SINGAPORE: The Public Service Division (PSD) on Friday (Aug 1) announced permanent secretary appointments and re-designations that will take effect in the next two months.

Mr Kenneth Er Boon Hwee, 53, will be appointed Second Permanent Secretary (Manpower) and concurrently Second Permanent Secretary (Education) from Sep 1.

Mr Er has been Deputy Secretary (Planning) at the Ministry of National Development (MND) since 2023. He was the former CEO of the National Parks Board (NParks) from 2014 to 2023, and previously held various appointments in MND, NParks and Gardens by the Bay.

Ms Ngiam Siew Ying, 49, will be appointed Second Permanent Secretary (Finance) from Sep 1. She has been the CEO of Synapxe, the national health tech agency, since 2022.

Ms Ngiam held various appointments in the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), before her appointment as Deputy Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2016. 

Mr Augustin Lee, 54, will be appointed Permanent Secretary (Energy and Trade) at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) from Sep 1. He will relinquish his roles as Second Permanent Secretary (Education) and Second Permanent Secretary (Smart Nation) at the PMO on Sep 1 and Oct 1 respectively. 

Mr Lee was the former CEO of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board from 2019 to 2023 and previously served as Principal Private Secretary to then-Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. He has also held various appointments in the then-Ministry of Labour, MOH, National Healthcare Group and MTI. 

Mr Chng Kai Fong, 46, will take over Mr Lee's Smart Nation portfolio. He will also be concurrently appointed Permanent Secretary (Development) (Smart Nation) (Cybersecurity) at the PMO from Oct 1. 

In 2014, Mr Chng was appointed Principal Private Secretary to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and was named as managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB) in 2017. 

He has also held various appointments in the then-Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, Ministry of Home Affairs, Civil Service College, MTI and the PMO's communications group.