CREATE, INNOVATE, ADVANCE 2024’S GAMECHANGERS BREAK RECORDS, DRIVE COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CARE, AND RIDE THE HIGHS OF TECHNOLOGY. HERE ARE THEIR STORIES.
DESIGN FOR HUMANITY
WENDY CHUA, 39
Designer and co- founder of Forest & Whale
Wendy Chua founded Forest & Whale with her husband Gustavo Maggio in 2016 with the goal of using design to improve social and environmental care. To this end, the duo created products, services, and experiences that encompass objects and furniture systems, as well as community care models for ageing societies. Their work has won the President’s Design Award and been exhibited in the Milan Triennale Museum and the Museum of Craft and Design of San Francisco.
During the pandemic, alarmed by the amount of disposable plastics used, Forest & Whale, with the support of Design Singapore Council, interviewed local hawkers and developed reusable takeaway food containers, some of which integrate circular principles.
Chua is currently researching coastal climate issues with a focus on toxic algal blooms caused by global warming. Through Sensing Blooms Lab, a project she founded working with local marine scientists and fish farmers, Chua will launch citizen science projects and art science installations to help the public make sense of the climate threats we are facing along the Johor and Singapore
Strait. That is not all she is doing. Calling herself a design anthropologist, Chua says she’s drawn to the needs of marginalised communities. One of her causes is to use design to create inclusivity for people with disabilities and dementia.
Currently, she is working with Lien Foundation, a philanthropic organisation, to help local, socially isolated elderly men. These individuals tend to hang out at coffee shops rather than community and active ageing centres that have facilities to support them. Chua has “hacked the ubiquitous coffee shop space” to see how it can provide care for this group of people. – Mavis Teo
BUILDING COMMUNITIES IN WEB3
ELROY CHEO, 39 Co- founder of Arc
Elroy Cheo is building his own story – and he’s doing it in the Web3 space with Arc, an app- based digital community driven by blockchain technology and collaboration between its members. Co- founded with tech entrepreneur Kiat Lim and Singaporean musician JJ Lin, the platform is the first of its kind in Asia and uses NFTS as proof of membership and includes real- world incentives such as access to private clubs, networking events and exclusive experiences with partners such as Millennium Hotels and Resorts and Zouk.
For Cheo, who is the platform’s “architect” and oversees its user experience, Arc is the coming together of his passion for cryptocurrency and Web3 and a gap in the Asian market that he felt needed to be filled.
Since its founding in 2022, Arc has grown into a 660- strong community that includes artists, social media influencers and business leaders such as Casetify’s Wesley Ng, Rotten Tomatoes’ Patrick Lee and Tribe and Stackup’s Yi Ming Ng.
Says Cheo, “We realised that NFTS were a perfect mechanism for the kind of community we envisioned Arc to be, where members come together to collaborate and build new things together. With NFTS, we have transformed membership into a digital asset, and this naturally creates a mechanism that motivates members to participate and contribute, strengthening and growing the community, which enables the digital asset to grow in value.
“Our vision for Arc is to be the start of a new kind of investment and incubation powerhouse – one that is built and driven by the community instead of a company or an individual.” – Candice Chua
PURPOSE-DRIVEN STYLE
SUSANNAH JAFFER, 33 Founder and CEO of Zerrin
Since its founding in 2017, discovery platform Zerrin has inspired its readers to choose better — for themselves, for others and for the planet. In promoting a more conscious approach to style and living, its founder Susannah Jaffer drew from her experience as a former magazine editor and her commitment to Mother Nature, manifesting the change she wanted to see in the world.
“I took all of the things I had come to feel at odds with about the fashion industry – the issue of overconsumption, the absence of inclusivity, the lack of unique design – and aspired to carve out a space that championed the exact opposite,” Jaffer says.
Of Indian and English heritage, Jaffer uses Zerrin to champion designers with responsible practices, powering the growth and visibility of over 70 independent fashion and lifestyle brands through its online platform and experiential pop- up stores.
“The word ‘ sustainable’ is loaded with stereotypes and has been overused and misused by the industry at length in recent years. At Zerrin, we’re careful to make sure we’re communicating the value, details and difference about a brand’s products. Design is first and foremost what draws people to a product and any designer we carry has to fulfil our criteria for distinctive quality, not just responsible practices.”
