Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently revealed that he was transferring power to his chosen successor, Lawrence Wong, on May 15, ahead of an upcoming election, scheduled for next year.
Mr Wong, who has been designated as prime minister-in-waiting since April 2022, is stepping into the role after the unexpected and sudden withdrawal of the previous heir apparent.
Who is Lawrence Wong?
– Lawrence Wong, 51, is a Member of Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. He entered politics during the 2011 general elections when he contested as part of a five-member People's Action Part team in West Coast GRC. He has also held positions in the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Communications and Information, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the Ministry of National Development, and the Ministry of Education.
– As per his Instagram bio, Mr Wong is a “bookworm, guitar player and dog lover”.
– After completing his initial education at Tanjong Katong Secondary School and Victoria Junior College, Lawrence Wong went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a Bachelor's in Economics. Mr Wong completed his Master's in Economics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He also went to Harvard Kennedy School. He did his Master's in Public Administration.
– Mr Wong, before entering into politics, worked as a civil servant. He was the Chief Executive of the Energy Market Authority and the Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
– As a co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on Covid-19, Mr Wong oversaw the Singapore Government's response to the pandemic.