Mr Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai will be appointed as Chief Executive of the Energy Market Authority (EMA) with effect from 1 January 2009. He will succeed Mr Khoo Chin Hean, who will be retiring after 31 years of distinguished service in the public sector.

Mr Khoo Chin Hean

A Colombo Plan scholar, Mr Khoo Chin Hean graduated from the University of Alberta, Canada with a Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering) with Distinction. He subsequently obtained a Masters of Science degree in Water and Waste Engineering from Loughborough University of Technology, United Kingdom in 1984 on a UK-Commonwealth Scholarship & Fellow Plan.

He joined the Ministry of Environment in 1977 as an Electrical Engineer until 1995, where he was seconded to the Ministry of Education and appointed as the Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic. In the then Ministry of Environment, Mr Khoo held various appointments, including Head , Pollution Control Department and Director, Environment Policy and Management. He was appointed Chief Executive of the Public Utilities Board in April 2000. In PUB, Mr Khoo spearheaded the restructuring of the electricity and gas industries. In April 2001, he was appointed as the first Chief Executive of the Energy Market Authority when it was formed to complete the restructuring of the electricity and gas industries to prepare them for competition.

Mr Khoo has also helped to put in place initiatives for the long-term security of Singapore’s energy supply. These include the diversification of Singapore’s fuel source with decision to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and the formation of the Energy Policy and Planning Division in EMA to sharpen the focus on planning for Singapore’s long-term energy needs.

For his invaluable contributions in the public service, Mr Khoo was awarded the Public Administration Medal (GOLD)(BAR) in 2008.

MTI wishes to place on record our deep appreciation to Mr Khoo for his leadership and sterling contributions in EMA.

Mr Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai

Mr Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai, an Administrative Service officer, is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of EMA. Prior to joining EMA in September 2008, he was the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2005 to 2008.

Mr Wong graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters in Applied Economics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor on an Overseas Merit Scholarship. He also obtained a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Mr Wong joined the Civil Service in 1997 as an Economist in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, where he was involved in economic research and forecasting. He was subsequently posted to the Ministry of Finance where he was Deputy Director of Budget and Head of Economic Programmes. He was also part of the secretariat team supporting the Economic Review Committee, and helped to formulate and implement the Economic Restructuring Shares (ERS) scheme. He has also served in the Ministry of Health as Director of Healthcare Finance where he was responsible for implementing reforms to MediShield.

MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
28 NOVEMBER 2008