The Economic Society of Singapore (ESS) was established on July 28, 1956 by the Economics Department of University of Malaya in Singapore (now known as National University of Singapore). Today, ESS is a non-profit organisation, bringing together members from the academia, government and business sector to discuss current economic issues relating to Singapore and the region. ESS publishes the Singapore Economic Review Journal, conducts independent research, and holds conferences and networking sessions.
Key Milestones
1956
The Economic Society of Singapore (ESS), formerly the Malayan Economic Society, was established on July 28, as a result of the initiative of graduates and some staff members of the Department of Economics of the then University of Malaya in Singapore.
1969
The Society changed its name to the Economic Society of Singapore, in keeping with the independent and sovereign status of the Republic on 28 March.
1969
The Society published the Malayan Economic Review (MER), a journal later renamed the “Singapore Economic Review” (SER).
1973
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Dr. Goh Keng Swee and Professor You Poh Seng
1976
The ESS became a founding member of the Federation of Asean Economic Associations (FAEA).
1979
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Emeritus Professor Lim Chong Yah
2006
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
2010
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam
2017
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Minister Heng Swee Keat
2025
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Senior Minister Heng Lee Hsien Loong
1956
The Economic Society of Singapore (ESS), formerly the Malayan Economic Society, was established on July 28, as a result of the initiative of graduates and some staff members of the Department of Economics of the then University of Malaya in Singapore.
1969
The Society changed its name to the Economic Society of Singapore, in keeping with the independent and sovereign status of the Republic on 28 March.
1969
The Society published the Malayan Economic Review (MER), a journal later renamed the “Singapore Economic Review” (SER).
1973
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Dr. Goh Keng Swee and Professor You Poh Seng
1976
The ESS became a founding member of the Federation of Asean Economic Associations (FAEA).
1979
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Emeritus Professor Lim Chong Yah
2006
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
2010
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam
2017
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Minister Heng Swee Keat
2025
The status of Distinguished Fellowship of the Society has been conferred to Senior Minister Heng Lee Hsien Loong
70th ESS Council
PRESIDENT
Professor Euston QUAH
Albert Winsemius Chair Professor (Economics) &
Director (Economic Growth Centre School of Social Sciences)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Editor, Singapore Economic Review
VICE PRESIDENT
Dr CHUA Hak Bin
Regional Co-Head (Macro Research)
Maybank
VICE-PRESIDENT
Dr. Prakash KANNAN
Managing Director & Chief Economist
GIC
VICE-PRESIDENT
Miss Cindy KHOO
Managing Director
Enterprise Singapore
VICE-PRESIDENT
Professor David LEE
Chairman, Global Fintech Institute & Professor, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
VICE-PRESIDENT
Ms Selena LING
Chief Economist & Head (Global Markets Research & Strategy)
OCBC
HONORARY SECRETARY
Dr. CHUA Yeow Hwee
Assistant Professor (Division of Economics)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
HONORARY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Ms Ashima TYAGI
Economics Associate Director
Pricing & Purchasing
S&P Global
HONORARY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Mr Eugene OR
ESS Young Professional (EYP) Vice-Chairman
Ph.D. Candidate in Economics
Nanyang Technological University
HONORARY TREASURER
A/P CHIA Wai Mun
Associate Chair (Academic) &
Associate Professor (School of Social Sciences)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
HONORARY ASSISTANT TREASURER
Dr. TENG Siow Song, Harold
General Manager
YM Tech Singapore Pte Ltd
COUNCIL MEMBER
Professor Sumit AGARWAL
Low Tuck Kwong Distinguished Professor of Finance, Economics and Real Estate
Managing Director, Sustainable and Green Finance Institute
Head, Department of Real Estate
President, Asian Bureau of Finance and Economics Research
National University of Singapore and ABFER
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dr. Taimur BAIG
Managing Director & Chief Economist
DBS Bank LTD
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr Manu BHASKARAN
Founding Partner & Chief Executive Officer
Centennial Asia Advisors
COUNCIL MEMBER
A/P CHANG Youngho
Associate Professor & Head (Minor in Applied Economics)
Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr. James CHEO
Managing Director &
