Heng Swee Keat
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Heng Swee Keat Chairman, National Research Foundation, Singapore |
Mr Heng Swee Keat is the Chairman of the National Research Foundation, which sets the direction and allocate resources for Singapore's research, innovation and enterprise (RIE) strategies. Mr Heng is overseeing the closer integration of our RIE and industry transformation efforts.
Mr Heng was Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2019 to 2025, and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies from 2020 to 2024. He chaired the Future Economy Committee and later the Future Economy Council overseeing the transformation of the economy.
From 2015 to 2012, he served as the Minister for Finance from 2015 to 2021, overseeing ten national Budgets including an unprecedented five Budgets to support Singaporeans and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He was Minister for Education from 2011 to 2015, where he sought to make ‘Every School a Good School’, and pioneered new pathways for students, and established two new universities, the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Singapore University of Social Sciences. He also led the year-long Our Singapore Conversation from 2012 that helped to engage more than 47,000 Singaporeans from all walks of life, to understand Singaporeans’ aspirations for the future, and initiated the Singapore Together movement to catalyse ground-up active citizenry.
Before entering politics in May 2011, Mr Heng was the Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as CEO of the then-Trade Development Board. Between 1997 and 2000, he was Principal Private Secretary to then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
In 2001, Mr Heng was awarded the Gold Medal in Public Administration, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010 for his contribution to the public service in Singapore. Mr Heng was also conferred the Medal of Honour in 2021 by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for his contribution to the labour movement, and named Asia-Pacific Central Bank Governor of the Year by The Banker in 2011.
Mr Heng has an MA in Economics from Cambridge University. He also holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Mr Heng was Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2019 to 2025, and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies from 2020 to 2024. He chaired the Future Economy Committee and later the Future Economy Council overseeing the transformation of the economy.
From 2015 to 2012, he served as the Minister for Finance from 2015 to 2021, overseeing ten national Budgets including an unprecedented five Budgets to support Singaporeans and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He was Minister for Education from 2011 to 2015, where he sought to make ‘Every School a Good School’, and pioneered new pathways for students, and established two new universities, the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Singapore University of Social Sciences. He also led the year-long Our Singapore Conversation from 2012 that helped to engage more than 47,000 Singaporeans from all walks of life, to understand Singaporeans’ aspirations for the future, and initiated the Singapore Together movement to catalyse ground-up active citizenry.
Before entering politics in May 2011, Mr Heng was the Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as CEO of the then-Trade Development Board. Between 1997 and 2000, he was Principal Private Secretary to then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
In 2001, Mr Heng was awarded the Gold Medal in Public Administration, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010 for his contribution to the public service in Singapore. Mr Heng was also conferred the Medal of Honour in 2021 by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for his contribution to the labour movement, and named Asia-Pacific Central Bank Governor of the Year by The Banker in 2011.
Mr Heng has an MA in Economics from Cambridge University. He also holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
- Heng Swee Keat
- Dr Marcia McNutt
- Dr Noeleen Heyzer
- Patrick Blethon