Public Service Division announces permanent secretary retirement and appointments

SINGAPORE: The Public Service Division (PSD) on Thursday (Jul 30) announced permanent secretary appointments and a retirement that will take effect on Sep 1.

Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, 67, will retire as the Permanent Secretary of National Research and Development and the Public Sector Science and Technology Policy and Plans Office in the Prime Minister’s Office. Prof Tan was appointed to the roles in 2023.

He will continue in his appointment as non-executive chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

Prof Tan has held key appointments in the medical and academic fields, as well as in the public sector. 

Prof Tan was the director of medical services under the Ministry of Health from 2000 to 2004, was appointed as deputy chairman of A*STAR from 2004 to 2017 and served as the president of the National University of Singapore from 2008 to 2017.

He also served as executive director of the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT) and concurrently as chief health scientist from 2018 to 2023. 

He was appointed as chairman of MOHT in 2023 and will continue in this appointment. He also served as chairman of the Healthier SG Implementation Office from 2022 to 2024.

Prof Tan was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2015, the Distinguished Service Order in 2022 and the Public Service Star (COVID-19) in 2023 in recognition of his contributions to Singapore.

Thanking Prof Tan, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing said: "I would like to thank Chorh Chuan for his outstanding and impactful contributions to the Public Service. He has served with distinction to strengthen our capabilities in the areas of healthcare, higher education, research and innovation."

APPOINTMENTS, POSITION CHANGES

On Sep 1, Mr Ng Chad-Son will be appointed as Permanent Secretary of National Research and Development and the Public Sector Science and Technology Policy and Plans Office.

Mr Ng will concurrently be appointed as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development) at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), taking over the appointment from Mr Melvyn Ong Su Kiat.

Mr Ong will relinquish his appointment on Sep 1. He will continue as Permanent Secretary (Sustainability and the Environment), a role in which he has served since 2025.

Mr Ng joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1994 and held various key command and staff appointments in the armed forces and MINDEF.

Mr Ng was seconded to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as director of its Research and Enterprise Division from 2010 to 2012, where he covered national research and development. 

In 2022, He was appointed Deputy Secretary (Technology) at MINDEF in 2022, before being appointed as chief executive officer of the Defence Science and Technology Agency in 2024.