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David Neo | |
|---|---|
梁振伟 | |
 Neo in 2025 | |
| Minister for Culture, Community and Youth | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Lawrence Wong |
| Preceded by | Edwin Tong |
| Member of theSingapore Parliament forTampines GRC | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | PAP held |
| Majority | 6,392 (4.65%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1977-09-17)17 September 1977 (age 48) |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois (BEng,BA) Stanford University (MS) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MBA) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Singapore |
| Branch/service |  Singapore Army |
| Years of service | 1996–2025[1] |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Commands | Chief of Army Deputy Secretary (Technology)/Future Systems and Technology Architect Director of Joint Operations Head, Joint Plans and Transformation Department Commander, 3rd Division Commander, 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade Commanding Officer, 1st BattalionSingapore Guards Company Commander, 5th Company,1st Commando Battalion |
David Neo Chin Wee[a]PPA(G)PBS (born 17 September 1977)[2][3] is a Singaporean politician and retiredmajor-general who has been serving asActing Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, as well asSenior Minister of State for Education since 2025. A member of the governingPeople's Action Party (PAP), he has been theMember of Parliament (MP) for the Tampines North division ofTampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since 2025.
Neo served asChief of Army between 2022 and 2025.[1] Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army, he served as Deputy Secretary for Technology at theMinistry of Defence. Neo is the firstCommando to serve as Chief of Army.
Neo was brought up by his uncle and aunt after his mother died when he was five.[4] He attendedVictoria School andVictoria Junior College before graduating from theUniversity of Illinois with aBachelor of Engineering degree with honours inelectrical engineering and aBachelor of Arts degree with distinction ineconomics.[5]
He subsequently went on to complete aMaster of Business Administration degree in business administration, management and operations at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology, and aMaster of Science degree in operations research atStanford University under the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship conferred by thePublic Service Commission, and the Singapore Armed Forces Postgraduate Scholarship in 2012.[citation needed]
He also attended theIndonesian Army Command and Staff College (SESKOAD) in 2007 and attained the Top Foreign Student – Best Thesis.[citation needed]
Neo was the programme director of thePioneer Generation Office and the founding group chief of the Silver Generation Office under the Agency for Integrated Care. He was also a member of the board of governors ofSingapore Polytechnic from April 2015 to April 2018 and alternate director in advanced material engineering from June 2013 to June 2016.
Neo has been a board member at Temasek Defense Systems Institute since March 2021 and adirector atDSTA since April 2021.[6]
Neo enlisted into theSingapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1996 and served in theSingapore Army as aCommando officer.
Throughout his military career, he has held many appointments and roles, from command tours to staff appointments. The staff appointments include: Training Development Officer from April 2001 to December 2002; Staff Officer (Plans)/Joint Operations Department from November 2004 to August 2006; Chairman, SICUS Committee NDP 2008 from August 2007 to August 2008; Deputy Director (Planning)/Head of Strategic Plans from January 2010 to June 2012; Chairman, Show Committee NDP 2014; Head of Joint Plans and Transformation Department from October 2014 to July 2016; Director of Joint Operations from May 2019 to March 2021; and Deputy Secretary (Technology) in March 2021.
As Head of Joint Plans and Transformation Department and Director of Joint Operations, he had overseen the SAF's contributions to the national fight against COVID-19.[7]
His command appointments include: Company Commander, 5th Company, 1st Commando Battalion from May 2003 to November 2004; Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion,Singapore Guards from January 2008 to December 2009; Commander, 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade from August 2013 to October 2014; Commander, 3rd Division from July 2018 to June 2019.
On 10 March 2022, Neo succeededGoh Si Hou as theChief of Army.[7] On 1 July, he was promoted to the rank ofMajor-General.[8]
On 21 March 2025, Neo resigned his position of Chief of Army; he was replaced by Commander of 3rd Singapore DivisionCai Dexian.[9]
On 12 April 2025, Neo was spotted inTampines GRC withMasagos Zulkifli,Minister for Social and Family Development. Masagos later said that Neo would be joining the PAP team for the constituency.[10] On 16 April, Neo was confirmed as part of the PAP team for Tampines GRC for the2025 general election.[11]
On Election Day, the PAP team defeated theWorkers' Party (WP),National Solidarity Party (NSP) and thePeople's Power Party (PPP) with 52.02% of the vote. The WP received 47.37% of the vote; the other two parties lost theirelection deposits ofS$67,500 ($13,500 per candidate) for not winning at least 12.5% of the vote.[12]
After the election, Neo was internally assigned to the Tampines North division.[13][14] On 23 May, he was appointed Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Senior Minister of State for Education.[2]
Neo is married and has a son.[11]
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Public Administration Medal, (Gold) (COVID-19)_(Tentera).png)
Public Administration Medal, (Gold) (Military) - PPA(E)_(Tentera).png)
Public Administration Medal, (Bronze) (Military) - PPA(G)_ribbon_(from_2006).png)
Long Service Medal (Military) The COVID-19 Resilience Medal_Medal_ribbon.png)
Singapore Armed Forces Long Service and Good Conduct (20 Years) Medal_Medal_ribbon_with_clasp.png)
Singapore Armed Forces Long Service and Good Conduct (10 Years) Medal with 15 year clasp
Singapore Armed Forces Good Service Medal
Army Meritorious Service Star, 1st Class - Indonesia (2023)[15]
Gold Cross of Honour of the German Armed Forces_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Crown of Thailand (2024)[16]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Acting) 2025–present | Incumbent |
| Vacant Title last held by Chee Hong Tat (2020) | Senior Minister of State for Education 2025–present Served alongside:Janil Puthucheary | Incumbent |
| Parliament of Singapore | ||
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC 2025–present Served alongside: (2025-present):Baey Yam Keng,Charlene Chen,Masagos Zulkifli,Koh Poh Koon | Incumbent |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief of theSingapore Army 2022–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Current members of theCabinet of Singapore | |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister | |
| Deputy Prime Minister(s) | |
| Senior Minister(s) | |
| Cabinet Minister(s) | |
Effective from 23 May 2025 | |
| Members of the15th Parliament of Singapore (2025–present) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The party affiliation of each member is indicated right after the constituency/seat he or she represents.PAP:People's Action Party;WP:The Workers' Party; The leaders of their respective GRCs areunderlined. MP(s) who go on a leave of absence areitalicized.NMPs do not belong to any party. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||