High-flying new face? IMDA CEO tipped as PAP's pick for East Coast GRC

From Singapore's first female brigadier general to Her World's 2018 Woman of the Year, PAP's rumoured candidates for the upcoming election have been nothing short of impressive.

Joining the mix is Tan Kiat How, chief executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

Tan, who will be stepping down from his role on June 20, could be contesting as a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate at East Coast GRC, The Straits Times reported, citing party sources.

The changes to electoral boundaries, which were announced in March, saw Fengshan SMC absorbed into East Coast GRC bringing its total number of seats from four to five.

Meanwhile, two of GRC's MPs, Lim Swee Say and Lee Yi Shyan, are expected to step down.

In a recent Facebook post announcing Tan's leave, Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said that under Tan's leadership, IMDA has "furthered Singapore's digital economy ambition".

"Domestically, [Tan] has also played a key role in fostering a digitally inclusive society by keeping a close sense of the ground to address people's concerns with going digital, and enabling workers to seize exciting opportunities in the tech sector, so that all Singaporeans have a part in our digital future."

Current deputy chief executive Lew Chuen Hong will be taking on Tan's role, Iswaran added.

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Before IMDA, Tan, 43, was deputy secretary (cyber and technology) at the Ministry of Communications and Information.

That's not all — the Hwa Chong alumnus holds degrees from top universities.

Tan graduated from Stanford University with a master's degree in Management and was a Mason Fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

He also studied computer engineering and economics at the University of Illinois.

Besides brains, he's also got brawn. Tan shared he was a gymnast in his younger days, even representing the country in international competitions.

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kimberlylim@asiaone.com