Mr S R Nathan, born on 3 July 1924, is the longest serving President of Singapore to-date. He graduated with a Diploma in Social Studies (Distinction) at the University of Malaya (then in Singapore) in 1954.

In 1955, Mr Nathan embarked on his Singapore Civil Service career, working first as a medical social worker, before moving to the Defence and Foreign Ministries, and later being appointed High Commissioner to Malaysia (1988) and Ambassador to the USA (1990).

He served as Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) at the Nanyang Technological University until 1999 where stood in the Presidential Elections and was returned unopposed. In his second re-election bid in 2005, President Nathan was again returned unopposed.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong, born in Singapore on 22 January 1936, was the first elected President of the Republic of Singapore.

Mr Ong ran for the presidency in 1993 against one other contender, after having served as a Member of Parliament for 21 years. He had also served in the Singapore Cabinet, as Deputy Prime Minister and National Development Minister, as well as Secretary-General of the NTUC.

Mr Ong stepped down as President at the age of 63 and passed away three years later in February 2002.

Dr Wee Kim Wee
Presidential Term: 1985 to 1993

Dr Wee Kim Wee, who was born in Singapore on 4 November 1915 worked in the news media for the most of his career, retiring as a journalist in 1973 to serves as High Commissioner to Malaysia.

After several years in the diplomatic service, Dr Wee assumed the chairmanship of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now known as MediaCorp) in 1984. One year later, he was appointed President, where he served two terms.

In 1991, during Dr Wee’s second term as President, the Constitution was amended to allow for the President to be elected by Singaporeans. Dr Wee went into retirement in 1993 and passed away in 2005.

Mr C V Devan Nair was born in Malacca on 5 August 1923. He moved to Singapore at the age of 10 and after World War II, began his teaching career before becoming involved in the trade union movement.

Mr Nair who joined the People’s Action Party in 1954, becoming a member of the Central Executive Committee, founded the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and was elected as its first Secretary-General in 1961.

In 1979, he became the Member of Parliament for Anson. He was appointed President of the Republic of Singapore in October 1981.

Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, born on 12 August 1907 in Singapore, graduated from Singapore’s King Edward VII College of Medicine and pursued a successful career in obstetrics and gynaecology for many year before going into private practice in 1960.

The first Eurasian President, Dr Sheares was appointed to the post in 1971 after the death of Singapore’s first President Yusof Bin Ishak. Dr Sheares passed away in office in 1981.

Mr Yusof Bin Ishak was the first President of the Republic of Singapore. Born on 12 August 1910 at Padang Gajah, near Perak, Malaysia, the active sportsman came to Singapore after his civil-servant father received a posting in 1923.

After leaving school in 1929, Mr Yusof embarked on a career as a journalist before being appointed to posts in the British-run Government of Singapore. He was the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and became Yang di-Pertuan Negara (“Head of State”) of Singapore on 3 December 1959.

When Singapore gained independence in 1965, he became the first President of the Republic of Singapore, serving two terms till his death in 1970.