Chan Heng Chee

Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

Chan Heng Chee is a pioneer who has served in many ambassadorial roles since the 1980s

Among her many accolades, ambassador-at-Large Chan Heng Chee is best known for being Singapore’s longest-serving ambassador to the United States, holding the role for 16 years. She is also an accomplished academic, occupying various appointments on the boards of local and overseas research institutes, universities and think-tanks; she was most notably founding director of the Institute of Policy Studies, which was established in 1988.

Chan’s early ambassadorial roles included Singapore’s permanent representative to the United Nations in 1989, and a concurrent position as Singapore’s high commissioner to Canada and ambassador to Mexico. She took on the post of ambassador to the US in 1996, and strengthened bilateral relations in education, trade, security, defence, and science and technology.

Chan was appointed chairman of the National Arts Council in 2013, and has been a member on the board of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre since 2015. She is also professor at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. In addition she serves as Chair of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, the premier research Institute on Southeast Asia in the region, and is a member of the presidential council for minority rights.

Impacted Industries


Awards


1999

Public Administration Medal (Gold)

2005

Meritorious Service Medal

2012

Foreign Policy Outstanding Diplomatic Achievement Award

2012

US Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal

2014

Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame

Did You Know?


Chan Heng Chee was Singapore’s first fully fledged female ambassador, and also the first woman to graduate with a first-class honours degree in political science from the then University of Singapore.

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