Tommy Koh (Tommy Thong - Bee Koh or Tommy Koh Thong Bee, simplified Chinese: 许通美; traditional Chinese: 許通美) was born in Singapore on 12 November 1937. He is an international lawyer, professor and Ambassador - At - Large for the Government of Singapore. He served as Special Adviser at the Singapore Institute of Policy Studies, Chairman of the National Heritage Board and Chairman of the Governing Board of the NUS Centre for International Law (CIL). He was on secondment from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law.

He was President of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1980 – 1982 and Chairman of the Main Committee of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, 1990 – 1992, where he presided over the negotiations on Agenda 21. He has also served as Singapore's ambassador to the United Nations and the United States.

Koh was the first Executive Director of the Asia - Europe Foundation, established in Singapore in 1997 by the countries of the Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Koh graduated from Raffles Institution and received a Ll. B. (First Class Honours) degree from the University of Malaya in Singapore (now National University of Singapore). He has a Ll. M from Harvard University and a post - graduate Diploma in Criminology from Cambridge University. He was conferred a full professorship in 1977. Prof Koh was awarded honorary degrees of Ll. D. from Yale University and Ll. D. from Monash University. He has also received awards from Columbia University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Curtin University.

On August 9, 2008, Koh was conferred with the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) by the Singapore Government, for his outstanding contributions in the Singapore legislative team representing Singapore, in the Pedra Branca dispute case with the Malaysian government.

Professor Koh was a special advisor to the Institute of Policy Studies.