Sean Wat

Sean Wat
Wat in 2023
Born1984 (age 41–42)
Singapore
EducationStanford University (BASc)
Military career
Allegiance Singapore
Branch
 Republic of Singapore Navy
Service years
2002–present
Rank
Rear-Admiral
CommandsChief of Navy (2023–present)
Fleet Commander
Director, Defence Policy Office
Deputy Commander, Maritime Security Task Force
Commanding Officer, Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme

Sean Wat Jianwen PPA(E) PPA(P) (Chinese: 屈坚文) is a Singaporean two-star rear-admiral who has been serving as Chief of Navy since 2023.

Education

Wat attended Raffles Institution. Wat was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship to study at Stanford University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, and a Master of Science degree in Management Science and Engineering in 2006.

From 2013 to 2014, Wat attended the United States Naval Command and Staff Course, held at the Naval War College. In 2019, Wat earned a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Military career

Wat enlisted into the SAF in 2002. He served as Commanding Officer of the Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme from 2014 to 2016, and later Head, Force Transformation Office, Joint Plans and Transformation Department in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) from 2016 to 2018.

From 2019 to 2020, Wat served as Deputy Commander of the Maritime Security Task Force. He also served as Director of the Defence Policy Office under MINDEF from 2021 to 2022, before becoming Fleet Commander from 2022-2023.

In 2023, Wat was appointed as Chief of Navy.

Awards and decorations

References

  1. 1 2 "Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "First naval officer to be Chief of Defence Force will add value to SAF but has 'big shoes to fill': Analysts". Today. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 "RADM Aaron Beng becomes first Navy chief to be appointed Singapore's Chief of Defence Force". Channel News Asia. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Promotion of Chief of Navy". MINDEF. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "SAF officers are leading, serving and defending the nation amid the tumult of living in pandemic times". Today. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Rear Admiral Sean Wat". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Panglima TNI Sematkan Bintang Jalasena Utama Kepada Kasal Singapura". Indonesian Armed Forces Information Centre (in Indonesian). 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.