After Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong stepped down as the country’s premier, Lawrence Wong has taken over the reins of the country. Wong 51, becomes the fourth leader of the Asian financial hub since its independence in 1965.
Wong succeeds Lee Hsien Loong, the son of the founding father of modern Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, after 20 years of his rule.
Born on 18 December 1972, Wong was born in an ordinary family. As per the Reuters report, Wong’s father worked in a sales job and his mother taught in a primary school.
Wong and his family lived in a public housing estate in Eastern Singapore called Marine Parade.
Wong did not attend elite schools. He went to local schools regarded as ordinary. He has studied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also has reportedly said he picked the US because it was home to his favourite musicians.
Wong has a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Wong is a government scholar and started his career as an economist at the trade ministry.
He entered politics in 2011 and was appointed to the board of directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the central bank. He later held the culture, national development, and education portfolios.
“In 2020, he catapulted into the spotlight as co-chair of the Covid-19 taskforce and won favour for his unflappable demeanour when explaining tough pandemic restrictions to Singaporeans,” the report said.
Wong took over as Singapore’s finance ministry in 2021. The following year he was appointed deputy prime minister and successor to Lee.
Wong is said to be a music lover who was gifted a guitar from his father at age 8. He also describes himself as a bookworm and a dog-lover.
Wong's social media is replete with videos of him strumming a guitar - including one of Taylor Swift's Love Story posted during the height of Swift-craze when the star performed in Singapore.
