Barry Desker
Barry Desker
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)
Ambassador Barry Desker has had more than 30 years of experience in the public sector, holding key positions in the foreign service and serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Trade Development Board. He is currently the Dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Ambassador Desker is the Dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and concurrently Director, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, NTU. He is the inaugural Bakrie Professor of Southeast Asia Policy. Ambassador Desker is a Member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, Singapore. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors of the Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship.
He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Trade Development Board from 1994 to 2000, after serving in the foreign service since 1970. He was Singapore’s Ambassador to Indonesia from 1986 to 1993, Deputy Secretary and Director of the Policy, Planning and Analysis Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 1984 to 1986 and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York, from 1982 to 1984.
He is also Non-Resident Ambassador of Singapore to the Holy See and Spain and Chairman of Singapore Technologies Marine.
He was educated at the University of Singapore, University of London and Cornell University. He was awarded a honorary LLD by Warwick University in 2012.
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