Singapore President Tharman accepts four offices in private capacity

Published on Authored by C to I News Desk

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratman, a noted economist with a degree from the London School of Economics, among others, has accepted four offices in private capacity, including the position of Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.

A file photo of Tharman speaking at a public event. A noted economist and former Senior Minister in the Singapore government, the Indian-origin leader won a landslide victory this year to become the President of Singapore. Screenshot courtesy: X/@Tharman_S

Universally known as “Tharman”, the Indian-origin Singapore president, who won a landslide election victory this year, accepted these positions following the Singapore national Cabinet’s advice.

According to a notification, which was first published in the Singapore Government Gazette (electronic edition) on November 24, 2023, at 6pm: “It is notified for general information that, pursuant to Article 22Q of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore –– (a) the Cabinet has advised the President that it is in the national interest for the President to accept and hold the offices mentioned in paragraph 2 in his private capacity for the periods specified opposite those offices; and (b) the President has concurred with the advice of the Cabinet and has accepted those offices in his private capacity for those periods.”

The gazette listed the offices accepted by Tharman in his private capacity as:

1. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Group of Thirty – 24 November 2023 to 31 December 2027 (both dates inclusive)

2. Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum – 24 November 2023 to 23 August 2025 (both dates inclusive)

3. Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water – 24 November 2023 to 30 June 2025 (both dates inclusive)

4. Co-Chair of the Advisory Board to the United Nations Human Development Report – 24 November 2023 to 30 June 2024 (both dates inclusive)

Singapore President Tharman with World Bank President Ajay Banga at the recent Singapore Fintech Festival. Photo courtesy: Instagram/tharman.sg

During his wide-ranging career before winning the 2023 presidential elections, Tharman was the Deputy Prime Minister (and later Senior Minister) of Singapore, and held several Cabinet positions, including Minister of Finance.

He was also Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for 12 years and Deputy Chairman of GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, among other eminent roles.