Jaffer has proven that success is possible for a business that marries style, sustainability and social responsibility. She has been acknowledged by organisations in the creative, entrepreneurial and sustainability spaces, and has expanded Zerrin’s reach to include a B2B arm and a creative consultancy that focuses on purpose- driven projects and campaigns.
“People’s understanding of what ‘ sustainable’ fashion actually is has evolved and matured over time,” she muses. “Globally, people are really becoming more aware of the options out there, and Singapore is no exception. Running Zerrin’s physical store has taught me a lot about building community, the challenges independent brands face and perspectives on the sustainable fashion movement. The community that we’ve brought together, and that we are continuing to build, inspires me every day.”
– Anandhi Gopinath
BALANCING ACT
ALICIA PAN, 40
Co- founder of Move [ Repeat]
With its spate of lockdowns, the pandemic caused many fitness centres to shutter; yet Yoga Movement, which opened in 2012, survived thanks to fitness entrepreneur Alicia Pan. She and her team “doubled down on efforts to get through the hard times” and managed to expand the business.
Yoga Movement now has 85,000 members and 10 studios across Singapore, with some conveniently located in Orchard Road and Holland Village. Its focus on creating a welcoming, approachable space for practioners of varying experience has helped made yoga a mainstream fitness option.
With the goal of advancing Singapore’s wellness landscape, Pan has expanded the company’s fitness options. Last year, she teamed up with Australian franchise Strong
Pilates to offer cardio- infused pilates for strength and high- intensity interval training. There are currently four branches in the downtown and Holland Village areas, with another seven to open in the coming years.
Yoga Movement and Strong Pilates Singapore make up Move [ Repeat], Pan’s fitness lifestyle company that delivers on her vision to facilitate people’s access to wellness.
Says Pan, “With the accessibility of our brands, we want to make an yone and everyone feel welcome, whether it be people with hardcore fitness goals or those who are just starting out. We want the loyalists and the Sunday folks to relat e to our brands and our spaces. The aim is to encourage individuals to ‘ just move’.” – Joseph Low
AUTOMOTIVE FUTURIST
JOSHUA GOH, 34 CEO of Scorpio Electric
Joshua Goh is not one to shy away from a challenge. He brings a wealth of finance experience to his role as CEO of Scorpio Electric, a homegrown automotive manufacturer that sidesteps the jostling of the electric car market with its pinpoint focus on two- wheelers.
Having grown up in the Eurosports Global family, the parent company of Scorpio Electric, and thus accustomed to automotive excellence, he understands the priorities clamouring for resources at his motor start- up: The first, a need to establish a sustainable mobility landscape capable of supporting the nascent e- motorbike market, and the second, putting to market a battery- powered two- wheeler that will wow consumers and investors in one fell swoop.
Major inroads have been made with the latter, thanks to the launch of the production- ready Scorpio Electric X1 at the Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori trade exhibition in Milan, Italy, last November. The brand’s flagship maxi- scooter was unveiled with two sister concepts, signalling Goh’s ambition to use the X1’ s sales to establish regional partnerships and realise his dream of an all- electric future. He says: “If I could change one thing about the world, it would be to accelerate the global transition to sustainable transportation. By shifting towards electric vehicles, we can make significant strides towards mitigating climate change’s impact and creating a more environmentally conscious society.” – Alvin Lim
SPRINT QUEEN
SHANTI PEREIRA, 27 National sprinter
Singaporean sprint sensation Shanti Pereira isn’t just blazing a trail on the track, she’s leaving scorch marks for aspiring athletes everywhere. Pereira has racked up national records in the 100m and 200m, while collecting a glittering array of medals at the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Athletics Championships, and Asian Games.
In a history- making feat, Pereira shattered a 49- year gold medal drought for Singapore at the 2023 Asian Games in the 200m event. That same year, she cracked the top 35 in the World Athletics’ 100m Asian rankings. Adding to her list of achievements, she also took part in her first- ever Diamond League, a prestigious invite- only competition, and qualified for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Pereira’s journey hasn’t been without setbacks. In 2019, injuries beset the thenstudent, who performed under par at the 2018 Asian Games and ended up losing two scholarships – a sports high- performance scholarship and a university scholarship – in the space of one week. Despite this hurdle, Pereira emerged as a true champion, both on and off the track, inspiring a new generation to chase their dreams.
