MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines and Non-Resident High Commissioner to the United Republic of Tanzania, 5 March 2019

The Government has appointed Mr Gerard Ho Wei Hong as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, and Mr Douglas Foo Peow Yong as Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mr Gerard Ho joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1997. He was Director-General of the ASEAN Directorate from January 2015 to February 2019. Mr Ho served as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of Singapore in Jakarta from February 2010 to December 2014. He was First Secretary in the High Commission of Singapore in Kuala Lumpur from January 2004 to July 2007, and First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in New York from April 2000 to August 2003. Mr Ho will take up post as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines on 18 March 2019. 

Mr Ho obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from the National University of Singapore in 1997. He obtained a Master of Arts Degree from Columbia University, New York, in 2009. 

Mr Douglas Foo is the founder and Chairman of Sakae Holdings Ltd. He is a Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Vice-President of the Singapore National Employers Federation, and Vice-Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation.

Mr Foo graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Business Administration) from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in 1994.

He was awarded the Public Service Star (BBM) in 2013.                      

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

5 MARCH 2019

GERARD HO

AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

                        Mr Gerard Ho Wei Hong will be appointed as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines.

                    Mr Ho was Director-General of the ASEAN Directorate from January 2015 to February 2019. Mr Ho joined the Singapore Foreign Service in May 1997.  Prior to his Director-General appointment, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of Singapore in Jakarta from February 2010 to December 2014. His other overseas postings include the High Commission of Singapore in Kuala Lumpur, where he was First Secretary from January 2004 to April 2006 and later Counsellor from April 2006 - July 2007 and the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in New York, where he was First Secretary from June 2000 to August 2003. His other assignments in Ministry Headquarters include two stints in the International Organisations Directorate as Deputy Director from August 2007 to August 2008 and Country Officer from May 1997 to January 2000, and two stints in the Southeast Asia Directorate, where he was Country Officer covering Indonesia from January 2000 – June 2000 and Deputy Director covering Indonesia from June 2009 to September 2009.

         Mr Ho obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from the National University of Singapore in 1997. He subsequently obtained a Master of Arts Degree from Columbia University, New York, in 2009. 

                       Mr Ho was awarded the S Rajaratnam Award (Special Mention) in 2006.

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[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information] 

DOUGLAS FOO

NON-RESIDENT HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Mr Douglas Foo Peow Yong is the founder and Chairman of Sakae Holdings Ltd.

Mr Foo is a Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Vice-President of the Singapore National Employers Federation, and Vice-Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation.

Mr Foo was awarded the Public Service Star (BBM) in 2013, the Ministry of Home Affairs Award in 2008, and the Ministry of Defence Award (Employer) in the same year. Mr Foo was also awarded the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award in 2015 and the ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneur Forum “Outstanding Entrepreneur Award” in 2011.

Mr Foo is married to Mdm Koh Yen Khoon and they have four children.

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[Photo Credit: Ministry of Communications and Information]