Lee Hsien Yang (; born 24 September 1957) is a Singaporean businessman.
Education
Lee attended
Catholic High School
Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...
and
National Junior College
National Junior College (NJC) is a government junior college located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. Established in 1969, it was the first government junior college in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students and a six-year ...
before graduating from
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
with a double first in
engineering science
Engineering physics, or engineering science, refers to the study of the combined disciplines of physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, particularly computer, nuclear, electrical, electronic, aerospace, materials or mechanical en ...
under the
President's Scholar
A President's Scholar is a recipient of the academic scholarship awarded by the Government of Singapore annually, to pursue undergraduate education at a university, usually abroad. The scholarship is considered to be the most prestigious public ...
ship and
Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship
The SAF Scholarship, formerly known as the SAF Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS), is a scholarship conferred by the Public Service Commission (PSC). The scholarship is second in prestige to the President's Scholarship.
Scholars are groomed for the h ...
awarded by the
Public Service Commission.
He subsequently went on to complete a
Master of Science
A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...
degree in management at
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
.
Career
Lee enlisted in the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...
(SAF) in 1976, and has held several command and staff appointments, and had attained the rank of
Brigadier-General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
before retiring in 1994.
After retiring from the military, Lee joined
SingTel
Singapore Telecommunications Limited, commonly known as Singtel, is a Singaporean telecommunications conglomerate and one of the four major telcos operating in the country. The company is the largest mobile network operator in Singapore with ...
in April 1994 as Executive Vice President of Local Services.
In May 1995, he became CEO of SingTel, where he served until March 2007.
In September 2007,
Fraser and Neave
Fraser and Neave, Limited (F&N) is a Singaporean food and beverage, publishing and former brewing and property industries conglomerate. It is owned by Thai Chinese billionaire business magnate Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.
Listed in Singapore, the ...
appointed Lee as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman-designate with effect from 6 September 2007. Lee assumed the position of Non-Executive Chairman on 15 October 2007.
On 1 July 2009, Lee was appointed Chairman of the
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is Singapore's civil aviation authority and a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore. Its head office is located on the fourth storey of Singapore Chang ...
by
Minister for Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...
Raymond Lim
Raymond Lim Siang Keat ( zh, s=林双吉, p=Lín Shuāngjí, born 24 June 1959) is a former Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), Lim has been a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the East Coast Group ...
.
On 26 February 2013, it was announced that Lee had stepped down from the board of Fraser and Neave.
Lee has held other positions: Board Member and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the
Singapore Exchange
The Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) is a Singaporean investment holding company that provides different services related to securities and derivatives trading and others. SGX is also a member of the World Federation of Exchanges and the Asian ...
; Independent Director of the Islamic Bank of Asia, and the
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited
The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) is an Australian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. It is Australia's second-largest bank by assets and fourth-largest bank by ma ...
; Member of the Governing Board of the
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School) is an autonomous postgraduate school of the National University of Singapore (NUS), named after the late former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew.
History
The Lee Kuan Yew School of ...
; Member of the Board of Asia Pacific Investment; Chairman of
Republic Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic (RP) is a post-secondary education institution and statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Education (Singapore), Ministry of Education in Singapore.
Established in 2002, it is the first and only Polytechnic (Si ...
; Member of the International Advisory Board of
Rolls-Royce Holdings
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a British multinational aerospace and defence company incorporated in February 2011. The company owns Rolls-Royce, a business established in 1904 which today designs, manufactures and distributes power systems for ...
.
Lee stepped down as Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore on 1 July 2018.
Political involvement
Although in 2006, Lee said that he has "no great interest to pursue a career in politics",
he joined the
Progress Singapore Party
The Progress Singapore Party (abbreviation: PSP) is a centre-left political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the governing People's Action Party (PAP) and opposition ...
