Teo Chee Hean

Teo Chee Hean (born 27 December 1954) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs, Co-ordinating Minister for National Security and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service. He has previously served as the Minister for Defence (2003–11), Minister for Education (1997–2003) and Minister for the Environment (1996–97). He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1992.

Prior to entering politics, Teo was a Rear-Admiral (RADM) in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), and served as Singapore's Chief of Navy from 1991-92.

Naval career
Teo enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1972 and received his commission as a naval officer at the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) in 1973. He went on to hold various command and staff appointments in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Joint Staff.

Teo assumed command of the RSN as Chief of Navy in 1991 and was promoted to the rank of Commodore (later re-designated as Rear-Admiral) in July 1991.

On 7 December 1992, Teo left the RSN to seek election into Parliament.

Political career
Teo was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (Marine Parade GRC) in the Marine Parade by-election on 19 December 1992.

Following his election, Teo served as a Minister of State in the Ministries of Finance, Communications and Defence.

In April 1995, Teo was appointed the Acting Minister for the Environment and Senior Minister of State for Defence. In January 1996, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Second Minister for Defence.

At the 1997 general election, Teo was elected as an MP for Pasir Ris GRC. In the subsequent Cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed the Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence.

At the 2001 general election, Teo was elected as an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and re-appointed as Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence. On 1 August 2003, he was appointed the Minister for Defence and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.

At the 2006 general election, Teo was re-elected as an MP for Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC. He led the team six-member PAP team to victory in the constituency with 68.7% of the votes.

On 26 March 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong appointed Teo as one of two Deputy Prime Ministers with effect from 1 April 2009. He held this appointment alongside his roles of Minister for Defence and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.

At the 2011 general election, Teo led the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC to victory with 64.79% of the votes.

On 18 May 2011, Teo was appointed the Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security. He remains as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service.

Currently, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is away from Singapore, Teo serves as Singapore's Acting Prime Minister.

Within the PAP, Teo is the First Assistant Secretary General on the party's Central Executive Committee.

Involvement in the Singapore sports scene
Teo serves in leadership and advisory roles in several sports organisations in Singapore. He is the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council. He is also the advisor to the Singapore Dragon Boat Association.

Education
Teo was educated at Saint Michael's School and Saint Joseph's Institution, before being awarded a President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship in 1973 to study in the United Kingdom at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) degree in electrical engineering and management science in 1976. He then continued his studies at Imperial College London, obtaining a Master of Science degree (with distinction) in computing science in 1977. In 1986, Teo completed a Master of Public Administration degree at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and was named a Littauer Fellow.

Family
Teo is married to Chew Poh Yim. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in biochemistry from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1977. She is a director of a business consultancy and teaches marketing management in the School of Business Management at Nanyang Polytechnic on a part-time basis. The couple has one son and one daughter.

Teo's father Teo Cheng Guan was the Chairman of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) from 1989 to 1991. His great-granduncle Teo Eng Hock was a rubber magnate who lent Sun Yat-sen the use of his villa (now known as Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall) as the Singapore branch of the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance).