MFA Press Statement: Appointment of Singapore's High Commissioner to New Zealand, Singapore's Ambassador to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Singapore's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia

The Government has appointed Miss Seetoh Hoy Cheng as Singapore's next High Commissioner to New Zealand; Miss Karen Tan as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Lao People's Democratic Republic; and Mr Lawrence Anderson as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Miss Seetoh Hoy Cheng was previously Singapore's Ambassador to the Lao People's Democratic Republic. She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1974. She has served at the Singapore Embassy in Washington and the Singapore High Commission in London. Miss Seetoh will assume post on 1 February 2004.

Miss Karen Tan was previously Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate II in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She joined the Ministry in 1985. She has served at the Singapore Embassy in Paris and the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. Miss Tan will assume post on 11 February 2004.

Mr Anderson is currently Director of Technical Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He joined the Ministry in 1984. He has served at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, the Singapore Embassy in Washington and the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok. Mr Anderson will assume post on 29 March 2004.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
30 JANUARY 2004

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Miss Seetoh Hoy Cheng is currently High Commissioner-designate to New Zealand.

Miss Seetoh graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours (Class II Upper) degree in Botany from the then University of Singapore in 1971. She obtained a Master in International Public Policy degree from the Johns Hopkins University, USA in 1984.

Miss Seetoh joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1974. She served as First Secretary in the Singapore Embassy in Washington from 1981 to 1984 and later as Counsellor in the Singapore High Commission in London from 1989 to 1992. At MFA HQ, her appointments included Deputy Director (Finance) of Management & Personnel Directorate (1993 - 1994) and subsequently, Director of Management & Personnel (1994 - 1996) and Director of Administration (1997). Miss Seetoh was appointed as Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate IV from July 1997 to January 2000. She was appointed Ambassador to Lao People's Democratic Republic from March 2000 to December 2003.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Miss Karen Tan is currently Ambassador-designate to the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Born on 27 April 1964, Miss Tan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (History) (Honours) Class II Upper in 1985 from the University of London, United Kingdom. In 1993, she obtained a Master of Science in European Studies (with Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, United Kingdom.

Miss Tan joined the Foreign Service in 1985. She served as First Secretary in the Singapore Embassy in Paris (1989-1992), and Counsellor and subsequently Deputy Permanent Representative at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1997-1999). At the Ministry HQ, she held various appointments including Deputy Director, International Organisations (1994-1995), Senior Deputy Director in the Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate IV (1996) and Senior Deputy Director of Special Projects (1996-1997). She became Director of Human Resource from 1999 to 2001. She was appointed Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis Directorate II from 2 May 2001 to 3 January 2004.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Mr Lawrence Anderson is currently Director of the Technical Cooperation Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since February 2002. He is also Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Born on 30 December 1958, Mr Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (History) with Honours in 1984 from the National University of Singapore. In 1994, he was awarded the Raffles Scholarship and obtained a Master of Arts in Area Studies (Southeast Asia) from the School of Oriental and African Studies, United Kingdom.

Mr Anderson joined the Foreign Service in 1984. He served as First Secretary to the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1988 and the Singapore Embassy in Washington (1988-1991). He was Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission in the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok between 1996 and 1999. In HQ, he held various posts which included Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate I (1994 - 1996) and Deputy Director of Regional Policy in the ASEAN Directorate (1999 - 2002).

Mr Anderson is married to Mdm Maureen Tan Kah Bee and they have a son.

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