Press Releases

      The Minister for Finance has appointed Mr Lai Chung Han, incoming Permanent Secretary (Finance), as the Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (“IRAS Board”) with effect from 1 May 2025. He succeeds Mrs Tan Ching Yee who has been IRAS’ Board Chairman since 1 May 2016. Mrs Tan will be relinquishing her Chairmanship appointment on 1 May 2025. 

2.   Under Mrs Tan’s leadership, IRAS strengthened its international standing through its active participation in key international platforms, including representing Singapore on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) Forum on Tax Administration as a Bureau member. IRAS also contributed constructively to discussions and consensus-building efforts on tax policy and tax administration at other OECD forums, such as the Inclusive Framework for Base Erosion and Profit Shifting. 

3.   With Mrs Tan helming the board, IRAS supported taxpayers during the COVID-19 pandemic through corporate and property tax rebates, deferment of income tax payments, and extension of tax filing deadlines and instalment payments. IRAS also expanded beyond its traditional role to become the Centre of Excellence for disbursing national grants to enterprises, swiftly implementing various grant schemes such as the Rental Support Scheme, Jobs Support Scheme and Wage Credit Scheme, to support businesses and workers. IRAS has since administered other national grants schemes such as the Uplifting Employment Credit and Progressive Wage Credit Scheme.

4.   During Mrs Tan’s chairmanship, IRAS continued to upgrade its digital infrastructure and leverage Artificial Intelligence to serve taxpayers better and enhance compliance efforts. This included the successful generational upgrade in IT system for Property Tax, Stamp Duties and Individual Income Tax, digitalisation of taxpayer notices and introduction of digital solutions to make tax filing more seamless for businesses.

5.   Mr Lai has held various command and staff appointments in the course of his military career in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. He was appointed as Deputy Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Defence in 2012 and as Chief of Navy in 2014, before his appointment as Second Permanent Secretary (Education) and Second Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) in 2017. In 2019, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Education). In July 2024, he was appointed as Permanent Secretary (Development), Ministry of Finance. He was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2022 by the President of Singapore.

6.   The Ministry of Finance and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore welcome Mr Lai to the Board and would like to express our deep appreciation to outgoing Chairman, Mrs Tan Ching Yee, for her significant contributions to the IRAS Board.

7.   The Board of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore comprises 11 members, including the Chairman. The current list of members is at Annex A.