Public Service Division announces permanent secretary appointments from Jan 1

SINGAPORE: The Public Service Division (PSD) on Monday (Oct 23) announced several permanent secretary appointments that will take effect from Jan 1, 2024.

New to the role of permanent secretary is Mr Jeffrey Siow Chen Siang, who has been managing director and chief operating officer at Enterprise Singapore since September 2021.

Mr Siow, 45, will be Second Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

He was the Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2017 to 2021, and previously held various appointments in MOM, PSD, the Civil Service College, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Transport.

Three permanent secretaries will see changes to their portfolio.

Ms Teoh Zsin Woon, currently the Permanent Secretary (Development) at PSD, will concurrently be Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). The 49-year-old will relinquish her appointment as Permanent Secretary (Development) at the Ministry of National Development (MND). 

Ms Teoh previously served in various roles in the then-Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Defence, the Manpower Ministry, the Workforce Development Agency and the Ministry of National Development.

Meanwhile, Ms Tan Gee Keow will relinquish her appointment as Permanent Secretary of MCCY. She will continue to serve as Permanent Secretary of PSD. 

The 48-year-old has held various appointments in the Ministry of Finance, Public Service Division, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education. 

Former chief of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Melvyn Ong Su Kiat will be Permanent Secretary (Development) at MND. He will serve concurrently as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) at the Ministry of Defence – a role he was appointed to earlier this year when he retired from the SAF.

The 48-year-old joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1994 and held various key appointments before he became Chief of Defence Force in March 2018. 

REDESIGNATION

Mr Chng Kai Fong, currently Permanent Secretary (Development) at the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), will be redesignated as Permanent Secretary (Information and Development) at the same ministry.

The 44-year-old will at the same time remain Permanent Secretary (Development) (Cybersecurity) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Mr Chng’s public service experience includes various appointments in the then-Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Civil Service College.