The 50-year-old, born in Switzerland, will also assume the role of performance director.

Widmer has achieved notable success in recent years, coaching Australian Olympic champions Libby Trickett, Leisel Jones and Jessicah Schipper.

His swimmers have also set 20 world records and won 16 World Championship titles.

Widmer will fill the post vacated by Spaniard Sergio Lopez, who stepped down after last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and is due start his role in July.

Named Swimming Australia's coach of the year in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009, Widmer coached the country's Olympic team at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

"I am delighted and honoured to be given this opportunity," Widmer said.

"I am impressed with the vision and the ambition of Singapore Swimming and I am looking forward to the challenge of producing more world-class coaches and athletes as Singapore strives to become a top swimming nation."

Joseph Schooling won Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro last year.

The 21-year-old broke the Olympic record when he clocked 50.39sec in the final of the men's 100 metres butterfly event, beating American swimming legend Michael Phelps, South African Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary.

Quah Zheng Wen is also a high profile Singaporean swimmer.

He reached the semi-finals in the 100m and 200m butterfly at Rio 2016. 

"We launched our swimming high performance plan earlier this year," said SSA President Lee Kok Choy.

"The plan was a blueprint for long-term development and success for swimming.

"In line with that plan, we were looking for someone who would be able to achieve the objectives that were laid out and carry on our vision of turning Singapore into a world-class aquatics nation.

"After long discussions with the team, we believed that Widmer's calibre and proven track record in grooming world-class swimmers and coaches would allow us to reach that goal.

"We would like to warmly welcome him into the Singapore swimming fraternity."