All eyes will be on the sprinter as she prepares for the biggest sporting event of the year this June in Paris. On what she hopes to achieve at the Olympics, she says, “At least a better position than what I got at the World Championships in Budapest 2023 ( 17th place) and to bring pride to myself, my support team, and my country.”
Beyond the track, her aspirations cannot be clocked. She says, “I hope to be happy and healthy, no matter what stage of life I am at. Happiness and health can look different to different people, and vary based on what stage of life you’re at. I hope to develop into a person my young self can be proud of.”
– Joseph Low
MASTERING FRAGILITY
SHAOQI TAN, 24 Artist
Shaoqi Tan is only 24 years old but has already exhibited her ceramic works in Singapore, London, New York, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. She was awarded the Mullenlowe NOVA Award for emerging talent when she was still a student at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. This is not surprising for anyone who has seen her work.
Tan’s artistry belies her age, demonstrating the skills of a mature artist with her handling of clay and glaze. Her collection of sculptural porcelain installations features foliage, overgrown weed and dewdrops, delicately hung on wall and pillars or placed on the floor and shelves. They invite viewers to appreciate the flux between the strengths of porcelain and its fragility, and highlights the transitory decaying moments of an urban landscape.
Her creations feature a luminosity and translucency that require technique and delicate artistic sensibilities. Tan has also applied her talents to cutting paper to resemble spider webs fluttering in the wind and low- relief carvings that capture the intricate elements of nature in its inherent beauty. Louis Vuitton commissioned her to design an installation in Singapore Changi Airport.
Tan says she has an experimental approach to new materials and unconventional techniques. Sustainability is currently top of mind and the basis of her founding of Shao Studios, which showcases her experiments with waste materials such as porcelain fragments and excess glaze drops.
– Phillip Lim
POSITIVE CULTURES
LIN FENGRU, 35 Founder of Turtletree
Lin Fengru founded Turtletree in 2019 with one bold vision – to create a new generation of sustainable nutrition that’s better for the planet, animals, and people.
“Turtletree was founded to revolutionise food production by harnessing biotechnology to make sustainable and ethical alternatives,” says Lin. The idea stemmed from her personal journey in cheesemaking, when she discovered the environmental cost of traditional milk production, including all the associated sustainability, food safety, and animal welfare issues. She initially focused on producing whole milk directly from cultured cells, but shifted to concentrate on valuable milk ingredients based on customer feedback.
Turtletree has won global competitions like The Liveability Challenge and The Entrepreneurship World Cup for its innovative disruption of the dairy industry. In 2022, Lin was named one of the 50 most influential people working on the future of food by the organisation behind The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
“Turtletree’s vision is to lead the way in sustainable nutrition, revolutionising the food system,” says Lin. The company’s first product is LF+, a sustainable, animal- free version of lactoferrin, one of milk’s most powerful proteins. Last November, it obtained Generally Recognised As Safe status in the US, paving the way for its commercialisation there. Says Lin, “LF+ is a significant step in our journey to transform the food system, offering alternatives to the food and beverage industry that provide functional nutrition while promoting environmental responsibility. We will expand our pipeline of proteins to bring cell- based milk to the world, ensuring future generations have access to nutritious foods without compromising the environment or food safety.” – Cedric Tan
THE GREEN OFFICER
NINA JESSEN, 29
Business development manager at Jebsen & Jessen Technology
There is no question that the push for sustainability is an urgent necessity. But communicating that urgency – and engendering real, effective change – is another matter altogether – and that’s where Nina Jessen comes in. She’s well- positioned to cultivate, cajole and create change in the realm of sustainability, having first attained a master’s degree in Sustainable Development with Sociology, then professional communication experience at the United Nations Office of Geneva, then the International Trade Centre.
These were skills she brought with her when she returned to the fold in 2021, becoming the fourth- generation member of her family’s business, the Jebson & Jessen Group. Fittingly, she led sustainability communications there as a corporate communications consultant, spearheading and communicating green initiatives that would allow the industrial conglomerate to lead by example. She most recently transitioned to the role of business development in turf and irrigation, where she pledges to integrate her commitment to sustainability even while exploring opportunities in agriculture, landscaping and hospitality.
