Albert Winsemius (26 February 1910 – 4 December 1996) was a Dutch economist best known for serving as an economic adviser to Singapore between 1961 and 1984. He led the United Nations Survey Mission to Singapore and played a major role in the formulation of Singapore's national economic development strategy. Career In 1960, Winsemius led the United Nations Expanded Programme for Technical Assistance (EPTA) team to examine Singapore's potential in industrialisation. At that time, Singapore had just attained self-government and was facing high unemployment and growing population. Winsemius presented a 10-year development plan to transform Singapore from an entrepot trading port into a centre of manufacturing and industrialisation. Winsemius' first emphasis was on creating jobs and attracting foreign investment. Labour-intensive industries, such as the production of shirts and pyjamas, were expanded. He also encouraged the large-scale public housing programme, believing that it would bolster the country's image, thus attractive to foreign investors. One of his earliest pieces of advice was not to remove the statue of Stamford Raffles as it was a symbol of public acceptance of Singapore's British heritage and could alleviate concerns that investors have towards a new socialist government. With Winsemius' help, Singapore attracted big oil companies such as Shell and Esso to establish refineries there. During his term as Chief Economic Adviser between 1961 and 1984, Winsemius worked closely with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and key members of Lee's government such as Goh Keng Swee and Hon Sui Sen. Later, he also had a close partnership with Goh Chok Tong, Lee's successor as Prime Minister. He visited Singapore two or three times a year to review economic performance indicators and to discuss macro-economic strategy with government planners. In the 1970s, Singapore was upgrading its industrial capacity to use higher technological methods, including electronics. Winsemius personally went to persuade large Dutch electronics companies such as Philips to set up production plants in Singapore. He also proposed that Singapore could be developed as a financial centre, as well as an international centre for air traffic and sea transport. Over the next twenty years, these predictions proved to be accurate. In 1983, Winsemius retired from his position as Singapore's economic adviser at the age of 74. He said, "I leave with a saddened heart. It (Singapore) has become part of my life, more or less. It can do without me. It could do without me years ago. But