Tan Sze Yao



Tan Sze Yao

Director (Legal), Ministry of Health, Singapore

Sze Yao joined the Singapore Ministry of Health in December 2019, on the eve of the global pandemic outbreak. Since then, he and his team have been deeply involved in Singapore’s COVID-19 efforts, including the implementation of laws to facilitate digital contact tracing and technological approaches to quarantine. Prior to joining the Ministry of Health, Sze Yao served as legal advisor at various public agencies in Singapore, including the nation's Cyber Security Agency and Smart Nation Digital Government Office. He also clerked for the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal. Sze Yao was instrumental in the drafting and formulation of Singapore’s Cybersecurity Act.

Sze Yao read law at the University of Cambridge (UK), Columbia University (US) and Kyushu University (Japan). He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Japanese; unfortunately, not so much in technology.