“No one person or one company can save the world. I firmly believe that if each person asks themselves, ‘ How can I help my community or make a difference today?’ and does at least one action every day, it can create a ripple effect with huge impact over time,” she says.
“While I am deeply passionate about sustainability, I don’t pretend to be able to achieve a completely zero- waste or zeroemissions lifestyle. Simply put, I believe we all just need to consume less and be mindful in every decision and purchase.” – Alvin Lim
FUTURE IMAGININGS
VANESSA LIEM, 22 Artist
Vanessa Liem took the top prize at the 2019 UOB Painting of the Year in the emerging artist category when she was still a student at School of the Arts Singapore, the nation’s premier arts school. The annual art competition is the longest- running in
Singapore and one of the most recognised in Southeast Asia to uncover young talent. Liem followed up with two solo exhibitions at Culturi and she is just 22 years old.
Her paintings of figures are distinct in their surrealism, a style she says comes from her love of dystopian and sci- fi movies such as Ex Machina, about a humanoid robot who triumphs over her creator. Her work beckons the viewer to explore and question conventional portrayal of the female body. Its distorted, alien, phantasmagorical forms defy objectification like those traditionally depicted in paintings. She’s ready to evolve, however. “As I grow older, my art has shifted to something more rooted in reality, the human body and the gaze,” she says. But the distortion and surrealism? That won’t change any time soon, she promises. Reality is relative after all. – Phillip Lim
LICENCE TO EXCITE
DERRICK LEE, 31
Chief technology officer and co- founder of Accredify
At the tender age of 12, Derrick Lee took his first tentative steps into the world of deep tech, armed only with self- taught programming skills and bolstered with the spunk of an ambitious fledgling.
The whiz kid sparked off various entrepreneurial outings centred around innovative tech solutions, including platforms for website templates, app development and cryptocurrency. These experiences laid the groundwork for his co- founding of Accredify, a Web 3.0- driven service provider that enables companies to issue verifiable, tamper- proof documents stored securely and conveniently on the blockchain.
The technology, in turn, has fostered an ecosystem of digital trust in both private and public institutions, with over 2.5 million verifiable certificates issued for leading education institutions, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, and the Ministry of Health, Govtech and Temasek amid the pandemic. Lee continues to serve as chief technology officer today, owning the process of Accredify’s new products and features from ideation to release.
He says, “In navigating complexities and setbacks, I’ve come to view challenges not merely as obstacles but as invaluable opportunities for growth and innovation.” In fact, the company’s ethos is rooted in the mindset shift from “I have to do this” to “I get to do this”, which reframes challenges from burdens to privileges. This transforms its approach from one of reluctance to one of enthusiasm and readiness to tackle the unknown.
Accredify began expanding internationally in 2021, with the opening of its first global office in Australia. That was followed by an office in Japan the year after. This year, Accredify is exploring opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa, bolstered by its win at Expand North Star Dubai 2023, the world’s largest technology start- up show.
– Alvin Lim
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CHAMPION
AHMAD ALHABSHEE, 35 Founder of Urban Salvation
Ahmad Alhabshee is on a mission to push the boundaries of sustainable design and champion a circular economy. As the founder of Urban Salvation, he designs and handcrafts bespoke wooden furniture using sustainably sourced materials.
Ahmad’s work gained national recognition when he was featured in the National Day Parade ( NDP) 2023 and the 2024 People of Design campaign by the Singapore Design Council, celebrating his contributions to Singapore’s design landscape.
Under his leadership, Urban Salvation is pioneering a pop art furniture project that integrates recycled plastics with reclaimed wood, plus a collection of artisanal furniture that mixes 18th- century wood preservation techniques with brutalist designs. These will debut at the end of the year. In the future, Ahmad intends to open a woodworking school, with the goal of creating a supportive and inclusive environment where students can pursue their passion and realise their craftsmanship potential.
Says Ahmad, “Being featured in the NDP and People of Design campaign is like winning the furniture- making Olympics. It’s been a wild ride, and these recognitions are like gold medals hanging proudly on our workshop walls. These honours remind us of the responsibility we have to keep pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and spreading joy through our creations.