Chief Investment Officer
Southern Asia and Australia Global Wealth Management
UBS AG
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr. Philip CHUA
Former Senior Country Executive
American Express Bank Ltd
COUNCIL MEMBER
Ms Maureen DE ROOIJ
Chief Executive Officer
The Executive Forum
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr. Marcus FUM
Executive Director, (Economic Analysis Department)
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr Kenneth HO
Head of Sustainability
Seviora Group
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dr. Derrick KON SC
Chief Executive Officer
CEO Solutions
Adjunct Lecturer, SMU
COUNCIL MEMBER
A/P Jamus Jerome LIM
Associate Professor (Economics)
ESSEC Business School
Member of the 14th Parliament of Singapore
COUNCIL MEMBER
Professor Joseph LIOW
Dean and Wang Gungwu Professor in East Asian Affairs
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
National University of Singapore
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr Neil PAREKH
Deputy Chairman, GFTN
Vice Chairman, Asia Pacific, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Group
COUNCIL MEMBER
Ms Jacqueline POH
Chief Executive Officer
JTC Corporation
COUNCIL MEMBER
Professor John QUAH
Distinguished Professor &
Head of Department (Economics)
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
National University of Singapore (NUS)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dr, Kelvin Bryan TAN
Principal Health Economist
Chief Health Economist Office
Ministry of Health
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr. SUAN Teck Kin
Head (Research) & Executive Director
(Global Economics and Markets Research)
United Overseas Bank (UOB)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dr. Michael SYN
President &
Head (Global Markets Division)
Singapore Exchange Limited
COUNCIL MEMBER
A/P TAN Swee Liang
Associate Professor of Economics (Practice)
School of Economics
Singapore Management University (SMU)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr. Franky TANUDJOJO
Global Head of International Clients Network
Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited
COUNCIL MEMBER
A/P Walter THESEIRA
Associate Professor (Economics), School of Business, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS); & Adjunct Senior Research Fellow (Asia Competitiveness Institute), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (NUS)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dr THIA Jang Ping
Assistant Chief Economist
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Professor Jun YANG
Dean, College of Business
President's Chair in Finance
Professor, College of Business (Nanyang Business School)
Nanyang Technological University
COUNCIL MEMBER
Miss Vanessa YIAK
Deputy Director , Humanities
Curriculum Planning & Development
Division 2
Humanities Branch
Ministry of Education
COUNCIL MEMBER
Ms. YONG Yik Wei
Chief Economist
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)
CO-OPTED COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr LAU Kok Hui
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Vector Infotech Pte Ltd
ESS YOUNG PROFESSIONAL CHAIRPERSON & CO-OPTED COUNCIL MEMBER
Mr LAU Benjamin
Client Account Manager
UBS AG
ESS COMMITTEES
ESS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
PROFESSOR DAVID LEE
Chairman
MR. MANU BHASKARAN
Member
A/P CHANG YOUNG HO
Member
A/P CHIA WAI MUN
Member
ESS INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
DR. PRAKASH KANNAN
Chairman
DR TAIMUR BAIG
Member
A/P CHIA WAI MUN
Member
DR CHUA HAK BIN
Member
Ms SELENA LING
Member
MR SUAN TECK KIN
Member
DR DERRICK KON
Member
ESS ECONOMICS POLICY COMMITTEE
DR PRAKASH KANNAN
Chairman
DR TAIMUR BAIG
Member
MR MANU BHASKARAN
Member
DR DAPHNE KHOO
Member
MISS CINDY KHOO
Member
MS JACQUELINE POH
Member
DR MICHAEL SYN
Member
DR HAROLD TENG
Member
A/P WALTER THESEIRA
Member
ESS EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE
A/P TAN SWEE LIANG
Chairwoman
MISS VANESSA YIAK
Member
DR CHUA YEOW HWEE
Member
MR MARCUS FUM
Member
A/P JAMUS LIM
Member
PROFESSOR JOHN QUAH
Member
NEW INDUSTRY AND CORPORATE COMMITTEE
MAUREEN DE ROOIJ
Chairwoman
DR TAIMUR BAIG
Chairman
MR MANU BHASKARAN
Member
MISS CINDY KHOO
Member
DR DERRICK KON
Member
PROFESSOR DAVID LEE
Member
MS JACQUELINE POH
Member
MR SUAN TECK KIN
Member
DR MICHAEL SYN
Member
ESS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (YP) ADVISORY
MR. PHILIP CHUA
Chairman
MR BENJAMIN LAU
Co-opted YP Leader
MISS CINDY KHOO
Advisor
MR JAMES CHEO
Advisor
MR FRANKY TANDUJOJO
Advisor
MS YONG YIK WEI
Past ESS Presidents
Khor Hoe Ee
2003-2009
Augustine Tan
1999-2003
Basant Kapur
1998-1999
Teh Kok Peng
1992-1998
Lim Chong Yah
1977-1992
1972-1975
You Poh Seng
1975-1977
1970-1972
Howe Yoon Chong
1968-1970
Pang Tee Pow
1966-1968
Lee Keng Tuan
1964-1966
Lim Tay Boh
1960-1964
Ungku Abdul Aziz
1958-1960
Thomas Henry Silcock
1956-1958