SINGAPORE — The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will have a new man at its helm from Jan 1.

The Transport Ministry’s Deputy Secretary of Special Duties Andrew Tan Kok Kiong will take over as Chief Executive of MPA, succeeding Mr Lam Yi Young.

The ministry announced the new appointment in a statement today (Dec 2).

Mr Tan, 46, graduated from King’s College, University of London, with first class honours in history, and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

He began his career with the Singapore administrative service, and has served in various roles, including principal private secretary to Senior Minister and later Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew from 2002 to 2004.

He also held senior positions in the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Environment and Water Resources Ministry, and was CEO of the National Environment Agency from Jan 1, 2009 to June 30 this year.

The ministry statement also acknowledged the contributions of Mr Lam as Chief Executive of MPA. It said during his tenure of four and a half years, the MPA has continued to grow from strength to strength. Singapore has also remained the world’s top bunkering port, and ranks among the world’s top 10 ship registries, it said.

He was instrumental in the commissioning of a new Port Operations Control Centre in Changi and the development of Pasir Panjang Terminal Phases 3 and 4.

Mr Lam, 41, has been in the top job at the MPA since May 1, 2009. CHANNEL NEWSASIA