Agency for Integrated Care chief steps down ahead of GE2025, ECDA CEO to take over

SINGAPORE – Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash has stepped down as chief executive of the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and will likely be fielded in the upcoming polls.

Mr Dinesh will hand over the reins to Mr Tan Chee Wee, who is now chief executive of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the AIC said in a statement on March 28.

Mr Tan will take over on May 1. In the meantime, AIC deputy chief executive Noel Cheah will helm the agency.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development, which oversees ECDA, said in a statement on March 28 that Ms Ku Geok Boon will succeed Mr Tan.

Ms Ku is a long-time educator and was the first chief executive of SG Enable, the agency for disability and inclusion.

Mr Dinesh’s last day was on March 27.

In its statement, the AIC said Mr Dinesh had stepped down “to pursue other opportunities”. It also thanked him for his leadership and contributions.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, Mr Dinesh said: “My years in public service have been deeply meaningful and fulfilling. I hope to be able to continue serving and making a positive impact.”

The AIC is a unit that falls under the Ministry of Health (MOH), and was set up to oversee and coordinate care services for seniors.

Mr Dinesh is the latest senior officer to quit the government sector in recent weeks, and the string of resignations has fuelled talk that the officers will be fielded in the general election, widely expected to be called in the next few months.

His resignation confirms an earlier report by The Straits Times that he would leave the service ahead of this year’s polls. 

Mr Dinesh took over the helm of the AIC in 2023. During his tenure, he drove key initiatives, including supporting MOH’s Healthier SG and Age Well SG programmes, the AIC said.

It added that he also strengthened partnerships within the community care sector, and expanded the AIC’s role in healthcare policy formulation and implementation.

He also oversaw the integration of the Council for Third Age into the AIC, reinforcing the agency’s leadership in Singapore’s community care landscape, the AIC said.

Before joining the AIC, Mr Dinesh was director of the MOH crisis strategy and operations group during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He was also behind the push to vaccinate Singaporeans against the virus, for which he received the Public Service Star (Covid-19) award in 2024. The special edition of the national award was given to those who led major efforts contributing significantly to managing the impact of the pandemic on Singapore.

Before joining MOH in 2020, Mr Dinesh spent more than 25 years in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and rose to the rank of brigadier-general.

He was commander of the 2nd People’s Defence Force, and led an SAF task force providing security during the 2018 summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Mr Dinesh’s resignation comes on the heels of that of three other senior civil servants, who quit the service on March 25.  

They include Mr Jeffrey Siow, second permanent secretary of the Manpower and Trade and Industry ministries, and Mr Shawn Loh, who oversaw the last two budgets and was director of security and resilience programmes at the Finance Ministry. 

The third is Smart Nation Strategy Office director Goh Hanyan, who is also director of the national artificial intelligence group for policy and strategy at the Digital Development and Information Ministry.

ST had earlier reported that Ms Jasmin Lau, deputy secretary for policy at MOH, and Mr Foo Cexiang, director for private and future mobility at the Transport Ministry, had also resigned. Their last day at work will be some time in the next two weeks.

The civil service is a traditional PAP hunting ground for election candidates. Those who are selected usually resign from their jobs in the run-up to the polls.