Dr Francis Chong graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1993 before earning his M.Phil. and D.Phil. in International Relations from Oxford University. He received the Singapore Overseas Merit Scholarship and President’s Scholarship in 1989, and a Rhodes Scholarship in 1994.

Dr Chong was a member of the Singapore Administrative Service from 1999 to 2017, during which he served in various capacities in the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, and Community Development, Youth and Sports. He has also served in the Prime Minister’s office and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

In 2007, Dr Chong co-chaired a multi-agency working committee to put together Singapore’s successful bid to be the Host City for the first Youth Olympic Games. He was then appointed as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee.

After Singapore 2010, Dr Chong joined the Ministry of Trade and Industry to head the Emerging Markets Division with responsibility for growing Singapore’s trade with the countries of Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and South Asia.