:Josephine Teo

Teo attended Dunman High School and Raffles Junior College{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/Org-MP-CV-JosephineTeo.htm |title=AbtUs/OrgStr/Members of Parliament/CV-JosephineTeo |access-date=30 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210084124/http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/Org-MP-CV-JosephineTeo.htm |archive-date=10 February 2009 }} before graduating from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990 and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with honours degree in 1991.

During her studies in NUS, she was awarded several prizes, including the Rachel Meyer Book Prize, which is awarded to the best-performing female candidate in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences' final-year examinations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/sge/josephineteo.htm|title=Channelnewsasia.com - Singapore General Election|date=27 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527085737/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/sge/josephineteo.htm|archive-date=27 May 2006}}

She subsequently went on to complete a Master of Science degree in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992 under the Economic Development Board–Glaxo Scholarship Programme.

Teo worked at the Economic Development Board (EDB) from 1992 to 2002. She began her career in enterprise development before she was posted to Suzhou as part of the EDB team working on the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, where she was responsible for marketing resources. Upon her return to Singapore, she became the EDB's Head of Human Resources.

From 2002 to 2006, Teo was the Head of Human Resources at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

In November 2005, Teo also took on the role of Director of Human Resources at the Administration and Research Unit of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). After she was elected to Parliament in 2006, Teo took on additional roles within the NTUC and the labour movement. She served as the Executive Secretary of the Singapore Industrial Services Employees' Union (2006–2011). At the Administration and Research Unit, she served as the Alignment Director (Youth Development) and Alignment Director (Organisation Development) (2007–11), and as the Centric Director (Staff) (2008–2011). She also served as the NTUC's Assistant Secretary-General from 2007 to 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20071031-33468.html|title=Swee Say wins poll by landslide|website=www.asiaone.com|access-date=17 July 2020|archive-date=30 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030183828/http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20071031-33468.html|url-status=live}}

From 2009 to 2011, Teo also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Business China, an organisation aimed at improving cultural and economic ties between Singapore and China.{{cite web|title=MP Josephine Teo steps down as Business China CEO|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1130247/1/.html|access-date=22 May 2011|archive-date=22 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522082637/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1130247/1/.html|url-status=live}}

Teo meeting with [[Mauricio Macri, then the Chief of Government of Buenos Aires, in 2012|thumb|right]]

Teo made her political debut in the 2006 general election when she contested in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC as part of a five-member People's Action Party team. The PAP team won by an uncontested walkover and Teo became a Member of Parliament representing the Toa Payoh East ward of Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC.

During her first term in Parliament, Teo served as the Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, and as a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pap.org.sg/parliamentary_comm.html |title=People's Action Party |access-date=11 November 2010 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031617/https://www.pap.org.sg/parliamentary_comm.html |url-status=live }}

Following the 2011 general election, Teo along with Wong Kan Seng, Hri Kumar, Ng Eng Hen and Zainudin Nordin contested in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC and won about 56% against the Singapore People's Party.

On 18 May 2011, Teo was appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport. She was promoted to Senior Minister of State at the Ministries of Finance and Transport on 1 September 2013, and switched to representing the Bishan North ward of Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC. She relinquished her position as Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance on 30 September 2015.{{cite news|last1=Ong|first1=Justin|title=Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces Singapore's new Cabinet|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/prime-minister-lee-hsien/2154802.html?cx_tag=similar#cxrecs_s|publisher=CNA|access-date=5 October 2015|archive-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006033136/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/prime-minister-lee-hsien/2154802.html?cx_tag=similar#cxrecs_s|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Singapore|first1=CNA|title=PM Lee and Singapore's new Cabinet sworn in|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/pm-lee-and-singapore-s/2162926.html|publisher=CNA|access-date=5 October 2015|archive-date=5 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005003054/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/pm-lee-and-singapore-s/2162926.html|url-status=live}}

Following the 2015 general election, Teo along with Chong Kee Hiong, Chee Hong Tat, Ng Eng Hen and Saktiandi Supaat contested in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC and won about 73% higher than the previous election against the Singapore People's Party.

