Chan Chin Bock, a former chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB) who helped shape Singapore’s early industrial growth, died on Sept 12 at the age of 93, according to official notices and tributes. He is survived by his wife Rose and his daughter Grace, marking the passing of a key figure in the statutory board’s history.
Early Career and Transition to the EDB
Before entering public service development, Chan worked as a teacher. He joined the EDB in 1964, serving under the board’s founding chairman Hon Sui Sen, who later became Singapore’s finance minister, according to historical accounts. Chan spent more than 30 years at the statutory board, serving as its third chairman from 1972 to 1975 and as alternate chairman from 1975 to 1987 while based in the United States.
Expanding International Investments
During his tenure in the United States, Chan oversaw a network of 17 worldwide offices and worked to attract prominent multinational corporations to Singapore. According to a 2015 report, he traveled across 50 states to contact companies, personally knocking on doors to persuade executives to visit Singapore and open factories for export production. Under his oversight, foreign investment commitments secured by the EDB grew from $320 million to $1.7 billion annually. He also secured Singapore’s first investments in the semiconductor and precision engineering sectors, laying the groundwork for the nation’s later aerospace and information technology industries.
Among his career milestones, Chan helped establish joint training centres to build up the Republic’s skilled labor pool through apprenticeship and training programs. One well-known anecdote from his career involved a 1968 United Nations Fellows Programme where he refused to sign a three-year bond for a four-month course sponsored by the EDB, quipping later that he stayed for 30 years without it.
Retirement and Mentorship
After retiring from the EDB in 1995, Chan briefly led the EDB Consulting Group and undertook development projects in Oman, Ghana, and Cambodia. Even after a 1997 stroke left him using a wheelchair, he continued returning regularly to the office to train young officers. He received several national accolades, including the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1969, the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1973, and the Meritorious Service Award in 1988.
Government leaders and the statutory board issued statements following his death. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong praised Chan in a Facebook post on Sept 12 as “one of the pioneers of Singapore’s economic development,” noting that he worked without a proven playbook. In a separate Facebook post that day, Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng stated that Chan witnessed firsthand how the economy grew and transformed while helping develop new industries and navigating the economic conditions of the 1980s. The EDB also issued a tribute describing him as a pioneering leader whose passion and vision inspired generations of officers.
Did You Know? Chan Chin Bock began his career as a teacher before joining the Economic Development Board in 1964, eventually spending more than three decades at the statutory board without ever signing a three-year employment bond he once declined in 1968.
By personally knocking on doors across the United States to woo multinational corporations, he helped establish the direct investment channels and technical training frameworks that transformed the country’s early labor pool into a high-tech manufacturing base.
Funeral and Wake Arrangements
Chan’s wake is being held at the Church of St Stephen in MacPherson on Sept 13 from 11am to 10pm, featuring a service at 8pm. The cortege will leave at 12.45pm on Sept 14 for Mandai Crematorium Hall 2, where cremation is scheduled for 1.40pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Chan Chin Bock pass away?
Chan Chin Bock died on Sept 12 at the age of 93.
What roles did Chan hold at the Economic Development Board?
He spent over 30 years at the statutory board, serving as its third chairman from 1972 to 1975 and as alternate chairman from 1975 to 1987 while stationed in the US.
Where are the wake and funeral services taking place?
The wake is being held at the Church of St Stephen in MacPherson on Sept 13, followed by a cortege departing on Sept 14 for cremation at Mandai Crematorium Hall 2.
What lessons from Singapore’s early industrialization do you think remain most relevant for modern economic planners today?
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