The new deputy secretary-general (DSG) for the Asean Economic Community (AEC) took his oath of office on April 10, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said in a press release.
Dr. Lim Hong Hin will hold the post from 2012 to 2015.
DSG Lim will support Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Asean secretary-general, by providing leadership in implementing the AEC blueprint and by managing the AEC department.
He will also provide strategic advice on transforming Asean into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and freer flow of capital.
DSG Lim was appointed by the Asean Coordinating Council to succeed Pushpanathan S.
Before this, DSG Lim was with the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (2010-2012), an institute established by the East Asia Summit to provide policy analyses and recommendations on the regional integration process, including the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity, the Enhancement of AEC Scorecard, and the Midterm Review of the Implementation of AEC Blueprint.
From 2002 to 2009, Dr. Lim served at the Brunei Economic Development Board, where he was responsible for attracting, retaining, and adding value to foreign direct investment.
A graduate of the University of Reading, University of Hull, University of Western Australia, and The London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr. Lim specializes in business administration, cybernetics, information technology, and management.
As stated in the organizational charter, the secretary-general of Asean shall be assisted by four deputy secretaries-general of different nationalities and member-states. Two DSGs are nominated by member-states on a rotational basis for a nonrenewable term of three years, while two DSGs are recruited based on merit for a three-year term which may be renewed for another three years.
