MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation and Ukraine and Singapore's Ambassador to the Federal Republic Of Germany

The Government has appointed Mr Simon Tensing De Cruz as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Russian Federation (with concurrent accreditation to Ukraine) and Mr Jacky Foo Kong Seng as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Mr De Cruz joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1979 and has served in the Singapore Embassies in Bangkok, Riyadh and Jakarta. He was Singapore's Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines (1996 to 1999) and Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar (2000 to 2004). Mr De Cruz also served as High Commissioner to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, resident in Singapore, from 2006 to 2008. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, he has served as Director/Information, Management and Research Directorate and Director/Special Duties (Regional Policy). Mr De Cruz will assume post in October 2008.

Mr Jacky Foo joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1984 and has served in the Singapore Embassy in Beijing (1988 to 1991). He was Singapore's Ambassador to the Philippines (1999 to 2002). In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Mr Foo previously headed Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate III which covered East Asia and Australasia, and served as Director/Technical Cooperation Directorate, Director/Administration and subsequently Corporate Affairs, as well as Director/International Economics Directorate. He is currently Director/ASEAN Directorate. Mr Foo will assume post in January 2009.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 SEPTEMBER 2008
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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR SIMON TENSING DE CRUZ

Mr Simon Tensing De Cruz was born in the United Kingdom on 2 February 1954. He graduated from the University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Science degree (Honours) in 1979.

Mr De Cruz joined the Singapore Foreign Service in 1979. He served as First Secretary in the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok (1983 to 1987), Charge d'Affaires in the Singapore Embassy in Riyadh (1991 to 1992) and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta (1992 to 1995). From 1995 to 1996, he was Director of the Information, Management and Research Directorate. He was Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines between 1996 and 1999 and Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar from 2000 to 2004. He also served as Singapore's High Commissioner to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, resident in Singapore, from November 2006 to September 2008.

Mr De Cruz was awarded the Long Service Medal (30 years) in 2008.

Mr De Cruz is married to Mdm Kwah Poh Choo.
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September 2008
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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY OF MR JACKY FOO

Mr Jacky Foo ( ) is currently Director of the ASEAN Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Foo served as Singapore's Ambassador to the Philippines from December 1999 to December 2002. On his return, he headed the International Economics Directorate till November 2005, working on the WTO Doha Round and serving as Chief Negotiator for the Singapore-Jordan FTA. He first joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore in 1984. His first overseas posting was at the Singapore Commercial Representative's Office in Beijing in 1988. He was part of the team which negotiated the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China. He subsequently served as First Secretary at the Singapore Embassy in Beijing from 1990 to 1991. Mr Foo has previously headed the Ministry's Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate III which covered East Asia and Australasia in 1996. He also served as Director of the Technical Cooperation Directorate overseeing the Singapore Cooperation Programme in 1997. He was Director of Administration and subsequently the Corporate Affairs Directorate in 1998.

Mr Foo completed his secondary and pre-university education at Raffles Institution and National Junior College respectively in Singapore. A Singapore Government Overseas Merit Scholar, he graduated with an honours degree in Economics Tripos from Cambridge University in 1982. He later obtained a Master of Arts degree from Harvard University in 1995 on a Fulbright Scholarship.

Mr Foo was awarded Singapore's Public Administration Gold Medal in 2008.

Mr Foo represented Singapore in bridge in 1985. He plays golf, tennis and table tennis. Mr Foo is married to Dr Su Yumian and they have two children.
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