“By offering accessible education and training with our planned woodworking school, we’re not only nurturing the next generation of craftsmen but also fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment in the community.” – Aaron de Silva
CREATIVE BUNNIES
JAMIE LEE, 38
Co- founder and creative director of The Paper Bunny
A trained lawyer, Jaime Lee’s love for forms and colours led her to a whole new world of graphic and product design. Driven by a deep belief and desire to create practical pieces that would accompany and impact people in their everyday lives, she, together with her co- founder and husband Justin Tan, went on to launch a full range of ready- to- purchase stationery and lifestyle products.
In its 11th year, The Paper Bunny has evolved into a brand with a sizeable following, with over 150K followers on Instagram and the clout to draw queues for its products, such as the up- to- six- hour line that formed outside of its Takashimaya store when it dropped the Puffer bags last year.
On opening its first brick- and- mortar store in 2021, after having been in business for eight years, Lee says, “As our product range grew, it became apparent that customers wanted to see, feel, touch and try on the pieces that we offer. Opening a physical space and offering an omnichannel experience allowed us to define how The Paper Bunny would look like in real life and for our customers to experience the brand in more ways than one.”
The Paper Bunny has collaborated with international brands such as Starbucks, Singapore Airlines, Superga, Sephora, Coach and more to create merchandise for different audiences.
Brimming with ambition, Lee is currently consolidating her vision for the brand with the launch of a brand new retail space at Takashimaya, slated for completion in May 2024. – Cedric Tan
BEAUTY BY HAND & HEART
LYNSEY LIM, 35
Founder of Handmade Heroes
In 2015, fueled by a passion for safe, affordable and ethical beauty products, Lynsey Lim founded Handmade Heroes – an entrepreneurial commitment to wholesome skincare. Launched as a conscientious venture, Lim crafted natural, vegan lip balms and body scrubs out of her kitchen. The process required confidence and selfdiscipline, and eventually her effort paid- off.
Currently, Handmade Heroes is available in retail spaces like Isetan and Takashimaya in Singapore and its Paraben- conscious, cruelty- free and halal- certified products have made the brand a best seller on Amazon.
“If there is any one aspect of my personality that has contributed most to the success of Handmade Heroes, it’s my never give up attitude. I am a big believer in the ‘ if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again’ school of thought because no one gets it right on the first try.”
Lim believes that the beauty industry is due for a seismic shift in trends and focus and has channelled Handmade Heroes from a skincare start- up into a business entity that is diverse, inclusive and authentic at its core.
“I see myself spearheading campaigns for more realistic standards of beauty, advocating mental health and self- acceptance. The industry has a responsibility to shift the narrative from unrealistic beauty standards and fleeting trends to one that embraces the unique qualities of each individual.”
– Cedric Tan
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
GERMAINE CHOW, 34
CEO of I Quadrant and founder of Crestbrick
A financial literacy advocate, Germaine Chow sparked a transformation in the industry when she started I Quadrant in 2018.
Going beyond financial education, I Quadrant is an academy that aims to close the investment knowledge gap and transform families through financial literacy and practical knowledge, predominantly through but not confined to real estate.
“In 2024, I Quadrant became the main sponsor of one of Singapore’s highest grossing films – Money No Enough 3, a movie that represents the voice of the people under the yoke of financial struggles and difficulties,” says Chow. The movie broke box office records and, as of March 2024, stands as one of the top box office hits in Singapore and Malaysia.”
Over the past six years, Chow has grown I Quadrant into a community of more than 4,500 investors. ‘‘ Being a mother of two, I am also a big champion of financial literacy in youths,” she says.
In 2023, Chow was awarded the Women’s Entrepreneur Awards, which honours women business leaders for their business and social contributions to Singapore.
Capitalising on the tides of expansion, Chow took the next step by building relationships with developers and eventually founded Crestbrick, a real estate agency that is established by investors for investors.
