Inaugural Chief Executive of HTX – Chan Tsan

A Home Team veteran with more than two decades of experience in tech-related leadership roles, Chan Tsan was appointed to helm HTX – the Science and Tech arm of MHA – in 2019.

From the beginning, the mission for Chan and HTX was clear – to advance science and tech, force multiply the Home Team, and secure Singapore’s future. He had his work cut out for him right at the start as the Covid-19 pandemic struck shortly after HTX’s inception, forcing the fledgling agency to quickly find its feet and respond to the multitude of public safety challenges that arose. Under his steady hands, HTX went on to play a critical role in Singapore’s efforts to contain the outbreak, testing wastewater and human swab samples and trialling drone technology that enhanced public safety during the Circuit Breaker period.

Over the next few years, HTX pushed the boundaries of science, technology, engineering and digital capabilities. A case in point is the first-of-its-kind cyborg cockroach, which made headlines around the world when it was deployed in Myanmar in 2025 to support the search and rescue efforts of the Operation Lionheart contingent. Chan has also overseen a significant expansion of HTX’s capabilities and the introduction of major initiatives that drove Home Team transformation. Among these initiatives are the HTxAI Movement, which sees HTX driving the Home Team’s efforts in leveraging artificial intelligence to augment its operations, and the establishment of the Home Team Sustainment Centre, which provides a holistic overview of Home Team assets and elevates operational readiness levels.

HTX’s network of partners has also grown under Chan’s leadership. Notable initiatives in this area include MTX (Milipol TechX Summit), a biennial international public safety conference and convention that brings together government, industry and innovators from around the world, as well as Hatch, HTX’s innovation hub that partners start-ups around the world to develop technologies for public safety use cases.

As HTX’s inaugural CE, Chan also led the building of the new agency itself, developing its people, capabilities, culture and values needed for HTX to serve as the Home Team’s force multiplier.