Incoming Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong chose Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong as his deputy, leaving outgoing leader Lee Hsien Loong’s cabinet largely intact.
Gan will continue to head the Ministry of Commerce, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday. Wong, who will be sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on Wednesday, had telegraphed the reshuffle last month. He had said there could be “marginal adjustments” with bigger changes expected after the general election.
Wong, 51, will retain his key role as finance minister, a position he has held since 2021. Lee also served dual duties as finance minister when he began leading the city-state in 2004 and left his post in 2007.
“Continuity and stability are important considerations, especially as we approach the end of this term of government,” Wong said at a news conference on Monday.
Heng Swee Keat, who was Lee’s heir apparent before giving up the role in a shock announcement in 2021, will retain his position as deputy prime minister.
The changes mean Wong leaves his predecessor’s cabinet largely unchanged as the ruling People’s Action Party heads towards a general election expected within months. The poll must be held no later than November 2025.
Gan, 65, was a former civil servant before entering politics in 2001. He held several ministerial portfolios including health, manpower and education. Gan and Wong have worked closely together in various capacities, with each co-chairing a task force leading the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trade minister will also take over from Wong as chairman of Singapore’s central bank. Both currently serve on the board of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, which decides monetary policy and helps oversee some of the country’s vast, undisclosed financial reserves.