On 1 May 2017, Teo was promoted to full Minister and appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Manpower, and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cabinet-changes-josephine-teo-desmond-lee-promoted-to-full-ministers|title=Cabinet changes: Josephine Teo, Desmond Lee promoted to full ministers|date=27 April 2017|website=The Straits Times|access-date=17 July 2020|archive-date=9 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909234926/http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cabinet-changes-josephine-teo-desmond-lee-promoted-to-full-ministers|url-status=live}} She also oversaw the National Population and Talent Division, a department in the Prime Minister's Office. On 11 September 2017, she relinquished her portfolio as Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and became Second Minister for Home Affairs. On 1 May 2018, Teo succeeded Lim Swee Say as Minister for Manpower and continued to hold the portfolio of Second Minister for Home Affairs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cabinet-reshuffle-chan-chun-sing-heng-swee-keat-ong-ye-kung-10170676|title=Cabinet reshuffle: Chan Chun Sing to lead MTI; Heng Swee Keat stays at MOF, Ong Ye Kung to head MOE|website=CNA|access-date=2 May 2018|archive-date=2 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502211419/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cabinet-reshuffle-chan-chun-sing-heng-swee-keat-ong-ye-kung-10170676|url-status=live}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, despite effective handling of initial waves of infection, several serious outbreaks in April have brought the situation in Singapore out of control; many analysts points to poor conditions at foreign workers dormitories as a major factor of the failure.{{Cite news|last=Leung|first=Hillary|title=Why Singapore, Once a Model for Coronavirus Response, Lost Control of Its Outbreak|url=https://time.com/5824039/singapore-outbreak-migrant-workers//|access-date=28 July 2020|newspaper=Time|date=20 April 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Stack|first=Megan K.|title=A Sudden Coronavirus Surge Brought Out Singapore's Dark Side|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/magazine/singapore-coronavirus.html|access-date=28 July 2020|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 May 2020}}

The pandemic brought the living conditions at foreign worker dormitories to media attention. Dormitories were reported to be unsanitary and crowded, making preventive measures like social distancing difficult.{{Cite web|last1=Lim|first1=Joyce|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/workers-describe-crowded-cramped-living-conditions|title=Coronavirus: Workers describe crowded, cramped living conditions at dormitory gazetted as isolation area|date=6 April 2020|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=6 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406030002/http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/workers-describe-crowded-cramped-living-conditions|archive-date=6 April 2020|url-status=live}} Retired diplomat Tommy Koh criticised the living conditions, calling it "third world" and "a time bomb waiting to explode".{{Cite news|last1=Romero|first1=Anna|title=Tommy Koh: The way Singapore treats its foreign workers is not First World but Third World|url=http://theindependent.sg/tommy-koh-the-way-singapore-treats-its-foreign-workers-is-not-first-world-but-third-world/|access-date=8 April 2020|newspaper=The Independent|date=7 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408041210/http://theindependent.sg/tommy-koh-the-way-singapore-treats-its-foreign-workers-is-not-first-world-but-third-world/|archive-date=8 April 2020|url-status=live}} Amnesty International called the situation a "recipe for disaster". Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo vowed to improve the living conditions of foreign workers after the quarantine was handled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/manpower-minister-vows-raise-standard-dormitories-after-covid-19-outbreak-over|title=Manpower minister vows to raise standard of dormitories after Covid-19 outbreak is over|author1=Navene Elangovan|author2=Alif Chandra|date=7 April 2020|website=Today|location=Singapore|access-date=5 August 2020}}

On 9 April, MOM said in a press release that it will improve quality of meals of foreign workers during quarantine and formed a task force to improve the living conditions of foreign workers.{{Cite news|title=Coronavirus: MOM to improve quality of meals for foreign workers under quarantine|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mom-to-improve-quality-of-meals-for-foreign-workers-under-quarantine|work=The Straits Times|date=9 April 2020|language=en|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428212835/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mom-to-improve-quality-of-meals-for-foreign-workers-under-quarantine|archive-date=28 April 2020|url-status=live}} As of 25 April 25 dormitories have been gazetted as isolation areas.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19: Four more foreign worker dormitories declared as isolation areas|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-four-more-foreign-worker-dormitories-isolation-areas-12671742|date=24 April 2020|website=CNA|language=en|access-date=24 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428010632/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-four-more-foreign-worker-dormitories-isolation-areas-12671742|archive-date=28 April 2020|url-status=live}} Some healthy workers are also progressively being moved to numerous empty premises such as SAF camps, HDB blocks, floating hotels and Changi Exhibition Centre.{{Cite news|last=Lim|first=Janice|date=9 April 2020|title=21 HDB blocks in Redhill Close to house healthy essential foreign workers relocated from dorms|url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/some-healthy-foreign-workers-essential-services-moved-their-dormitories-redhill-close|work=Today|location=Singapore|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421074805/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/some-healthy-foreign-workers-essential-services-moved-their-dormitories-redhill-close|archive-date=21 April 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://mothership.sg/2020/04/foreign-worker-jurong-bedok-camp/|title=1,300 healthy foreign workers move into vacant premises at Jurong & Bedok camps|website=mothership.sg|language=en|access-date=9 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425143011/https://mothership.sg/2020/04/foreign-worker-jurong-bedok-camp/|archive-date=25 April 2020|url-status=live}} On 16 April, Teo said that there will be a "three-pronged strategy"; containing the spread, imposing lockdowns and separating workers in essential services.{{Cite news|title=3-pronged strategy in place to stop coronavirus spread in dorms|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/3-pronged-strategy-in-place-to-stop-virus-spread-in-dorms|work=The Straits Times|date=15 April 2020|language=en|access-date=16 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422185734/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/3-pronged-strategy-in-place-to-stop-virus-spread-in-dorms|archive-date=22 April 2020|url-status=live}}

