Biography

Barath Harithas held diverse public service roles in Singapore spanning the US-China relationship, international trade and AI standards. He began his career in the Singapore Foreign Service focusing on key flashpoints in the US-China rivalry such as the South China Sea conflict, the trade war and escalating AI competition. He was subsequently a trade negotiator and was on the policy team for the Trans-Pacific-Partnership, the largest and most ambitious free trade agreement signed-to-date.  

Most recently, Barath led the development of AI standards in Singapore and drafted its first ever ‘National AI Standards Roadmap’. As a key founding member of the first and only pan-Asian trade association, he advocated on digital issues for its 3,000 members across 29 Asia-Pacific countries.    

Prior to his public service stint, Barath served in the Singapore Armed Forces as a Captain and graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Political Science. 

Barath is a John F. Kennedy Fellow, a Belfer Young Leader and a Fulbright Scholar. 

Last Updated: Sep 27, 2023, 3:35pm

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