MFA Press Statement: Appointment of High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa and Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 28 May 2015

                        The Government has appointed Mr Chua Thai Keong as Singapore’s High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa and Mr S Chandra Das as Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

                         Mr Chua Thai Keong will assume post as High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa on 1 June 2015.  He previously served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (with concurrent accreditation to Mongolia) from September 2006 to December 2010 and Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Chile from April 2014 to May 2015.  He also served as Director (Northeast Asia) from August 2002 to April 2006.  Mr Chua served as Global Government Relations Special Adviser (Asia Pacific) in Shell International Ltd from January 2011 to January 2015.  He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986.

                         Mr Chua graduated with the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the National University of Singapore in 1985 under the Singapore Local Merit Scholarship.  He obtained a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University in 1992 and Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the University of London in 1998.

                         Mr Chua is married to Mdm Xia Bing and they have three children.

                         Mr S Chandra Das served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, resident in Singapore from 2006 to 2015.  He had also previously served as Singapore’s Trade Representative to USSR from 1970 to 1972.

                         Mr Das, Managing Director of NUR Investment & Trading Pte Ltd, holds a number of directorships in various companies, including TalkMed Group Ltd, Super Coffee Corporation Pte Ltd and Yeo Hiap Seng Ltd.  He is also the Chairman of Goodhope Pte Ltd.  Mr Das was Chairman of NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd from 1993 to 2005 and Chairman of the Trade Development Board from 1983 to 1986.  Mr Das was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1996.

                         Mr Das graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Singapore in 1964.  Mr Das was awarded the Public Service Star (BBM) in the 2014 National Day Awards. 

                         Mr Das is married to Mdm Rosie Pillai and they have two children.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

28 MAY 2015

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

 Mr Chua Thai Keong has served as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (with concurrent accreditation to Mongolia) and Ambassador to Chile (resident in Singapore).

             Mr Chua graduated with the Bachelor of Laws (Hons) in 1985 from the National University of Singapore on a PSC Local Merit Scholarship.  He received the Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, New York, in 1992 on an MFA Scholarship.  He completed the Bachelor of Economics (Hons) with the University of London in 1998.

             Mr Chua joined the Foreign Service in 1986.  In the Ministry’s Headquarters, Mr Chua covered several portfolios including Malaysia, Brunei, Northeast Asia and Oceania. He was Special Assistant to the Foreign Minister from April 1997 to October 1997.  Mr Chua was Director of the Northeast Asia Directorate from August 2002 to April 2006. 

             His overseas assignments included postings in Bangkok
(November 1992 to March 1996), as well as Tokyo, where he was Counsellor from August 1998 and subsequently Minister-Counsellor from May 2002 to
August 2002.  Mr Chua served as Global Government Relations Special Adviser (Asia Pacific) during his secondment to Shell International Ltd from
January 2011 to January 2015.

             Mr Chua is married to Mdm Xia Bing and they have three children.

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January 2015

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

             Mr S Chandra Das served as Singapore's Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, resident in Singapore from 2006 to 2015. He is also the Managing Director of NUR Investment & Trading Pte Ltd.

             Mr Das was born in Singapore on 19 October 1939.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Singapore in 1964.

             Mr Das was the Singapore Trade Representative in USSR from 1970 to 1972. He was Chairman of the Trade Development Board between 1983 and 1986.  He was also a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1996.

             Mr Das holds a number of directorships in various companies, including TalkMed Group Ltd, Super Coffee Corporation Pte Ltd and Yeo Hiap Seng Ltd.  He is also the Chairman of Goodhope Pte Ltd.  Mr Das was Chairman of NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd from 1993 to 2005.

             Mr Das was awarded the NTUC Friend of Labour Award in 1979, the Golden Cross of Merit of Poland in 1991, the NTUC Meritorious Service Award in 1997, the Rochdale Medal by Singapore National Co-operative Federation Ltd in 1998, the President's Medal by Singapore Australian Business Council in 2000, the NTUC Distinguished Service Award in 2001, Global Award for Promotion of International Business and Co-operative Movement by Priyadarshini Academy (Mumbai) in 2002 and the NTUC Distinguished Service (Star) Award in 2005.

             Mr Das was awarded the Public Service Star (BBM) in 2014.

             Mr Das is married to Mdm Rosie Pillai and they have two children.

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Updated as at 17 March 2015