Managing Director, IISS-Asia
Main Responsibilities: As Managing Director of IISS-Asia, Valeriane Toon is responsible for a range of operational and administrative activities as well as research support. Besides playing an integral part in the planning and organisation of the annual IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, which convenes defence ministers and leading representatives from related industries in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss security and strategic issues, she is also IISS’ key point of contact for government-linked agencies, foreign diplomats and sponsors based in the region. Her other undertakings span from overseeing day-to-day operations of the IISS asia office, promoting the Institute’s expertise and publications, fundraising, to ensuring the successful implementation of IISS projects in Singapore.
Background: Between 1996 and 2001, Ms Toon was a Senior Officer with the Singapore Ministry of Defence. Her job scope included, amongst others, monitoring the political, security and social trends of Southeast Asia and assisting in the planning of the department’s workflow. In October 2001, she joined the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies in Singapore as an Associate Research Fellow. In addition to researching on the rationale behind Southeast Asian countries’ attitudes and responses towards the International Criminal Court, she also conducted class discussions on geopolitics of Southeast Asia at the SAFTI Military Institute and lectured at the SAF Warrant Officer School. Concurrently, she held the appointment of Project Manager with IISS-Asia, where part of her duties entailed setting up and manning the newly-established office. Ms Toon joined IISS full-time on 1 October 2004 and was appointed IISS-Asia Project Director.
Ms Toon holds a B.A. in Political Science and Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore, an M.A. in International Studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and has been awarded the AXP Scholarship by the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business where she is currently pursuing her MBA . She is fluent in English and Mandarin and is conversant in basic Bahasa Indonesia.
Joined IISS: October 2004
Contact: Click here to email Valeriane Toon
