Gabriel Lim steps down after 24 years of public service, with new leadership changes at the Ministry of Trade and Industry
Gabriel Lim Meng Liang, the permanent secretary for policy at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), will retire on Sept 1, 2024, after serving 24 years in public service. During his distinguished career, Lim held various positions across multiple ministries, including serving as the principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2011 to 2014.
In a restructuring following Lim’s departure, Beh Swan Gin, the current MTI permanent secretary for development, will take on the role of MTI permanent secretary starting September 1. Beh, who was formerly the chairman of the Economic Development Board, will continue leading MTI.
Additionally, Jeffrey Siow Chen Siang, currently the second permanent secretary at the Ministry of Manpower, will join the Ministry of Trade and Industry as second permanent secretary from September 1.
Lim’s career highlights include his role as chief executive of the former Media Development Authority (MDA), where he led key initiatives such as the merger of MDA with the Infocomm Development Authority to form the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). He was also instrumental in advancing Singapore’s digital economy and strengthening its cyber preparedness.
In 2019, Lim became MTI’s permanent secretary, later re-designated as permanent secretary for policy. His leadership played a significant role in launching several initiatives, such as the TechSkills Accelerator and the SMEs Go Digital programme.