File:UK Government hosts AI Summit at Bletchley Park (53302209207).jpg

Prior to the 2020 general election, Teo moved from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC to contest in Jalan Besar GRC.

Teo along with Denise Phua, Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah and Heng Chee How contested in Jalan Besar GRC against the Peoples Voice and won about 65% of the vote. Teo then became the Member of Parliament representing the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng ward of Jalan Besar GRC.

Teo was the PAP Community Foundation executive committee for 12 years as a member and the chairwoman from 2016 to 2020 and in October 2020 she was appointed as deputy chairwoman of the PCF management council.

Following a Cabinet reshuffle in May 2021, Teo succeeded S. Iswaran as Minister for Communication and Information while continuing to serve as Second Minister for Home Affairs. In addition, she was appointed Minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative.

In June 2022, Teo was announced the new PAP Community Foundation (PCF) management council chairman, taking over from Lawrence Wong who is the Minister of Finance as he is being promoted to Deputy Prime Minister.{{cite news | url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/josephine-teo-to-take-over-from-lawrence-wong-in-helming-pap-community-foundation | title=Josephine Teo to take over from Lawrence Wong in helming PAP Community Foundation | The Straits Times | newspaper=The Straits Times | date=9 June 2022 }}

During the 2025 general election, Teo contested Jalan Besar GRC as the anchor minister for the PAP team.

As Minister for Communications and Information, Teo introduced the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill which was passed unanimously in Parliament on 9 November 2022.{{cite web | url=http://mothership.sg/2022/11/online-safety-bill-singapore/ | title=Online Safety Bill passed in Parliament to protect S'poreans, especially the young, from harmful content online }}

In 2023, as Second Minister for Home Affairs, Teo introduced the Online Criminal Harms Act, which allowed authorities to take down websites, apps, and online accounts suspected of facilitating criminal behaviour, including scams.{{cite web | url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/online-criminal-harms-new-law-passed-scams-malicious-cyber-activity-3607501 | title=Parliament passes law targeting online content used for scams, malicious cyber activity

}}

In a media interview in October 2016, Teo responded to questions of whether Singaporeans were getting their Housing and Development Board flats early enough in order to start a family, stating that one "does not need much space to have sex". Teo further added that "in France, in the U.K., in Nordic countries, man meets woman [and] they can make a baby already. They love each other."{{cite news |last1=Tai |first1=Janice |date=12 October 2016 |title=You don't need much space to have sex: Josephine Teo on 'no flat, no child' belief |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ministers-rejoinder-to-no-flat-no-child-belief |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910035945/http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ministers-rejoinder-to-no-flat-no-child-belief |archive-date=10 September 2017 |access-date=9 September 2017 |work=The Straits Times |publisher=}} Teo's words drew flak from on social media, with netizens criticising her for lacking empathy towards couples and being insensitive towards couples' practical considerations such as being able to secure a HDB flat before starting a family, as well as accusing her of promoting premarital sex in conservative Singapore.{{Cite news|date=13 October 2016|title=What should come first, a baby or a flat?|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37627269}}

When asked about this in a 2019 interview by ST,{{cite news | url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/telling-it-as-it-is | title=Lunch with Sumiko: Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on politics, career and family | newspaper=The Straits Times | date=8 September 2019 }} Teo acknowledged that she “should not have said that. It was meant as a private joke but, you know, when you are in public life, nothing is really private anymore. So, lesson learnt.”

In May 2017, Teo commented on her Facebook page about the high cost of milk powder in Singapore, saying that "milk is milk, however fancy the marketing". She further claimed that she would buy whichever brand of milk powder approved for sale by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority that was cheapest for her own children.{{cite news|last1=Singapore|first1=CNA|title='Milk is milk, however fancy the marketing': Josephine Teo|publisher=CNA|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/josephine-teo-on-formila-milk-8844042|url-status=live|access-date=9 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909233724/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/josephine-teo-on-formila-milk-8844042|archive-date=9 September 2017}}

On 26 October 2018, during a conference held by the Institute of Policy Studies, Teo commented that implementing a minimum wage in Singapore may instead lead to higher unemployment and that Singapore's income inequality gap is "a problem of success" that is "difficult to overcome".{{cite news|last1=Singapore|first1=CNA|title='Implmenting minimum wage may lead to lower employment': Josephine Teo|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/minimum-wage-may-lead-to-lower-employment-josephine-teo-10866548|access-date=26 October 2018|archive-date=26 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026082617/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/minimum-wage-may-lead-to-lower-employment-josephine-teo-10866548|url-status=live}} Instead, to address such concerns, Teo said that the Government implemented measures such as the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme, which topped up the income of low-wage workers, “thereby achieving the same uplift as a minimum wage”.[https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/cna_implementing-minimum-wage-may-lead-to-lower-employment-josephine-teo_26102018.pdf Implementing minimum wage may lead to lower employment: Josephine Teo]

Teo introduced the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Bill which was passed in Parliament on 15 October 2024. The Bill prohibits the online publication of deepfakes and digitally manipulated content of political candidates during the election period.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-ban-deepfakes-general-election-candidates-law-4679781|title=Singapore passes law to ban deepfakes of candidates during elections|website=CNA}}

Teo is married to Teo Eng Cheong, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City and Investment Development Co (SSTEC) and former Chief Executive Officer of Surbana Jurong. They have two daughters and a son.{{cite web |title=Lessons from the world |url=http://www.centralsingapore.org.sg/site/cscdc/voices/voices34/002_vibrance009.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525060339/http://www.centralsingapore.org.sg/site/cscdc/voices/voices34/002_vibrance009.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2011 |access-date=30 March 2009}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{notelist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.pmo.gov.sg/cabinet/Mrs-Josephine-TEO Josephine Teo] on Prime Minister's Office
• [https://www.parliament.gov.sg/mps/list-of-current-mps/mp/details/josephine-teo Josephine Teo] on Parliament of Singapore

{{s-start}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef | before = Chan Chun Sing}}

{{s-ttl | title = Minister in the Prime Minister's Office

| years = 2017 – 2018

| alongside = Chan Chun Sing, Desmond Lee}}

{{s-aft | after = Ng Chee Meng
Indranee Rajah}}

{{s-bef | before = Lim Swee Say}}

{{s-ttl | title = Minister for Manpower

| years = 2018 – 2021}}

{{s-aft | after = Tan See Leng}}

{{s-bef | before = S. Iswaran}}

{{s-ttl | title = Minister for Communications and Information

| years = 2021 – present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-par | sg}}

{{S-bef | before = Wong Kan Seng

| before2 = Zainudin Nordin

| before3 = Leong Horn Kee

| before4 = Ng Eng Hen

| before5 = Davinder Singh

}}

{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for
Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC

| years = 2006–2020

| alongside =
(2006–2011): Wong Kan Seng, Zainudin Nordin, Hri Kumar Nair, Ng Eng Hen
(2011–2015): Wong Kan Seng, Zainudin Nordin, Hri Kumar Nair, Ng Eng Hen
(2015–2020): Chong Kee Hiong, Chee Hong Tat, Ng Eng Hen, Saktiandi Supaat

}}

{{s-aft | after = Chong Kee Hiong

| after2 = Chee Hong Tat

| after3 = Ng Eng Hen

| after4 = Saktiandi Supaat

}}

{{s-bef | before = Yaacob Ibrahim

| before2 = Lily Neo

| before3 = Heng Chee How

| before4 = Denise Phua

}}

{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for
Jalan Besar GRC

| years = 2020–present

| alongside =
(2020–2025): Denise Phua, Wan Rizal, Heng Chee How
(2025–present): Denise Phua, Wan Rizal, Shawn Loh

}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-end}}

{{Current Cabinet of Singapore}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Teo, Josephine}}

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