Changes in Permanent Secretary appointments (22 March 2016)

From 1 May 2016, there will be changes in Permanent Secretary appointments:      

**New Permanent Secretary appointment**

Mr Gabriel Lim, Chief Executive Officer, Media Development Authority (MDA), will take on the additional appointment of Second Permanent Secretary (Communications and Information). Mr Lim will also concurrently be co-Managing Director (Designate) of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore.  

**Retirement**

Mr Benny Lim, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Development, Prime Minister’s Office and National Security & Intelligence Coordination, will retire on 30 April 2016, after 37 years of distinguished service in the Public Service. 

**Concurrent appointments and change in portfolios**

a) Mr Peter Ong, Head, Civil Service, will concurrently be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Strategy). This follows the establishment of the PMO Strategy Group last July to support the Prime Minister and his Cabinet in establishing priorities and strengthening strategic alignment across Government. Mr Ong will relinquish his appointments as Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties) and Permanent Secretary (Finance).   

b) Mr Leo Yip, Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs), will concurrently be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office) and Permanent Secretary (National Security and Intelligence Coordination).  

c) Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Permanent Secretary (Health), will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)(Special Duties) and Permanent Secretary (Finance).

d) Mr Aubeck Kam, Permanent Secretary (Communications and Information), will concurrently be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Manpower). 

e) Mr Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary (Social and Family Development), will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Health). 

f) Mr Chew Hock Yong, Second Permanent Secretary (National Development) and Permanent Secretary in charge of the Municipal Services Office, will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Social and Family Development).

g) Mrs Ow Foong Pheng, Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry), will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (National Development). She will also be the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Municipal Services Office.

h) Mr Loh Khum Yean, Permanent Secretary (Manpower), will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry).

Background 

Mr Gabriel Lim (林明亮)

Mr Gabriel Lim, 40, held various appointments in the Ministry of Defence, Public Service Division/Civil Service College and Ministry of Health before his appointment as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister in 2011. He has been Chief Executive Officer, Media Development Authority Singapore since 2014. In preparation for the establishment of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) later this year, Mr Lim will concurrently be designated co-Managing Director (Designate) of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore with effect from 1 Apr 2016, and co-Managing Director from 27 May 2016.

Mr Benny Lim (林双河)

Mr Benny Lim, 59, served in the Singapore Police Force where he rose to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police and held various appointments including Director, Internal Security Department. 

Mr Lim was appointed Second Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) in 2004 and Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) a year later. During his tenure in MHA from 2004 to 2011, he transformed the Ministry of Home Affairs and strengthened the Home Team to deal with the safety, security and terrorist challenges confronting Singapore in a post-911 world. Mr Lim was instrumental in bringing about critical changes to ensure that the MHA departments worked closely at the strategic and operational levels. He established the Home Team Academy to reinforce the concept of joint Home Team training and operations and developed community partnership efforts to build social resilience through the Community Engagement Programme. His strong leadership has resulted in Singapore’s crime, drug, fire fatality and recidivism rates being among the lowest in the world.

Mr Lim was appointed Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office) in September 2011. In November 2011, he was appointed Permanent Secretary (National Development) and Permanent Secretary (National Security and Intelligence Co-ordination), while concurrently Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office). He chaired the National Security Coordination Committee and the Intelligence Coordination Committee which focus on developing strategic competencies and capabilities to address national security needs and interests. 

As Permanent Secretary (National Development), Mr Lim led MND to fulfil its mission to develop a world-class infrastructure, create a vibrant and sustainable living environment and build rooted and cohesive communities. He also played a significant role in positioning and growing the Centre for Liveable Cities to be a centre of excellence in complex urban system studies and research. He also drove the development of the Ubin Project led by National Parks as part of the vision to build a bio-philic city and society.

Mr Lim was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2002 and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010 for his significant contributions to the Public Service. 

Mr Peter Ong (王文辉)

Mr Peter Ong, 54, held various appointments in the Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Civil Service College and Ministry of Home Affairs before his appointment as Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1996 and his secondment to Temasek Holdings as its Executive Vice-President from 1998 to 2000. 

Mr Ong was appointed Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence in 2001 and a year later, he was appointed Permanent Secretary (Transport) before becoming Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) in 2005.  He became Second Permanent Secretary (Finance) in 2008 and Permanent Secretary (Finance) a year later. He was appointed Head of Civil Service, Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), Prime Minister’s Office and Permanent Secretary (National Security and Intelligence Coordination), in addition to his appointment as Permanent Secretary (Finance) in 2010. Mr Ong relinquished his appointment as Permanent Secretary (National Security and Intelligence Coordination) in 2011. 

Mr Leo Yip (叶成昌)

Mr Leo Yip, 52, held various appointments in the Singapore Police Force including Commander, Clementi Police Division, Director (Planning and Organisation) and Director (Operations).  Mr Yip was appointed Principal Private Secretary to then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 2000, and Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Manpower in 2002. He was appointed concurrently as Chief Executive, Singapore Workforce Development Agency in 2003. Mr Yip was appointed Permanent Secretary (Manpower) in 2005 and Chairman, Economic Development Board in 2009. He has been Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) since 2014.

Mrs Tan Ching Yee (曾庆怡)

Mrs Tan Ching Yee, 51, held various appointments in the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education before her appointment as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Education in 1998 and Chief Executive Officer, InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore and concurrently Deputy Secretary (Info-Comm and Media), Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts in 2002.  Mrs Tan was appointed Second Permanent Secretary (Education) in 2005 and became Permanent Secretary (Education) in 2007. She has been Permanent Secretary (Health) since 2012. 

Mr Aubeck Kam (甘泽铨)

Mr Aubeck Kam, 45, held various appointments in the Singapore Police Force including Commander, Ang Mo Kio Police Division and Director (Operations).  He served in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Manpower as its Deputy Secretary before his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Media Development Authority (MDA) in 2010.  He has been Permanent Secretary (Communications and Information) since 2012.

Mr Chan Heng Kee (陈庆基)

Mr Chan Heng Kee, 47, served in the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Community Development and Sports and Public Service Division (Prime Minister’s Office) before being appointed Deputy Secretary (Development) in the Public Service Division and concurrently Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Service College in 2006. He was appointed Chief Executive, Workforce Development Agency in 2008, and Permanent Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) in 2011. He has been Permanent Secretary (Social and Family Development) since 2012.        

Mr Chew Hock Yong (周福荣)

Mr Chew Hock Yong, 51, held various appointments in the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance before his appointment as Deputy Secretary of the then Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in 2004. He was Chief Executive, Land Transport Authority before his appointment as Second Permanent Secretary (National Development) in 2014.

Mrs Ow Foong Pheng (吴凤萍)

Mrs Ow Foong Pheng, 52, held various appointments in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of National Development before her appointment as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2001. She was appointed Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Manpower in 2004 and Chief Executive Officer, Jurong Town Corporation in 2006 before her appointment as Second Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) in 2009. She has been Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) since 2011.

Mr Loh Khum Yean (罗锦贤)

Mr Loh Khum Yean, 51, held various appointments in the former Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Public Service Division (Prime Minister’s Office) before his appointment as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in 2002. He was appointed Chief Executive, SPRING Singapore in 2003 and Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2008. He has been Permanent Secretary (Manpower) since 2009.