MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore’s High Commissioner to Canada

The Government has appointed Mr Koh Yong Guan as Singapore's High Commissioner to Canada. He will be resident in Singapore.

Mr Koh is currently the Chairman of Central Provident Fund Board. He served in the Ministries of Finance (Revenue Division), Education and Defence before being appointed Second Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in 1989. Mr Koh was the Commissioner of Inland Revenue from 1991 to 1997. In 1998, he was appointed Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore. Mr Koh had also held the appointments of Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Health and National Development, as well as Second Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance (Budget and Revenue) between 1998 and 2001.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
30 JANUARY 2008

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Koh Yong Guan is currently the Chairman of Central Provident Fund Board.

Mr Koh was born on 9 June 1946 in Singapore. He graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1970 and a Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering in 1972 from the University of Toronto on a Colombo Plan scholarship. He obtained a Master in Business Administration (with distinction) from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium in 1981.

Mr Koh joined the Civil Service as a Biomedical Engineer in the Ministry of Health in 1972 and was absorbed into the Administrative Service in 1979. He served in the Ministries of Finance (Revenue Division), Education and Defence before being appointed Second Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in 1989. Mr Koh was the Commissioner of Inland Revenue from 1991 to 1997. In 1998, he was appointed Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore (Governor of the Central Bank). He had also held the appointments of Permanent Secretary, Ministries of Health and National Development, and Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Budget and Revenue) between 1998 and 2001. He retired as the Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), in June 2005, but remains a member of the MAS Board.

Mr Koh is currently the Chairman of Singapore Turf Club and a member of the Board of SMRT Corporation Ltd.

Mr Koh was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 1995 for his significant contributions in transforming Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore into a modern and forward-looking tax authority.

Mr Koh is married to Mrs Helen Koh and they have two adult sons, and two grandchildren.

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