Permanent Secretary Retirement and Appointments

PERMANENT SECRETARY RETIREMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS

 Two Public Service leaders will be retiring after many years of distinguished service:

              a.    Mrs Tan Ching Yee (曾庆怡), Permanent Secretary (Finance) will retire on 1 May 2025 after serving 38 years in the Public Service.

              b.     Mr Jeffrey Siow (萧振祥), Second Permanent Secretary (Manpower) and Second Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry), will retire on 2 April 2025 after serving 24 years in the Public Service.

2        Thanking Mrs Tan and Mr Siow, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Mr Chan Chun Sing said, “I would like to express my appreciation to Ching Yee and Jeffrey for their important contributions. Ching Yee has provided outstanding leadership at different organisations across the Public Service over many years, and her service to Singapore has been impactful and invaluable. Jeffrey has served with distinction and made a significant impact across a range of postings in his Public Service career.”

Changes in Permanent Secretary Appointments

3        The following changes in Permanent Secretary appointments will take effect from 1 May 2025:

a.    Mr Lai Chung Han (黎忠汉), Permanent Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Finance will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Finance);

b.    Mr Chan Heng Kee (陈庆基), Permanent Secretary (Defence) will be appointed concurrently as Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties); and

c.     Mr Stanley Loh Ka Leung (罗家良), will relinquish his appointment as Second Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties). He will continue to serve as Permanent Secretary (Sustainability and the Environment).

Background

Mrs Tan Ching Yee

4        Mrs Tan, 60, began her career in the Public Service in 1986, and served in various appointments in the Ministries of Trade and Industry, Education, then-Information, Communications and the Arts, Health, and Finance.

5        During her stint as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, she worked on expanding pathways and options for students in schools and the post-secondary and tertiary sectors, recognition of the teaching profession, and enhancements to pre-school and special needs education.

6        As Permanent Secretary (Health), she led efforts to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of Singapore’s healthcare system by accelerating the development of new facilities, strengthening the healthcare financing system (including implementation of MediShield Life), and expanding healthcare manpower development schemes.

7        In 2016, Mrs Tan was concurrently appointed as Permanent Secretary (Finance) and Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties). She strengthened the Ministry of Finance (MOF)’s role as a steward of public resources. She led MOF in working closely with the other ministries to shape their plans and priorities for impact, effectiveness and fiscal sustainability. MOF also enhanced fiscal sustainability through new revenue measures and the use of borrowing via the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (SINGA).

8        In the battle against COVID-19, MOF partnered other agencies and tapped on the reserves to provide relief to families and businesses, thus helping to preserve corporate capabilities and human capital.

9        Mrs Tan advanced Singapore’s international interests at international and regional forums, including her stints as Singapore’s G20 Finance Deputy and Sherpa for nine years.

10       In her various leadership roles, she has consistently paid attention to people and leadership development, and the nurturing of a culture devoted to excellence and teamwork.

11       In recognition of her contributions to the Public Service, Mrs Tan was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2008 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2018.

Mr Jeffrey Siow

12      Mr Siow, 46, began his career at the Ministry of Manpower. He subsequently held appointments at the Public Service Division and the Ministry of Education. As Director at the Ministry of Transport, Mr Siow enhanced public transport reliability through improvements to the rail financing framework and implementation of the bus contracting model. He also led negotiations with Malaysia on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail and RTS Link projects.

13       Mr Siow served as Principal Private Secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2017 to 2021. He was subsequently appointed as the first Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Enterprise Singapore, where he led initiatives to transform Singapore businesses and trade associations, and support SMEs during the post-COVID-19 recovery.

14       In January 2024, Mr Siow returned to MOM as Second Permanent Secretary, where he implemented significant policies on foreign manpower, workplace safety and health, and fair employment. His tenure saw the introduction of landmark legislation on workplace discrimination and fair workplace practices.

15       Since September 2024, Mr Siow has concurrently served as Second Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, where he strengthened Singapore's economic growth through improving land, manpower and competition policies and enhanced economic relations with key partners including ASEAN, the United States, and China. He also led the establishment of the SME Pro Enterprise Office as part of the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s push to reduce regulatory burden on businesses.

16          In recognition of his contributions to the Public Service, Mr Siow was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2021.

Mr Lai Chung Han

17       Mr Lai Chung Han, 52, has held various command and staff appointments in the course of his military career in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. He was appointed as Deputy Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Defence in 2012 and as Chief of Navy in 2014, before his appointment as Second Permanent Secretary (Education) and Second Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) in 2017. In 2019, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Education). In July 2024, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Development), Ministry of Finance.

Mr Chan Heng Kee

18       Mr Chan Heng Kee, 56, served in various Ministries before his appointment as Deputy Secretary (Development) in the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office and concurrently Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Service College in 2006. He was appointed as Chief Executive of the Workforce Development Agency in 2008, and Permanent Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) in 2011. He served as Permanent Secretary (Social and Family Development) from 2012 to 2016. He was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Health) in 2016 before he assumed his current appointment as Permanent Secretary (Defence) in 2019.

Mr Stanley Loh Ka Leung

19       Mr Stanley Loh, 53, held various appointments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts before his appointment as Singapore’s Trade Representative in Taipei in 2007 and as Deputy Secretary (International) in MFA in 2011.  He was appointed Singapore’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China in 2012. In 2019, he was appointed as Second Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs) and concurrently Second Permanent Secretary (Social and Family Development) and Second Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties). In 2022, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Sustainability and the Environment) and redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Development), MFA while continuing to serve as Second Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties). He relinquished his appointment as Permanent Secretary (Development), MFA in 2023.