Chow has also parlayed her successes with I Quadrant and Crestbrick into Kin Hotel Group, a hospitality outfit with 11 hotels and apartels in Ho Chi Minh City. – Cedric Tan
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
AERON CHOO, 30 Owner and chef of Kappou
Never one to stick to conventions, Aeron Choo is Singapore’s first female Japanese restaurant owner and chef. Her career in this exacting industry began at the age of 14, leading her to establish her first restaurant, Kappou, at Fortune Centre in 2016, at just 22. Since then, she has evolved by leaps and bounds in both technique and knowledge through continuous monthly training in Japan at a three Michelin star ryotei. Choo is clearly passionate about Japanese cuisine. She says, “My lifelong passion is to explore Japanese culinary heritage and discover new ingredients. As far as possible, I want to prolong and protect this beautiful culture.”
Kappou is today the culmination of Choo’s 25 years culinary journey. The
20- seater Japanese fine diner at 15 Robinson specialises in unique menus based on Japan’s 72 micro seasons across 24 solar periods.
Says Choo, “I produce original dishes inspired by the heritage of Japanese culture. Kappou’s cuisine is made based on traditional techniques. Our restaurant itself is a cultural spot with ever- changing antique artworks and floral arrangements to ensure that guests can feel the seasons upon entering the space.”
Choo is also a certified sake sommelier and was awarded the Welbilt Rising Chef of the Year ( Female) title at the World Gourmet Summit 2020 Awards. She emerged victorious at the 10th Washoku World Challenge, a cooking contest organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan for non- Japanese chefs, and was placed third at the final tournament held in Japan in March this year. – Cedric Tan
BEYOND THE BAR
RYAN FOO, 29
Co- founder of Drinkaid
Many Asians lack the enzymes needed to break down acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol that causes hangovers and the Asian flush. This motivated Ryan Foo, along with co- founder Solomon Poon, to establish Drinkaid in 2020. The brand aims to reduce redness and hangovers for users and has achieved success in Singapore, becoming one of the bestselling alcohol detox supplements on shopping platform Shopee.
Though equipped for a legal career, Foo’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start his own business, seek new challenges and venture beyond his formal education.
Demonstrating his versatility and adaptability in the digital age, Foo is also a freelance content creator. This platform allows him to showcase his creativity while serving as an extension of his entrepreneurial ventures.
He believes that Drinkaid normalised the habit of consuming hangover pills in
Singapore, when, in the past, this was confined to heavy drinkers. As a result, the company grew its customer base to include casual drinkers wanting a more conscientious relationship with alcohol.
It plans to go regional, then international. Says Foo, “We are looking to enter new markets through organic partnerships. We like to explore white spaces in these areas, which is why we’re the only brand partnering wedding planners, events and even a hospitality chain ( Mondrian Singapore).”
– Joseph Low
NOTES FOR A CAUSE
DEDRIC WONG, 38
Conductor and founder of Ding Yi Music Company
Ever since Dedric Wong founded Ding Yi Music Company with his classmates from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 2007, he has been a tireless champion of Chinese chamber music both locally and internationally. Upon becoming the conductor in 2017, he led Ding Yi in up to 60 events annually. The company has partnered overseas acts that include the Hong Kong Windpipe Ensemble and Suzhou Symphony Orchestra.
Under Wong’s lead, Ding Yi has become Singapore’s most prodigious Chinese chamber music ensemble. Over the years, it has won many accolades, including the Singapore Chinese Cultural Contribution Award in 2019. In 2020, Ding Yi became the first Singaporean music group to record for a Walt Disney film, lending their talents to the score of Mulan.
Amid all of this, Wong still finds time for community work. “Music should be accessible to all,” he says. He introduces Chinese chamber music to youth through arts education programmes. Next year, he will be a panellist on the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s Singapore Youth Action Plan, reprising his role in 2019 and 2020.
“Music has a mission; it can be used to promote a cause,” says Wong. To remind people of their relationship with nature, he developed Econcert, a play on the word “eco- friendly”. The performance features music from Ding Yi, nature sound artists and theatre practitioners to inspire the audience to meditate on their relationship with the natural environment. The first Econcert was performed last December; the next will take place this November.
