Desmond Lee

Desmond Lee Ti-Seng (born 15 July 1976) is a Singaporean politician and lawyer who has been serving as Minister for National Development since 2020 and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration since 2018. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Boon Lay division of West Coast GRC since 2020, and previously represented the Jurong Spring division of Jurong GRC from 2011 to 2020.

Early life and education Lee was born in Singapore to Lee Yock Suan, a former Cabinet minister. He studied at Raffles Institution before completing a Bachelor of Laws degree at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2001. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 2002. Later, he earned a Master of Laws degree from University College London (UCL) in 2006.

Legal career Lee started his career as a Justices' Law Clerk and Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General's Chambers. He later worked at the Ministry of Health and subsequently became a partner at Allen & Gledhill, a major law firm in Singapore.

Political career Early years and ministerial appointments Lee entered politics in the 2011 general election as part of a PAP team contesting in Jurong GRC, which won with 66.96% of the vote. He was elected as the MP for Jurong Spring and later appointed as Minister of State for National Development in 2013. He was promoted to Senior Minister of State in 2015.

In 2017, Lee was appointed Minister for Social and Family Development. The following year, he was also designated as Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration.

Minister for National Development In the 2020 general election, Lee contested in West Coast GRC and was elected as MP for Boon Lay. He was then appointed Minister for National Development, overseeing housing, urban planning, and environmental sustainability. His tenure has focused on public housing policies, community development, and urban resilience.

Personal life Lee is married with children. He is known for his advocacy in social services, urban development, and community welfare.