Lawrence Wong

Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai (born 18 December 1972) is a Singaporean politician, economist and former civil servant who has been serving as 7th Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore since 2022, Minister for Finance since 2021, Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2022, and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore since 2023.

Wong was born on 18 December 1972 in the eastern part of Singapore.

He is an ethnic Singaporean Chinese of Hainanese descent and was raised in the Methodist denomination of Christianity.

Growing up, Wong and his family lived in a public Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Marine Parade.

Wong's father worked as a sales executive while his mother was a teacher at his primary school.

Wong attended Haig Boys' Primary School (now Tanjong Katong Primary School), Tanjong Katong Technical School (now Tanjong Katong Secondary School), and Victoria Junior College before going to college.

Wong received a Bachelor of Science with a major in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1994 under the Public Service Commission scholarship.

He received a Master of Arts in applied economics from the University of Michigan in 1995 and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University in 2004.

Wong began his career as an economist working in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in August 1997.

It was the beginning of the 1997 Asian financial crisis and his first assignment involved preparing a report on regional economies and their effects on Singapore; he described the experience as "nothing that I learned in school prepared me for such an assignment" and recounted having to learn on the job.

He was posted to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in January 2002 and then the Ministry of Health (MOH) in July 2004, where he served as Director of Healthcare Finance until May 2005.

He was Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong between 2005 and 2008.

Wong served as the principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong between May 2005 and August 2008.

He also served as the chief executive officer of the Energy Market Authority (EMA) between 2009 and 2011.

In September 2008, Wong became deputy chief executive officer of the Energy Market Authority, rising to chief executive officer on 1 January 2009.

Wong made his political debut in the 2011 general election where he contested in West Coast GRC as part of a five-member PAP team and won.

He relinquished the role on 1 April 2011.

Wong entered politics at the 2011 general election when he contested as part of a five-member People's Action Party (PAP) team in West Coast GRC.

The PAP team won with 66.66% of the vote against the Reform Party and Wong was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the Boon Lay ward of West Coast GRC.

On 21 May 2011, Wong was appointed Minister of State for Defence and Minister of State for Education.

He was also appointed to the board of directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore on 10 June 2011.

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Finance, Wong served as Minister for Culture, Community and Youth between 2012 and 2015, Second Minister of Communications and Information between 2014 and 2015, Minister for National Development between 2015 and 2020, Second Minister of Finance between 2016 and 2021, and Minister for Education between 2020 and 2021.

On 1 August 2012, he was promoted to Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts and Senior Minister of State for Education.

On 1 November 2012, he was appointed Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information.

Wong led a team to bid for the Singapore Botanic Gardens to be recognised as Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wong also spearheaded the free museum entry policy for all Singaporeans and permanent residents, to all national museums and heritage institutions from 18 May 2013.

In 2013, Wong also announced the setting up of a new S$100 million National Youth Fund for youth to champion community and social causes.

On 1 May 2014, Wong was promoted to Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Communications and Information.

He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC since 2015, and previously the Boon Lay division of West Coast GRC between 2011 and 2015.

Prior to entering politics, Wong worked at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Wong subsequently contested in Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC in the 2015 general election, and retained his parliamentary seat in the 2020 general election.

Wong was co-chair of a multi-ministerial committee set up by the government in January 2020 to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.

As Minister for Finance, he has overseen the gradual increase in Goods and Services Tax (GST) which Lee's government has advocated for – 8% in 2023 and 9% in 2024, up from 7% which had been set since 2007.

In April 2022, he was chosen as the leader of the PAP's fourth generation team, placing him in line as Lee's apparent successor.

Wong assumed the office of Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore on 13 June 2022, serving alongside Heng Swee Keat.

On 26 November 2022, Wong was appointed to the newly created position of Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Action Party.

On 3 July 2023, it was announced that Wong will be appointed Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore on 8 July 2023.

Wong had served as Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore between 2021 and 2023.

He was also appointed Chairman of the Investment Strategies Committee of GIC, and Chairman of the International Advisory Council (IAC) of the Economic Development Board (EDB) on 7 July 2023 and 8 July 2023 respectively.

Wong was subsequently appointed Deputy Chairman of GIC's Board of Directors on 1 October 2023.