Chan Heng Chee

Chan Heng Chee never set out to become a diplomat. In the early years of her career, she was an academic who openly critiqued government policy. An unlikely prelude to her later role as Singapore’s longest-serving ambassador to the United States. That shift, and the trust placed in her, speaks volumes about Chan’s intellectual integrity and ability to bridge critique and service.

When Chan arrived in Washington in 1996, US-Singapore ties were strained over the Michael Fay incident. As the first female East Asian ambassador to the US, she was tasked with repairing the relationship. Over 16 years in the role, she helped negotiate the landmark US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, built bipartisan support for Singapore, and redefined what small-state diplomacy could achieve on the global stage.

Chan Heng Chee describes diplomacy as “political entrepreneurship”. The art of moving the needle when the odds are unclear. It’s an ethos that runs through her entire career. From representing Singapore at the UN to chairing think tanks and advising government bodies on urban innovation and social research. Today, Chan serves as Ambassador-at-Large at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chairs the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, and sits on the boards of institutions from the Asia Society to SIPRI.

Known for her clarity and candour, Chan Heng Chee has long been a steady, informed voice on the shifting dynamics of global power particularly in the evolving US-China relationship. She brings a dual lens to world affairs: realist in her assessment of power politics, yet principled in her defence of the rule of law and good governance. Values that have shaped Singapore’s reputation on the international stage. As a speaker, Chan demystifies how diplomacy and geopolitics really function and offers grounded, insider perspectives on Southeast Asia’s strategic role, the recalibration of global alliances, and what leadership demands in times of disruption.