Lim Chuan Poh

Lim Chuan Poh is a Singaporean civil servant, diplomat and former lieutenant-general who was formerly the Singaporean Ambassador to Israel. He previously served as the Chief of Defence Force between 2000 and 2003. After leaving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 2003, Lim served as Permanent Secretary for Education until 2007 before serving as Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. After his retirement in 2019, Lim was appointed Chairman of the Singapore Food Agency.

Education Upon his graduation from Raffles Institution, Lim was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1980.

Lim graduated from St John's College, Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts (later promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) degree in mathematics.

He subsequently attended Camberley Staff College in 1988 and graduated with the Best Overseas Student Award.

Lim also completed a Master of Business Administration degree at Cornell University in 1993 and has attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2003.

Military career Lim enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in December 1979.

Throughout his military career, Lim has held various appointments; Commanding Officer, 3rd Singapore Infantry Regiment; Commander, 10th Singapore Infantry Brigade; Head, Joint Plans Department; Commander, 9th Division; Chief of Staff (General Staff); Chief of Army.

On 1 April 2000, Lim succeeded Bey Soo Khiang as Chief of Defence Force, and was promoted from Major-General to Lieutenant-General in June 2001.

Awards 80x80px Public Administration Medal (Gold) (Military), in 1999.

80x80px Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant, in 2001. 80x80px Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (The Grand Meritorious Military Order – 1st Class), in 2001.

Honorary Doctor of Science, by Loughborough University in 2008. Honorary Doctor of Laws, by Monash University in 2009. Fellowship of Imperial College, in 2010. Fellowship under the Invitation Programme for Leaders, by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2010. Honorary Doctor of Laws, by the Arizona State University in 2012.