New stat board being established on 1 July for the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) merger

To be called Board for the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), it will be chaired by Lim Sim Seng, Deputy Chairman of SIA Engineering.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced the establishment on 1 July 2026 of a new statutory board, called the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), based on the merger of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).

The merger was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in the Singapore Budget 2026.

The new SWDA board will serve a two-year term from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2028 and will guide the agency as it brings together Singapore's workforce development and skills-building efforts under a single organisation.

Leading the board is Lim Sim Seng, Deputy Chairman, SIA Engineering, who has been appointed chairman of SWDA.

Lim brings experience from both the corporate and public sectors, having previously served as Group Head, Consumer Banking and Wealth Management, as well as Country Head at DBS Singapore. He currently sits on the board of Raffles Medical Group, serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director, IOI Properties Group, and is Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

His public sector experience includes serving as Chairman, Singapore Land Authority from August 2014 to August 2020 and Chairman, Building and Construction Authority from September 2020 to March 2025.

According to MOM, Lim will steer SWDA's strategic direction, strengthen coordination with key partners, and ensure strong governance for the new agency. His public service and commercial experience are expected to play an important role in building organisational capabilities and leading the transition to SWDA.

Lim will be supported by 11 other members on the SWDA Board.

The appointed board members are:

1. Dr Bikramjit Singh Bhangu, Operating Partner at Temasek International and Council Member of the Singapore National Employers Federation
2. Cham Hui Fong, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress
3. Chong Yiun Lin, Deputy Secretary (Higher Education and Skills), Ministry of Education
4. Dilys Boey, Incoming Chief Executive of SWDA
5. Eleanor Seet, President and Head of Asia ex-Japan at Amova Asset Management
6. Kenny Tan, Deputy Secretary (Workforce), Ministry of Manpower
7. Low Soon Teck, Managing Director and CEO of Kuok Maritime Group
8. Rachel Lim, Co-founder of Love, Bonito
9. Shariq Barmaky, Country Managing Partner of Deloitte Singapore
10. Wong Wai Meng, Chief Executive Officer (Data Centres) of Keppel's Data Centres and Networks Division and Council Member of the Singapore Business Federation
11. Zhang Weijie, Senior Director (Digital Economy Office) and Director, Industry (National AI Group), Ministry of Digital Development and Information

In its statement, MOM also expressed appreciation to Chew Hock Yong, Chairman, WSG and Tan Kai Hoe, Chairman, SSG and the other board members of both agencies for their leadership and contributions during their respective terms.

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