Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai (born 18 December 1972) is a Singaporean politician and economist who has served as the fourth Prime Minister of Singapore since 15 May 2024. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), he is the first Prime Minister of Singapore born after the nation's independence in 1965. In addition to his role as head of government, he serves as the Minister for Finance and holds the position of Secretary-General of the People's Action Party. Wong was born in the eastern part of Singapore to a Hainanese family. His father, who had moved to Singapore from Malaysia, worked as a sales executive, and his mother was a primary school teacher. He grew up in a public Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Marine Parade. Wong attended Haig Boys' Primary School (now Tanjong Katong Primary School), Tanjong Katong Technical School, and Victoria Junior College. He pursued higher education in the United States on a Public Service Commission scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Science in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1994 and a Master of Arts in applied economics from the University of Michigan in 1995. In 2004, he completed a Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School. Wong began his professional career in the civil service in 1997, working as an economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. His early assignments included analyzing the regional economic effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He subsequently held positions at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, where he served as the Director of Healthcare Finance. From May 2005 to August 2008, he served as the Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Following this, he joined the Energy Market Authority, serving as its deputy chief executive and later as its chief executive officer from 2009 until 2011. Wong entered politics in the 2011 general election, winning a seat as a member of the PAP team for the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC). In 2015, he shifted to the newly formed Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC, where he has remained a representative. Throughout his ministerial career, he held various portfolios, including Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; Minister for National Development; and Minister for Education. In 2021, he was appointed Minister for Finance. A pivotal juncture in Wong's career occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was appointed as a co-chair of the government’s multi-ministry task force in January 2020. His leadership in navigating the nation's pandemic response significantly raised his public profile and demonstrated his administrative capability during a national crisis. In April 2022, he was formally chosen as the leader of the PAP's "fourth-generation" (4G) team, positioning him as the designated successor to Lee Hsien Loong. He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in June 2022. On 15 May 2024, Wong was sworn in as the fourth Prime Minister of Singapore, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong. He led the PAP to victory in the 2025 general election and was elected Secretary-General of the party on 4 December 2024. Regarding his personal life, Wong is a Methodist and has been married twice. His first marriage ended in divorce, and he is currently married to Loo Tze Lui, a former banker. He has no children. Outside of his professional duties, Wong is known for his interest in music, particularly as an avid guitar player, a hobby he has occasionally shared on social media.