The Honourable
Henry Kwek
郭献川
Kwek in 2023
Member of Parliament
for Kebun Baru SMC
Assumed office
10 July 2020
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority13,284 (62.97%)
Member of Parliament
for Kebun Baru SMC
In office
11 September 2015 – 23 June 2020
Preceded byInderjit Singh
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Kwek Hian Chuan, Henry

(1976-04-20) 20 April 1976
Singapore
Political partyPeople's Action Party
EducationThe Chinese High School
Victoria Junior College
Alma materStanford University
Occupation
  • Politician
  • Entrepreneur

Henry Kwek Hian Chuan (Chinese: 郭献川; pinyin: Guō Xiànchuān; born 20 April 1976)[1] is a Singaporean politician and entrepreneur. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Kebun Baru SMC since 2020. He was previously the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Kebun Baru division of Nee Soon GRC between 2015 and 2020.[2]

Education

Kwek was educated at The Chinese High School and Victoria Junior College before graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Kwek subsequently continued his studies at Stanford University and completed a Master of Science degree in Management Science.[3]

Career

Kwek started his career at the Economic Development Board (EDB), working on economic development from 2001 to 2004 before joining McKinsey & Company as a management consultant in 2006.

In 2008, Kwek was appointed the executive director of Foodtraco Supplies, a Singapore-based trading, investment and consulting company.[4]

In 2013, Kwek co-founded boutique investment firm Cerulean Capital and serves as Chief Executive Officer till today.[4] Beyond developing investment models, Kwek specialises in macro-economics and geopolitical analysis. He is also a frequent speaker at economic forums.[5]

Political career

Kwek made his political debut in the 2015 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Nee Soon GRC.[6] Kwek went on to be in charge of the Kebun Baru ward under Nee Soon GRC. In the 2020 general elections, Kwek was fielded as a single PAP candidate for the Kebun Baru ward which returned as a single seat after 30 years against Kumaran Pillai from the Progress Singapore Party, where he won with 62.97 per cent of votes.[7]

Kwek is currently appointed as Vice-Chairman of the PAP's senior wing. He is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for the Singapore Parliament.[8] Kwek also serves in two Government Parliamentary Committees (GPC), namely the Defence and Foreign Affairs GPC as well as the National Development GPC.[9] He previously served on the Finance, Trade and Industry GPC and the Community, Culture and Youth GPC. Kwek is also appointed as the Vice-Chairman for Ang Mo Kio Town Council.[10]

In Parliament, Kwek has advocated for more dementia-friendly communities to help seniors age-in-place as well as support their caregivers' well-being. He has also pledged to expand opportunities for employment and networking for individuals, Singapore-based companies and start-ups to help residents cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11][12][13]

Kwek's passion for social work led him to launch The Hope Collective Project in his constituency.[14] The Hope Collective brings together a network of change makers from volunteers, welfare organisations and government agencies focused on uplifting the vulnerable in the community. Since launch, they have worked together to pilot multiple programmes for the needy. One notable project is Kebun Baru's collaboration with Dementia Singapore to launch IDeAL@115, a first-of-its-kind assisted living model of care aimed at providing support and community care for seniors.[15] IDeAL@115 stands for the Integrated Dementia (Home-based) Assisted Living and is housed within a block of one-room rental units, home to at-risk vulnerable, frail and lower-income seniors. The project was featured in the National Day Rally 2023.[16]

Kwek has also embarked on the transformation of the Kebun Baru ward which has a predominant elder population to be more family friendly. He has organised more activities for young families, such as water carnivals, art workshops and family-oriented events. In April 2023, the Kebun Baru Family Day saw the launch of the first constituency-based Dads for Life group which provides opportunities to forge closer bonds with their children.[17] Dads for Life is a national movement by the Centre of Fathering that aims to inspire, mobilise and involve fathers to become good influences in their children's lives.

Personal Life

Kwek is fond of Chinese culture and philosophy, and serves as the advisor to both the Nanyang Confucius Association and the Singapore Sicheng Calligraphy Society.

In June 2022, Kwek attended the 14th edition of Pink Dot SG, an event held at the Speakers' Corner of Hong Lim Park since 2009 in support of the LGBT community in the country. Kwek's attendance was the first time an MP from the governing People's Action Party (PAP), has physically shown their support for the event.[18][19]

Kwek also holds a fondness for travelling and reading.

References

  1. ↑ "Kwek Hian Chuan Henry". www.parliament.gov.sg. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  2. ↑ Choudhury, Amit Roy (12 September 2015). "GE2015: PAP retains Nee Soon GRC". The Business Times. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Henry Kwek bio" (PDF). Parliament of Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 "New faces Louis Ng, Henry Kwek join PAP team for Nee Soon GRC". TODAY. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  5. ↑ https://ceruleancapitalsg.com/work
  6. ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2015-pap-introduces-2-new-faces-in-nee-soon-grc
  7. ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2020-results-paps-henry-kwek-claims-kebun-baru-smc-gets-6297-of-the-vote
  8. ↑ https://www.parliament.gov.sg/about-us/structure/select-committees/public-accounts-committee
  9. ↑ https://www.pap.org.sg/whos-who/gpc/
  10. ↑ https://www.amktc.org.sg/pdf/Town-Councillors-details.pdf
  11. ↑ Toh, Yong Chuan (2018-02-07). "Govt 'prepared to study' eldercare leave". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
  12. ↑ Lim, Adrian (14 February 2019). "Suggestions from MPs to help seniors, caregivers". Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  13. ↑ Saad, Imelda. "MPs debate help for SMEs and low-wage workers". TODAY. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  14. ↑ Baharudin, Hariz (2018-08-26). "Hope Collective initiative launched to bring together aid agencies in Kebun Baru". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
  15. ↑ https://dementia.org.sg/2022/03/30/dementia-singapore-and-kebun-baru-launch-ideal115-a-first-of-its-kind-assisted-living-model-of-care/
  16. ↑ https://www.gov.sg/features/ndr-2023
  17. ↑ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/kebun-baru-community-club-rolls-out-dads-for-life-initiative-to-help-fathers-bond-with-their-children
  18. ↑ Daud, Sulaiman (18 June 2022). "PAP's Henry Kwek attends Pink Dot 2022, first ever MP to do so". mothership.sg. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Min, Chew Hui (18 June 2018). "Pink Dot returns to Hong Lim Park for the first time since COVID-19 pandemic started; MPs among attendees". CNA. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
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