Mr Lim Chuan Poh
Chairman, A*STAR
Before joining MOE, LG (NS) Lim Chuan Poh spent 23 years with the Singapore Armed Forces and last held the office of the Chief of Defence Force. LG (NS) Lim joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1980 on being awarded an SAF Overseas Scholarship. He held various appointments in the course of his military career, including Head, Joint Plans Department; Commander of the 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade; Commander, 9th Division; Chief of Army from July 1998 to March 2000; and Chief of Defence Force from April 2000 to March 2003. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General (LG) in 2001.
During his term as the Chief of Army and then as Chief of Defence Force from 1998 to 2003, LG (NS) Lim oversaw the operational deployment of SAF Peacekeeping Troops to Timor Leste. In response to the changed global security environment following the attacks of September 11 and working closely with the Home Front agencies, LG (NS) Lim led the SAF efforts to put in place plans and measures to counter the threats of catastrophic terrorism. In the same period, LG (NS) Lim also spearheaded the growth and development of the SAF as a technologically advanced integrated force ready and capable of a spectrum of operations. In addition, LG (NS) Lim also contributed to defence diplomacy by hosting the inaugural Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference and the first Chiefs of Defence Conference to be held outside the US.
Mr Quek Tong Boon, Director of A*Star
Chief Defence Scientist/Chief Research & Technology Officer
Ministry of Defence
Quek Tong Boon is currently the Chief Defence Scientist as well as the Chief Research & Technology Officer of the Singapore Ministry of Defence.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge, UK in 1977 with a BA(Hons) in Engineering and Masters of Arts (Engineering) in 1981. In 1985, he obtained his Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the National University of Singapore (NUS). From Aug-Nov 95, he attended the Program for Management Development (PMD) at the Harvard Business School.
After completing his full time National Service in 1980, he joined the Defence Science Organisation, then a MINDEF organisation. He held various appointments in the organisation, including that of Divisional Manager (Dynamics Division), and Deputy Director (Technology). From June 1994 to Dec 1997 he was the Director of the Defence Materiel Organisation before becoming Chief Executive Officer of the DSO National Laboratories from Jan 1998 to Jan 2004. He was Deputy Secretary(Technology and Transformation) of MINDEF from Jan 2004 till Dec 2008.
