Tony Tan

President of Singapore

7 February 1940 Singapore, Straits Settlements

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1 September 2011 – 31 August 2017

For other people named Tony Tan, see Tony Tan (disambiguation). 7th President of the Republic of Singapore In this Chinese name, the family name is Tan. His Excellency Tony Tan Keng Yam DUT (First Class) GCB 陈庆炎 7th President of SingaporeIn office 1 September 2011 – 31 August 2017Prime Minister Lee Hsien LoongPreceded by S. R. NathanSucceeded by Halimah Yacob Ministerial appointments Deputy Prime Minister of SingaporeIn office 1 August 1995 – 1 September 2005Serving with Lee Hsien Loong, S. JayakumarCoordinating Minister for Security and DefenceIn office 1 August 2003 – 1 September 2005Preceded by Ong Teng CheongSucceeded by S. JayakumarMinister for DefenceIn office 1 August 1995 – 1 August 2003Preceded by Lee Boon YangSucceeded by Teo Chee HeanMinister for EducationIn office 1 January 1985 – 29 December 1991Preceded by Goh Keng SweeSucceeded by Lee Yock SuanMinister for FinanceIn office 24 October 1983 – 1 January 1985Preceded by Hon Sui SenSucceeded by Richard Hu Member of Parliament Member of the Singapore Parliament for Sembawang GRCIn office 3 September 1988 – 20 April 2006Succeeded by Khaw Boon WanMember of the Singapore Parliament for Sembawang SMCIn office 10 February 1979 – 17 August 1988Preceded by Teong Eng Siong Personal detailsBornTony Tan Keng Yam (1940-02-07 ) 7 February 1940 (age 81) Singapore, Straits SettlementsPolitical partyIndependent (2011–2017)Other political affiliationsPeople's Action Party (1980–2011)Spouse(s)Mary Chee Bee Kiang ​(m. 1964 )​Children3 sons 1 daughterRelativesTan Chin Tuan (Uncle) Alma materNational University of Singapore Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Adelaide St Patrick's School St Joseph's InstitutionSignatureChinese nameSimplified Chinese陈庆炎 Traditional Chinese陳慶炎 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinChén Qìngyán Tony Tan Keng Yam DUT (First Class) GCB (born 7 February 1940) is a former Singaporean politician and deputy prime minister who served as the 7th president of Singapore from 2011 to 2017. Before entering politics, Tan was a general manager in the Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation. Tan joined the People's Action Party and became Member of Parliament for Sembawang in 1979. He served in the ministerial portfoliios for education from 1980 to 1991, finance from 1983 to 1985 and defence from 1985 to 1991. He was then appointed as deputy prime minister from 1995 to 2005, which he served concurrently as co-ordinating minister for security and defence from 2003 to 2005. Tan resigned from the cabinet in 2005 and assumed various chairmanship appointments in the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. He resigned from his positions in 2010 and contested in the following year's presidential election as an independent. Tan won the 2011 Singaporean presidential election in a four-cornered fight and served as president until 2017. He did not run for reelection in the 2017 presidential election, which was reserved for Malay candidates after a constitutional amendment. He is the only living former president of Singapore.