Permanent Secretary Retirement and Appointment

PERMANENT SECRETARY RETIREMENT AND APPOINTMENT

Mrs Ow Foong Pheng (吴凤萍), Permanent Secretary (National Development) will retire on 1 April 2025 after serving 38 years in the Public Service.

2        Thanking Mrs Ow, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Mr Chan Chun Sing said, “I would like to express my gratitude to Foong Pheng for her outstanding leadership and many years of dedicated service. Her contributions to the Public Service and to Singapore have been significant and impactful.”

Change in Permanent Secretary Appointment

3        Mr Loh Ngai Seng (卢毅成), Permanent Secretary (National Development) (Designate) will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (National Development) with effect from 1 April 2025.

Background

Mrs Ow Foong Pheng

4        Mrs Ow, 61, started her career in the Public Service in 1986, and served in various appointments in the Public Service. In 2001, she was appointed Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and subsequently Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Manpower in 2004. As Secretary to the Ministerial Committee and Executive Group on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, Mrs Ow was instrumental in identifying and plugging policy gaps and pulling together the people and resources to overcome SARS.

5        Appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) in 2006, Mrs Ow steered JTC to create a more dynamic industrial landscape in which more players and developers could participate.

6        Mrs Ow was appointed as Second Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) in 2009 and subsequently as Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) in 2011. She oversaw Singapore’s economic strategies to support the restructuring of the economy, foster productivity growth and promote trade and investment through Free Trade Agreements (FTA). Under her leadership, the Ministry of Trade and Industry negotiated the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the first FTA between the EU and an ASEAN country.

7        Mrs Ow was appointed as Permanent Secretary (National Development) in 2016. She spearheaded initiatives to provide affordable and quality public housing, including the launch of the Family Care scheme and Community Care apartments, the introduction of a new classification framework for HDB flats and the priority allocation of Built-To-Order flats. Mrs Ow oversaw the Long-Term Plan Review to steward the physical development of Singapore over the next 50 years, and led the Ministry of National Development’s contribution to the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which sets out Singapore’s agenda on sustainable development. She also led the Municipal Services Office in improving the delivery of municipal services to residents. Additionally, she has played an instrumental role in making Singapore a City in Nature, and in transforming the construction industry.

8        In recognition of her contributions to the Public Service, Mrs Ow was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2023.

Mr Loh Ngai Seng

9        Mr Loh, 53, has served in various capacities in the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs before his appointment as Deputy Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Education in 2008. He was appointed Director, Internal Security Department, Ministry of Home Affairs in 2010 and as Second Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) in 2016. He was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Transport) in 2017. In December 2024, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (National Development) (Designate).