Lim Hng Kiang

Lim Hng Kiang (born 9 April 1954) is a Singaporean former politician and military officer who served as Minister for Trade and Industry between 2004 and 2018, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office in 2003 and 2004, Minister for Health between 1999 and 2003 and Minister for National Development between 1994 and 1999. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Telok Blangah division of Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) between 1991 and 1997 and the same division in West Coast GRC between 1997 and 2020.

Education Lim was educated in Raffles Institution, before being awarded a President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge, where he completed a degree in engineering in 1976. In 1985, Lim was awarded a scholarship to study for a Master of Public Administration degree at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Career Lim began his career in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and left with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He later served as a deputy secretary at the Ministry of National Development, and as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Lim served as the deputy chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2006 until 2021 and is also a board director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).

Political career Lim was first elected to Parliament in 1991 as an MP for the Tanjong Pagar GRC. Since 1997, he has represented the West Coast GRC.

Lim was appointed a Minister of State at the Ministry of National Development in 1991. In 1994, he became the Acting Minister for National Development and Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1995, Lim became the Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In 2003, Lim was made a minister in the Prime Minister's Office. He retained the role of Second Minister for Finance.

Lim was made the Minister for Trade and Industry in 2004. He was subsequently put in charge of trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The ministry was split into two, with Lim taking the trade portfolio and the industry portfolio taken by S. Iswaran.

Personal life Lim has two sons. His wife, Lee Ai Boon, died of cancer on 12 April 2014.