Letter of Credence Ceremony, 25 July 2023

APPOINTMENT OF HIGH COMMISSIONER TO BRUNEI DARUSSALAM,

AMBASSADOR TO THE LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC AND

AMBASSADOR TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The Government has appointed Mr Laurence Bay Siow Hon as the next Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, Mr Sudesh Maniar as the next Singapore Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Mr Mark Neo Ek Beng as the next Singapore Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Mr Bay was Singapore’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from 2016 to 2023. Prior to this, he was Director-General of the Consular Directorate from 2014 to 2016 and Director-General of the South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa Directorate from 2012 to 2014.

Since joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1996, Mr Bay served as First Secretary (Political) in the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta from 1999 to 2003, and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo from 2008 to 2012. He has also done substantial work related to Southeast Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Bay graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from the National University of Singapore in 1996.  He obtained a Master in International Policy Studies from Stanford University, United States of America in 2004.

Mr Bay was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2007, Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2018, and the Long Service Medal in 2019. He is married to Madam Elizabeth Kwan and they have two sons.

Mr Maniar was Singapore’s High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2019 to 2023. Prior to this, he was Director-General of the Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Directorate from 2013 to 2019. He also served concurrently as Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste from 2015 to 2019.

Mr Maniar joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997. He served as Deputy Permanent Representative in the Singapore Permanent Mission in Geneva from 2002 to 2005.  He also served in various other capacities in the Ministry covering International Organisations, International Economics, and Public Affairs. He was seconded to the Asia-Europe Foundation as Director of Public Affairs from 2007 to 2009.

Mr Maniar graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom in 1986.

Mr Maniar was awarded the Long Service Medal in 2021. He is married to Madam Loo Beng Du and they have one daughter.

Mr Neo was Director-General of the ASEAN Directorate from 2019 to 2023.

Since joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997, Mr Neo served twice at the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, as First Secretary from 1999 to 2003, subsequently as Deputy High Commissioner from 2015 to 2019. He was also Deputy Permanent Representative at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2012 to 2015. Mr Neo also covered Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, and Southeast Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was Special Assistant to then-Deputy Prime Minister/Coordinating Minister for National Security/Minister for Law Prof S Jayakumar from 2005 to 2007. 

Mr Neo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science from the University of Western Australia in 1996. He obtained a Master in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore in 2008.

Mr Neo was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2011 and the Long Service Medal in 2020. He is married to Madam Tan Ai Ling.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

25 JULY 2023

Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, Mr Laurence Bay Siow Hon
Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Singapore Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Mr Sudesh Maniar
Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore

Singapore Ambassador to the Russian Federation Mr Mark Neo Ek Beng
Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore