New Skills and Workforce Development Agency's inaugural board to be appointed on July 1, Lim Sim Seng to be first chairman

The inaugural board for the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) — a new statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) — will be appointed for a two-year term on July 1, the manpower ministry announced on Wednesday (June 24).

SWDA is a merger between SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).

During the debate on the SWDA Bill in May this year, Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng said the move will combine the strengths of both agencies, funnelling them into a "single upgraded engine for skills and workforce development" that is "ready to support Singaporeans and employers to navigate an age of unprecedented change".

Deputy chairman of SIA Engineering Lim Sim Seng will be the inaugural board's first chairman.

The 67-year-old is a veteran banker formerly with DBS. He is currently a member of the board of directors of Raffles Medical Group, independent non-executive director of IO Properties Group, and Singapore's non-resident high commissioner to Nigeria. 

Lim had previously served as chairman of the Singapore Land Authority from August 2014 to August 2020, and as the Building and Construction Authority's board chairman between 2020 and 2025.

In its press release on Wednesday, the ministry said Lim's role as chairman of the inaugural SWDA board is to steer the agency's strategic direction, strengthen coordination with key partners, and ensure strong governance and build organisation capabilities.

"Mr Lim’s strong public service and commercial experience will be valuable in leading the transition to SWDA," MOM stated.

Alongside the new chairman, 11 members from both the public and private sectors, including multi-national corporations, local enterprises and the ministry's tripartite partners will also be appointed to the inaugural board.

They include: Temasek International's operating partner Dr Bikramjit Singh Bhangu; NTUC deputy secretary-general Cham Hui Fong; managing director and CEO of Kuok Maritime Group Low Soon Teck; co-founder of Love Bonito Rachel Lim; and the new agency's incoming chief executive Dilys Boey.

MOM also expressed its appreciation to chairman of Workforce Singapore Chew Hock Yong, chairman of SkillsFuture Singapore Tan Kai Hoe, and the members of both board.

The new agency and its board will be established on July 1.

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