‘No room for reactive governance’: New head of civil service calls on top officers to innovate

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s top civil servants must have fresh thinking, innovative strategies and new capabilities, said Mr Chan Heng Kee, head of the civil service, on April 21.

In his first public speech since taking on the role on April 1, Mr Chan said the playbook that served Singapore well in the past may prove inadequate for tomorrow’s realities.

“This calls for us to continuously look ahead, work across boundaries, and drive transformation within our own organisations,” he said at the annual Administrative Service dinner held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

In doing so, administrative officers in Singapore must watch and decode seismic global shifts, and translate their understanding into policies that work and actions that matter, he said to an audience of about 300 people.

The changes include the crumbling international order, polarising forces seen in other societies that have eroded trust in government, and technological advances like artificial intelligence.

Mr Chan said the speed of change leaves no room for reactive governance and that Singapore cannot afford to wait for events or crises to force its hand.

“Rather, we need to actively question assumptions, challenge established thinking, and evolve our methods proactively.

“Wherever we work and whatever our role, this means adopting a long-term orientation that prepares for future challenges, even whilst we address today’s urgent demands,” said Mr Chan, who was Permanent Secretary for Defence before he succeeded Mr Leo Yip as civil service chief.

To prepare for the challenges ahead, Mr Chan said the civil service is broadening exposure for administrative officers.

“Understanding policy alone is no longer sufficient; we must have a better grasp of how businesses are run, how communities function, and how global dynamics affect us,” he said.

Currently, one in five administrative officers serves outside ministries, while two-thirds of senior leaders have gained operational experience in statutory boards, he added.

About 50 administrative officers have undertaken private and non-profit sector attachments in the past five years, while others have gained international exposure through public service exchanges and overseas assignments.

“We will work towards providing such opportunities to every admin officer,” Mr Chan said.

Among those who took on an external attachment was Ms Yeo Wenshan, 42, now deputy chief executive (development) at the Singapore Land Authority.

She spent a year with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank as an assistant general manager in 2022, after more than a decade in the public service in various roles including director of economic programmes at the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Based in Singapore for the role, she was involved in areas such as sustainability, technology, and asset and liability management.

Ms Yeo said her time in MOF made her acutely aware that Singapore’s success depended on being relevant to the world.

She then chose to be seconded to a listed financial institution that was growing rapidly in Asia, where she could see directly how decisions on growth, risk and capital were made – “from the inside, not just as counterparty”.

She added: “There’s no substitute for living and breathing what it looks from the other side. It sharpens your judgment as a policymaker and regulator.”

Her experience in the private firm gave her a deeper understanding of how markets and capital behave when under stress, Ms Yeo said.

In his speech, Mr Chan also highlighted the need to start embedding AI tools into daily routines and workflows.

He said AI will be a key feature of upcoming public service transformation efforts, and called on senior leaders to lead by example by using the technology and guiding its adoption across agencies.

There will also be a more systematic approach to developing leadership, he said, with regular 360-degree feedback assessments alongside coaching and leadership development workshops.

Mr Chan said that at the heart of administrative officers’ responsibilities lies rigorous policy analysis and sound advice.

This requires bringing intellectual honesty and rigour to their analyses, and standing by recommendations with conviction.

“Sometimes, this may mean raising the difficult questions or presenting the uncomfortable facts or data,” he added.

He said policy cannot be crafted in a vacuum, and that it was important to understand the political context and the thinking of political leaders, and how they weigh the hopes and concerns of Singaporeans.

This is not about second guessing, but rather about comprehending the environment, and developing proposals that give their policies the best chance of success, he added.

Said Mr Chan: “Our role does not end with offering policy options. Once decisions are made, we must implement them with resolve and excellence, and ensure that outcomes achieve both the intent and substance of what was decided.

“This is where the rubber meets the road – where policies become outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans.”