MFA Press Statement: Presentation of Credentials, 25 October 2016

The following foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to President Halimah Yacob in separate ceremonies at the Istana on 25 October 2017:

(a) The Ambassador of the State of Israel

     Her Excellency Simona Halperin

(b) The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway

     Her Excellency Anita Nergaard

(c) The Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union

     Her Excellency Barbara Plinkert

(d) The High Commissioner of Malaysia

     His Excellency Dato Zulkifli Bin Adnan

Their bio summaries are attached.   

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE 

26 OCTOBER 2017

SIMONA HALPERIN

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

STATE OF ISRAEL

Mrs Simona Halperin was appointed Israel's Ambassador to Singapore in August 2017.

Her journey in the public administration started while she was pursuing her Bachelor’s in Economics and Business Administration with the Haifa University. Following that, Mrs Halperin received her Master’s in Law and Public Administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (with honors).

          Mrs Halperin began her diplomatic career in 1993, serving for two years as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israel Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. She then moved on to become the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israel Embassy in the Republic of Korea until 1999. In 2002, she took on the role of Counselor for the Israeli Mission to the European Union, covering relations with the European Parliament. Her latest posting before arriving in Singapore was head of the Economic and Cultural office in Taipei.

Mrs Halperin's positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel covered a variety of areas – starting as head of the CIS Desk of MASHAV, Israel International Cooperation Agency, to Director of the International Organizations and Human Rights Department.

Mrs Halperin was awarded the Excellent Employee Award for her work as the Deputy Chief of Mission during her posting in the Republic of Korea and for her part in the team managing the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Israel in 2000, the year of the millennium.

Mrs Halperin is married with five children. She is eloquent in Hebrew, English and Russian.

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October 2017

ANITA NERGAARD

AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE

KINGDOM OF NORWAY

Prior to her arrival in Singapore in August 2017, Ms Nergaard served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to NATO in Brussels.

Ms Nergaard holds a PhD Study Programme degree and a Master’s degree in Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics. An economist by training, Ms Nergaard started her professional career in the Central Bank of Norway in 1993.

Ms Nergaard commenced her diplomatic career in 1995 and has had various postings since. She was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Director of Russia, Eurasia and Regional Cooperation in the High North and Arctic from 2010, and Director of Security Policy, Crisis Management, Global Security Affairs and the US and Canada from 2005.

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October 2017

BARBARA PLINKERT

AMBASSADOR toTO SINGAPORE

DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 

Prior to that, between 1998 and 2003, Mrs. Plinkert served in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, both in Vienna and in Afghanistan.

Before her arrival in Singapore, Mrs Plinkert served as Head of Division for Headquarters Security and EEAS Security Policy at the European External Action Service (EEAS) from 2015 to 2017 in Brussels. Between 2004 and 2015, she held positions in Africa and Central Asia as Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ethiopia, as Head of Sector responsible for Social Sectors in the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe and as Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Regionalised Delegation of the European Commission to Tajikistan. 

Prior to that, between 1998 and 2003, Mrs. Plinkert served in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, both in Vienna and in Afghanistan.

Mrs. Plinkert holds a Master’s Degree in Sinology and Southeast Asian Studies. She is married and has two children.

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October 2017

DATO’ ZULKIFLI BIN ADNAN

HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SINGAPORE

MALAYSIA

Dato’ Zulkifli Adnan joined the Malaysian Public Service in 1983. Prior to his appointment as High Commissioner of Malaysia to the Republic of Singapore, he served as the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Federal Republic of Germany from 2015 to 2017.

Dato’ Zulkifli Adnan was previously the Director General of Maritime Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2015. Throughout his 34-year diplomatic career, he has served as the Ambassador of Malaysia to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2008 to 2011, and Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in The Hague, Netherlands from 2001 to 2004. Other assignments included First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations in New York, USA from 1993 to 1998, and Second Secretary at the High Commission of Malaysia in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 1986 to 1988.

Dato’ Zulkifli Adnan has a Masters of Arts degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, Tufts University, USA. He was conferred Darjah Dato’ Paduka Cura Si Manja Kini (D.P.C.M) i.e. Most Honourable Order, which carries the title Dato’, by the Sultan of Perak in 2010.

Dato’ Zulkifli Adnan is married to Datin Siti Hawa Othman, and they have 3 children.

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October 2017