Cover Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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Jacqueline Poh will take on the managing director role at the Singapore Economic Development Board on October 4
This week, The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced that Ms Jacqueline Poh will be appointed as the new managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
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Poh, who is currently the deputy secretary of the Strategy Group in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)—and a 2018 Tatler Tribe member for Gen.T—will be taking over from the current managing director Chng Kai Fong when his term ends on October 3, according to MTI in a press release.
This is a prestigious role that Poh will be taking over, so keep reading to find out everything you need to know about her.
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1. She has studied in some excellent schools
Above Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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Though Poh is mostly known today for her prominent roles in government bodies, many don’t realise that she came from quite prestigious schools.
In 1997, Poh graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Oxford. She later went on to get a Masters in Philosophy and Internal Relations at the University of Cambridge a year later.
In 2008, Poh decided to refine her skills by getting a Masters of Business Administration at Insead, a graduate business school. Not one to stop learning, she then went on to the Stanford University Graduate School of Business where she did their Senior Executive Programme in Business Administration and Management in 2017.
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2. She has spent most of her career in the government
Above Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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Poh has spent almost her entire working life in government positions. She started out as the Managing Director of the Infocommunications Development Authority which was Govtech’s predecessor organisation. She also held high-ranking positions in the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence.
In 2016, Poh became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore which is also known as Govtech. She was a key figure in setting the strategic direction for Govtech as they worked towards making Singapore a Smart Nation.
3. She is deeply invested in volunteer work
Above Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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Despite her busy work schedule, the mother of three has always made it a point to prioritise volunteer work. In fact, she has been the deputy chairman at St Luke’s Eldercare since 2012 and she continues to hold this position.
In her work, she also championed the development of the Digital Inclusion Fund which provides the needy, elderly and disadvantaged in the community with affordable access to computers, broadband services and assistive technology.
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4. She is currently the Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office
Above Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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Currently, Poh is the Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, a role that she has held since 2018. The Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group leads the public service to develop and put in place the priorities of the government.
These include economic strategies, social strategies, marriage and parenthood policy, urban development and liveability strategies as well as technology and security.
In her role, she also oversees the National Population and Talent Division and the Centre for Strategic Futures.
5. She sits on many boards and holds different roles
Above Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
Photo: Twitter / Jacqueline Poh
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In addition to her role in the government, Poh also sits on many different boards. Currently, she sits on the Boards of SingHealth and St Luke’s Eldercare. Poh also sits on the Advisory Board of Singapore Management University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business.
In addition to this prestigious role, she is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation and World Economic Forum Global Future Council.
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Camillia Dass is the digital writer for Tatler Singapore.
