SINGAPORE - The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has appointed Ms Tan Li San as its new chief executive.

From June 1, she will take over from Mr Sim Gim Guan, who joined NCSS in 2013, the Ministry of Social and Family Development said on Tuesday (March 31).

Ms Tan, 44, was previously deputy secretary of industry and information at the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) from Nov 1, 2013 to Jan 5 this year.

She was then appointed NCSS CEO-designate on Jan 6.

At MCI, she was key in developing Singapore's digital economy and digital society.

She also oversaw policy and legislative reviews in content regulation, including the review of the Films Act and development of the Protection from Online Falsehood and Manipulation Act.

In more recent years, Ms Tan has been volunteering on the boards of social service agencies including the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore.

She also sat on the committee for the Social Service Sector Strategic Thrusts (4ST), which developed a five-year road-map to guide the sector to remain relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of the population.

She held various government positions prior to her appointment, including roles in the Ministry of Manpower, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Ministry of Finance, Public Service Division, and the Civil Service College.

She succeeds Mr Sim, 55, who has worked in NCSS for nearly seven years.

Under Mr Sim, NCSS led the development of the 4ST and conducted the Quality of Life Study, which emphasised the importance of inclusion and empowerment in serving the needs of vulnerable groups.

Under his tenure, Community Chest, the fund-raising and engagement arm of NCSS, raised $1.3 billion for the social service sector under the Care and Share Movement for SG50.

He also oversaw the Social Service Institute's move towards education innovation, leveraging technology to revitalise the learning experience of social service professionals.

NCSS president Anita Fam thanked Mr Sim for his leadership and contribution.

She added: "I look forward to working with Li San as she leads NCSS to scale even greater heights, mobilising and continually building up the capabilities of our agencies to better serve the needs of our community."