EDB, Enterprise Singapore to get new chiefs

SINGAPORE: The Public Service Division (PSD) on Monday (Mar 27) announced a host of leadership changes at several ministries and key statutory boards.

Mr Png Cheong Boon, the current chief executive officer of Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), has been appointed as the new chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Taking over at EnterpriseSG is Mr Lee Chuan Teck, who will relinquish his role as Permanent Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).

Mr Png, who joined EDB in 1993, held various appointments in the agency. The 53-year-old was deputy chief executive of SPRING Singapore from 2003 to 2008, and chief executive from 2008 to 2013. 

He was appointed as the CEO of JTC in 2013 before being appointed as Second Permanent Secretary of MTI in 2017, before becoming CEO of EnterpriseSG in 2018. 

Mr Lee, who was appointed as the Second Permanent Secretary of MTI in 2018 and redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Development) of MTI in 2019, joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 1992. 

The 55-year-old held various roles in MAS before his appointment as Deputy Secretary (Land and Corporate) of the Ministry of Transport in 2014, said PSD. 

PERMANENT SECRETARY APPOINTMENTS

PSD also announced that Dr Beh Swan Gin, who has been the chairman of EDB since 2014, will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Development) of MTI. 

The 55-year-old started his career in EDB in 1992 and is a medical doctor by training. 

Dr Beh also took on various roles at EDB, MTI and the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR). Subsequently, he was appointed managing director of EDB in 2008 before his appointment as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Law in 2012. 

Mr Gabriel Lim, currently Permanent Secretary of MTI, will be redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Policy) of MTI.

In 2011, Mr Lim was appointed as the Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary. The 47-year-old was then designated the CEO of the then-Media Development Authority in 2014 before being appointed Second Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and concurrently the CEO of Infocomm Media Development Authority in 2016. 

He was subsequently appointed the Permanent Secretary of MCI in 2017 and assumed the role of Permanent Secretary of MTI in 2019. 

Three other permanent secretaries will also be redesignated, said PSD. 

Ms Teoh Zsin Woon, 49, will be redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of National Development (MND) and Permanent Secretary (Development) of PSD. 

She has been the Second Permanent Secretary of MND and the Second Permanent Secretary of PSD since 2021. 

Ms Teoh was appointed Deputy Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Health in 2013, before becoming Deputy Secretary (Transformation) of PSD in 2018. 

Meanwhile, Ms Lim Wan Yong will also be redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Education Development) of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Permanent Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). 

The 46-year-old is currently the Second Permanent Secretary of MOE and the Second Permanent Secretary of MSF.

PSD said Ms Lim was Special Assistant to then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean before she was appointed as Deputy Secretary (Planning) of MND in 2017, and concurrently Deputy Secretary (Security Coordination) of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in 2019.

Mr Chng Kai Fong, who is currently the Second Permanent Secretary of the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) and concurrently Second Permanent Secretary of MCI and Second Permanent Secretary (Cybersecurity), PMO, will be redesignated as well. 

The 44-year-old will be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Development) of MCI, Permanent Secretary (Development) of SNDGG and Permanent Secretary (Development) (Cybersecurity) of PMO.

Mr Chng was the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2014 to 2017 before joining EDB as its managing director of EDB in 2017. 

All permanent secretary appointments will take effect from May 1.