledged to work towards handing over to my successor an institution that would be stronger than the one I inherited,” he said.
Nair, who has 35 years of legal experience, said he was ready to assume the role in February and thanked Menon for his contributions to the judiciary.
“Under his stewardship, the judiciary continues to strengthen public confidence in the administration of justice and develop a principled, coherent body of Singapore law which is internationally recognised and cited in other jurisdictions,” he said.
“By embracing innovation while remaining faithful to enduring legal principles, he has elevated Singapore’s reputation for judicial excellence and deepened our engagement with both the legal profession and the wider community. It is a privilege to build upon these strong foundations.”
Nair was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1990. In private practice, he served as deputy CEO at Drew & Napier and led the firm’s corporate restructuring and workout practice. He was appointed judicial commissioner of the Supreme Court in 2025 and subsequently named a high court judge in March 2026.
