Hwee Hua was first elected to Parliament in December 1996 and served till May 2011, last as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore, and concurrently as Second Minister for Finance and for Transport. Between April 2002 and July 2004, she was Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
At Finance, Hwee Hua spearheaded the reform of the Accountancy sector, reviewed Government’s investments in business, and helped implement financing options for small and medium enterprises. At Transport, she corporatised Changi Airport, helped establish a master-plan for aviation and was instrumental in expanding the International Maritime Centre.
Prior to joining the Singapore Cabinet, Hwee Hua enjoyed a varied career in financial services. At Temasek Holdings (2000 – 2004), she served as Managing Director where she oversaw divestments, restructured companies and boards. Hwee Hua also established strategic relations with Temasek’s key foreign counterparts. She sat on boards including PSA Corporation, Keppel Corp, Mapletree, Singapore Pools.
At Jardine Fleming (1992 – 2000), she was first Head of Singapore Research and then Director of Business Development. At Swiss Bank Corporation (1989 – 1992), she was an Investment Analyst for both Singapore and Malaysia. From 1981 to 1989, Hwee Hua served as an Administrative Officer in the Ministries of Finance, Education and Law.
Hwee Hua graduated with a Master of Arts (Honours) in Mathematics/Engineering from the University of Cambridge in 1981. In 1989, she obtained a Master of Business Administration, major in Finance, from the Anderson School of Management, University of California at Los Angeles.
Hwee Hua is currently a non-executive director of UOB Bank, Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd, Stamford Land Corporation and BW Group Limited, and Honorary Chairman of SIAS. She is a Senior Advisor to Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts and a Member of the Asia Advisory Board of Westpac Institutional Bank. Hwee Hua was an Independent Non-Executive Member of the Ernst & Young Global Advisory Council (2011 – 2014).