– Mavis Teo
TAKING HOROLOGY TO NEW HEIGHTS
KATE LIM, 36
General manager of Sincere Fine Watches Horology is in Kate Lim’s blood. The granddaughter of Anthony Lim, founder of Cortina Watch, she was appointed general manager of Sincere Fine Watches after it was acquired by Cortina Holdings in 2021. Prior to this, she had served as the regional operations manager of Cortina Watch for Taiwan and Hong Kong. Kate, whose father is current Sincere Fine Watches chairman Raymond Lim, has not lost time making her mark at Sincere Fine Watches. She spearheaded the relaunch of the Sincere Haute Horologerie retail concept, now rebranded SHH, but retains the goal of championing independent fine watchmaking.
This is just the beginning. As Sincere Fine Watches marks its 70th anniversary this year, the retailer will launch The Horology Lab. Aimed at cultivating an appreciation for the art of watchmaking, this new initiative will offer a diverse range of educational events and workshops.
“At SHH, we have proudly introduced esteemed brands like Louis Moinet, Christiaan van der Klaauw, Fabergé, Genus and Lederer. The main goal we have when selecting brands is to make sure that we fulfil our commitment to offer our discerning clientele timepieces that not only exemplify exceptional craftsmanship, but also resonate with their individuality and spirit of adventure,” says Lim. “We recognise that our patrons are not merely seeking timepieces; they are seeking expressions of their unique identities and passions.”
One of the goals of The Horology Lab is to engage and boost the awareness of watch knowledge among the younger audience, especially Gen Z consumers. “It is our firm belief that we can inspire the next generation of horology aficionados through these educational initiatives and experiences,” says Lim. – Lynette Koh
PARTNER FOR BUSINESS GROWTH
CHARMAIN TAN, 34
Founder and CEO of Quickdesk; founder of Engages. ai
In a twist of fate, Charmain Tan’s first failed brush with entrepreneurship – running a company she founded at age 21, selling winter gloves that could be used on smartphone touchscreens – taught her the lessons she needed to make company number two a rousing success.
Enter Quickdesk, the sales solution provider she founded in 2014 to arm small companies like hers with the tools to streamline their sales and marketing processes – thereby cutting out the busywork and enabling lean sales teams to spend more time with customers to maximise outcomes.
To date, more than 800 clients on both the international and local front have received the company’s digital solutions.
Not content to help companies thin out back- end processes, Tan has now turned her sights to the customer- facing portion of business. To optimise the qualification of leads and deal with customer queries – anytime, anywhere – she’s developed an AI- enabled chatbot dubbed Engages. ai, which seeks to supercharge customer interaction while identifying and securing high- quality opportunities for the team.
Her strongest belief ? “All things happen for a reason. In life, we have free will, when we face a challenge, we have the choice to feel defeated or believe that blessings are just around the corner,” she says. “Keep having faith, tough times will come, but they will pass. To know that we have learnt and grown is the most important thing.” – Alvin Lim
LAUGHTER WITH HEART
ANNETTE LEE, 31
Content creator, musician, actress and filmmaker Annette Lee is a woman of many talents. While she is widely known in Singapore for her comedy work that she shares with her 470,000 followers on Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube, Lee is also a singer and a filmmaker.
Her second EP “Song For The Underdog”, which was produced with Grammy- winning producers, took home the National Youth Music Award in 2020.
In 2023, Lee was recognised by Spotify for being among the top five streamed artists on the “Rising 65” playlist. Not afraid to add her unique brand of Singaporean comedy to her music, she created “The Cai Fan Song” with fellow musician Benjamin Kheng, a viral hit that has 1.4 million views on Youtube and counting.
As a filmmaker, Lee created the four- part mockumentary series Asian Billionaires, which starred household names like Amy Cheng and Gurmit Singh alongside Kheng and herself. Her appeal lies in her relatability and her embrace of Singaporean culture in her work.
During the pandemic in 2022, she found a way to give back to the community: a free show at the Esplanade titled Annette Lee: All- In- One – a fitting theme for a multihyphenate – that saw over 10,000 fans balloting for tickets.
She says, “Art has a function and it’s to remind us how to feel, which is so important because people can get so busy that they numb themselves to the world around them. I hope that my work encourages people to stop and remember how to feel and appreciate the good things in life.”
As an entertainer, she wants to create work – a comedy sketch, a musical number or a video clip – that gives joy, and even moves hearts and provokes thought.
– Candice Chua