Despite his continuingly favourable reputation, Singapore's Heng Swee Keat faces some onerous challenges ahead and slips one place this year to third in the FinanceAsia finance minister rankings.
The 57-year old is expected to be named prime minister within the next three years after he was elected first assistant secretary-general by the ruling People’s Action Party PAP in November.
Barring shock events, this all but anoints him to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is nearly 67 and has said that he intends to step down before he turns 70.
Heng is knowledgeable about the commercial, industrial...