(PSP) led by the former
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP)
Tan Cheng Bock
Adrian Tan Cheng Bock ( zh, s=陈清木, p=Chén Qīngmù; born 26 April 1940) is a Singaporean politician and medical practitioner. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah SMC between 1980 and 2001. He served as Secretary-General o ...
, on 24 June 2020,
citing that the
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party (abbreviation: PAP) is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) and ...
(PAP) has lost its way, it is no longer the People's Action Party of its founding principles that Mr
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
had envisioned.
The PSP is one of the opposition parties that are running against the incumbent PAP government, which is led by Lee's elder brother, Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
.
Lee decided not to run as a candidate for the
2020 general election, stating that "Singapore doesn't need another Lee".
Personal life
Lee is the younger son and youngest child of
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
, former
prime minister of Singapore
The prime minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of ...
, and
Kwa Geok Choo
Kwa Geok Choo (; 21 December 1920 – 2 October 2010) was a Singaporean lawyer. She was the wife of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the mother of current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. She was also the co-founder and partner of law ...
, a lawyer. His elder brother,
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
, is the current prime minister. His elder sister,
Lee Wei Ling
Lee Wei Ling is a Singaporean neurologist. She was the director of the National Neuroscience Institute.
Career
Lee received a President's Scholarship in 1973, before studying in the medical faculty of the University of Singapore (now the Nati ...
, is a former director of the
National Neuroscience Institute
Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) is Singapore's largest group of healthcare institutions. The group was formed in 2000 and consists of four public hospitals, three community hospitals, five national specialty centres and a network of eig ...
.
Lee first met Lim Suet Fern, the daughter of the economist Lim Chong Yah, while he was studying at
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. They were married in July 1981. Lim would later become the founder and managing partner of Stamford Law Corporation and a president of the
Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA). The couple have three sons: Li Shengwu, Li Huanwu, and Li Shaowu.
Their eldest son, Li Shengwu, is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Economics at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
. He graduated from
Balliol College
Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
of the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
as the top student in the
Philosophy, Politics and Economics programme in 2009, received a
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil m ...
degree in economics from Oxford in 2011, and received a PhD from
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
in 2016.
His child Li Huanwu came out as
gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
in July 2018. Li Huanwu married his partner, Heng Yirui, a
vet working for
Mandai Wildlife Group, in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
on 24 May 2019.
Administrator of Lee Kuan Yew's will
Lee and his sister,
Lee Wei Ling
Lee Wei Ling is a Singaporean neurologist. She was the director of the National Neuroscience Institute.
Career
Lee received a President's Scholarship in 1973, before studying in the medical faculty of the University of Singapore (now the Nati ...
, are the joint administrators and executors of Lee Kuan Yew's will. However, they were in a dispute in 2017 with
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
over their late father's will with regard to the house at
38 Oxley Road
38 Oxley Road was the residence of the first prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew from the 1940s until his death in 2015. The house was built in the late 19th century and is an eight-bedroom two-storey bungalow located near Orchard Road. T ...
. They "felt threatened by
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
's misuse of his position and influence over the Singapore government and its agencies to drive his personal agenda". They alleged that their brother thwarted the will of their father in order to use the house as a monument to milk his father's legacy. They also criticised the influence of
Ho Ching
Ho Ching (; born 27 March 1953) is a Singaporean businesswoman who has been serving as the director of Temasek Trust since 2021. She is the wife of incumbent Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Ho joined Temasek Holdings as a director in January ...
over the government, and alleged that the Prime Minister harboured political ambitions for his son, Li Hongyi. A special parliamentary session was held to clear the Prime Minister of any wrongdoings and the siblings agreed to keep the dispute private after the session.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Hsien Yang
1957 births
Living people
Lee family (Singapore)
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
Stanford University alumni
People from Dabu
Singaporean people of Hakka descent
National Junior College alumni
Catholic High School, Singapore alumni
Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni
Stanford Sloan Fellows
Singaporean chief executives
President's Scholars
Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang