On 18 February 2025, three Foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in separate ceremonies at the Istana, marking their official roles as ambassadors to Singapore.
SINGAPORE, 18 February 2025 – In a reaffirmation of Singapore’s commitment to international diplomacy, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam received the credentials of three newly appointed foreign Heads of Mission at the Istana. The envoys included His Excellency Stephen Marchisio, Ambassador of the French Republic; His Excellency Percy Patson Chanda, High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia; and His Excellency Harold Efran Burgos Castro, Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras.
HIS EXCELLENCY STEPHEN MARCHISIO
AMBASSADOR OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC TO SINGAPORE
Ambassador Stephen Marchisio began his career at the French Ministry of Defence in 1999. In 2010, he joined the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, where he held appointments as Head of the Defence Industries and Technologies Office in the Global Affairs Directorate (2010 – 2013), Deputy Director General of the Continental Europe Directorate (2016 – 2017) and Deputy Director General for Asia and Pacific (2020 – 2023), among others. Ambassador Marchisio served as the Technical Advisor for Strategic Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office from 2017 to 2020 and subsequently as the Diplomatic Advisor (Head of Unit) in the Prime Minister’s Office from 2023 to 2024.
Ambassador Marchisio is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Techniques Avancées (ENSTA, or the National Higher School of Advanced Techniques). He has been awarded the ordre national du mérite (National Order of Merit) and the Foreign Affairs medal.
HIS EXCELLENCY PERCY P. CHANDA
HIGH COMMISSIONER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA TO SINGAPORE
High Commissioner Percy Patson Chanda has been accredited to India since January 2024. He was a Member of Parliament for Kankoyo Constituency in Zambia from 2006 to 2011. Prior to that, High Commissioner Chanda had worked in the mining industry for three decades in different capacities and led the two largest mining unions in the country as Council Chairman for the Zambianisation Committee for Kabwe Mine and Chairman of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia/National Union of Miners and Allied Workers.
High Commissioner Chanda was trained in boilermaking at the Nothern Technical College (NORTEC) in Zambia. In 2023, he attained a Certificate in Diplomatic Practice, Protocol, and Public Relations from the Zambia Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies. High Commissioner Chanda is married with five children.
HIS EXCELLENCY HAROLD BURGOS
AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS TO SINGAPORE
Ambassador Harold Burgos is Honduras’ first Ambassador to Singapore since 1994. His appointment marks an important step in strengthening relations between Singapore and Honduras. Ambassador Burgos is based in Tokyo, where he also serves as the Ambassador of Honduras to Japan.
Ambassador Burgos has focused much of his career on strengthening Honduras’ ties with Asia and has represented Honduras in various diplomatic roles in Asia.
Ambassador Burgos holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from National Chengchi University and a Master of Business Administration from INCAE Business School, with a focus on practical international cooperation and development.
The appointment of these distinguished diplomats is expected to bolster bilateral ties, foster economic cooperation, and strengthen diplomatic relations between Singapore and their respective nations.
Source: MFA
