Changes in Permanent Secretary Appointments

CHANGES IN PERMANENT SECRETARY APPOINTMENTS

The following changes in Permanent Secretary appointments will take effect from 1 September 2024.

Retirement of Permanent Secretary

2        Mr Gabriel Lim Meng Liang (林明亮), Permanent Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), will retire on 1 September 2024, after 24 years of distinguished service in the Singapore Public Service. 

3        Thanking Mr Lim, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Mr Chan Chun Sing said, “I would like to thank Gabriel for his dedicated service. He has served with distinction in various Ministries. I would like to express our appreciation for his leadership and outstanding contributions to the Public Service.”

4        Mr Lim, 48, began his career in the Public Service in 2000. He has served various appointments across Ministries, including as Principal Private Secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2011 to 2014.

5        In 2014, Mr Lim was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the former Media Development Authority (MDA), where he helmed efforts to regulate and develop the media industry, and led the merger of MDA with the Infocomm Development Authority to form the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

6        Mr Lim was subsequently appointed Second Permanent Secretary of the former Ministry of Communications and Information in 2016, where he helped accelerate the development of the digital economy, enhance the government’s cyber preparedness and response capabilities and strengthen engagement with Singaporeans. This included the launch of the TechSkills Accelerator, SMEs Go Digital programme and Digital Readiness Blueprint.

7        In 2019, Mr Lim was appointed as Permanent Secretary of MTI and subsequently re-designated as Permanent Secretary (Policy), MTI in 2023. At MTI, Mr Lim supported the Ministry’s efforts to grow the Singapore economy, create good jobs for Singaporeans, develop competitive local enterprises and strengthen Singapore’s international trade relations. In the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Lim led MTI in developing support measures for businesses and was instrumental to Singapore’s post-pandemic economic recovery. He oversaw efforts to build up Singapore’s supply chain resilience to achieve a more sustainable balance between local production, diversification and stockpiling. 

8        In recognition of his contributions to the Public Service, Mr Lim was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2020.

Change in Permanent Secretary Appointment

9        Mr Jeffrey Siow Chen Siang (萧振祥), Second Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), will be appointed concurrently as Second Permanent Secretary of MTI with effect from 1 September 2024.

Re-designation of Permanent Secretary 

10      Dr Beh Swan Gin (马宣仁), Permanent Secretary (Development) of MTI, will be re-designated as Permanent Secretary of MTI with effect from 1 September 2024.

Background

Mr Jeffrey Siow Chen Siang

11      Mr Siow, 46, has held various appointments in the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Public Service Division, Civil Service College, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Transport. Mr Siow was the Principal Private Secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2017 to 2021. He was the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer at Enterprise Singapore from September 2021 to December 2023. He was appointed as Second Permanent Secretary of MOM in January 2024.

Dr Beh Swan Gin

12      Dr Beh Swan Gin, 56, a medical doctor by training, started his career in the Economic Development Board (EDB) in 1992. He has served in various roles in EDB, including overseeing its Biomedical Sciences portfolio and EDB’s North American operations. He has also served in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), where he was the Executive Director of the Biomedical Research Council. He was appointed Managing Director of EDB in 2008 before his appointment as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Law in 2012. He was appointed Chairman, EDB in 2014 and subsequently assumed the appointment of Permanent Secretary (Development), MTI in 2023.