Alumna Foo Chi Hsia appointed to triple Second Permanent Secretary portfolios

Congratulations to our alumna, Ms Foo Chi Hsia ’94, who has been appointed to three concurrent Second Permanent Secretary positions, with effect from 1 April 2026.

Ms Foo will take on the high-ranking administrative roles of Second Permanent Secretary (Digital Development) at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Second Permanent Secretary (Smart Nation) at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Second Permanent Secretary (Development) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

These roles mark a significant elevation for Ms Foo, who currently serves as Deputy Secretary (South-east Asia and ASEAN) at the MFA.

Career milestones

Ms Foo’s career is defined by several high-profile diplomatic and administrative assignments:

• United Nations Security Council: She managed the Afghanistan file during the 9/11 attacks while Singapore served as a non-permanent member of the Council.
• High Commissioner to the UK: During her tenure in London, she oversaw the first-ever State Visit to the UK by then-President Tony Tan and coordinated memorial events for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew during Singapore’s SG50 celebrations.
• IMDA Leadership: She previously served as Assistant Chief Executive at the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), providing a foundation for her upcoming digital portfolios.

Ms Foo has credited her legal training as a cornerstone of her diplomatic success, maintaining that the core skill of advocacy—the ability to study evidence and build facts to convince others—is “completely relevant to diplomacy”.

As she transitions into her three new portfolios, Ms Foo brings a blend of international legal experience and digital policy expertise to the senior-most ranks of the Singapore Public Service Division.