Singapore Global Network (SGN) ads

Only the brightest get to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School - fully sponsored. Only the boldest would break that six-figure sponsorship bond to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Kai Lim has done both. Now, with a vital connection he made in his Harvard days, Kai runs Reprise Health, bringing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to Western consumers in the form of bite-sized gummies. Kai's unusual trajectory started when he joined the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a fresh graduate. The Nanyang Technological University Singapore alumnus excelled enough that the company agreed to sponsor his Harvard MBA. It’s there that he met David Yu, his soon-to-be Reprise Health co-founder. The two hit it off with their mutual passion for entrepreneurship, exploring areas like fertility and gut health. Eventually, their shared backgrounds drew them to TCM, having been raised on such traditional remedies. The pair made it their mission to disrupt the TCM industry in a major way. But in order to do that, Kai had to make a tough decision: return to BCG in Singapore, or break the sponsorship bond and pay back the hefty tuition fee. With the surprising support of his BCG mentors, he chose the latter and set up shop in New York. The gamble paid off. Today, Reprise Health’s uniquely tasty yet healthy gummies are sold in over 70 stores in the U.S, and have graced the pages of Forbes and W Magazine. Kai credits a lot of the brand’s success to a strong network. “Organisations like the Singapore Global Network, The Asian American Foundation, and Gold House provide invaluable support and connections,” Kai says. “These communities make me feel supported even as a foreigner.” With demand for his products expanding even to Singapore, Kai has his sights on bringing his enterprising product back to home ground. Read his story: https://lnkd.in/gsCrTVuG

Derek Wong has launched the Xbox One at Microsoft, contributed hit Netflix series Arcane at Riot Games, built products at LinkedIn. Then, he decided to leap into the start-up world - starting with early-stage VC firm, Antler. Applying to the Antler entrepreneur programme, Derek qualified for the EntrePass — a flexible visa that allows foreign entrepreneurs to launch and run a business in Singapore without being tied to a specific company at the time of application. Together with his co-founder, they launched Moneko, a venture that lasted only a year but offered the duo invaluable lessons on entrepreneurship and building a business from the ground up. He returned to his gaming roots. Today, he is the the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Reforged Labs (YC W22), a marketing AI startup focused on mobile gaming. In 2024, Derek won Best Startup Pitch at Google for Startups Accelerator: Southeast Asia under Reforged Labs. “For me, gaming is the pinnacle of entertainment. I’ve always put the gaming experience on a pedestal,” he explains. “It is deeper and more immersive than movies. The storytelling makes it more compelling than standalone pieces of music or film.” Read his story: https://lnkd.in/gvYVHvqK #Startups #SingaporeStartups #FoundersInSingapore #GlobalTalent

It only took two weeks for Daniel Spencer to reach out to over 300 Singapore-based connections via LinkedIn®, and only four months for him and his wife to relocate to Singapore. That proactive networking led him to Sleek, a then-new fintech startup, where he joined as a Senior Sales Executive in 2019. He quickly rose through the ranks to lead Sales & Customer Success, contributing to over 540% revenue growth over four years. In 2024, Sleek was recognised by The Straits Times as one of Singapore’s fastest-growing startups. Surprisingly, his wife landed her role even faster. As an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, she applied via Jobstreet Singapore, interviewed, and received an offer from Thomson Medical, all within a week. With job offers and visas secured, they packed two suitcases and made the move from Australia to Singapore. Within two weeks of arriving, they had both started in their new roles. But Daniel’s impact didn’t stop at work. Seeing the demand for community, he joined the board of AustCham Singapore in 2020 and founded its SME & Startup group, a platform to support Australian entrepreneurs and professionals entering the Singapore market. Daniel’s journey shows what’s possible in Singapore’s vibrant startup scene. Read more of his journey here: https://lnkd.in/gKZ5ESDt #LifeinSingapore #SingaporeStartup #RelocateToSingapore

Mdm ZURAIDAH ABDULLAH’s career has been one of many firsts. ✅ First Malay female graduate of the Singapore Police Force ✅ First female Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police ✅ First Malay-Muslim female Land Division Commander Across her 34-year career in the Singapore Police Force, she rewrote Singapore’s road traffic laws, strengthened security at Changi Airport, and even saved lives through crisis negotiations. Her leadership journey began as a young cadet in the National Cadet Corp, earning the Sword of Honour overseas and discovering her natural gift for leadership. That spark carried her through every posting, turning challenges into milestones for herself and those who followed. Even after retiring at 55, she continued to lead. She steered Yayasan MENDAKI through COVID-19 as CEO, and became the first woman to serve on the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), showing that leadership transcends sectors. Today, she remains a role model for women, youth, and all who believe that leadership is about service, courage, and opening doors for others. Read her full story: https://lnkd.in/gXBSUmF3 #SG60 #60NeverLookedSoGood

When Zhen Li moved to Singapore in 2018, it wasn’t to climb the career ladder. She was looking to build a life. She met her now-husband while pursuing graduate studies in the US. After nearly a year of long-distance relationship, they decided to build a life together in his home country - Singapore. The move meant leaving behind a promising career in New York’s startup scene and starting over in a place where she had no network, no job lined up, and no clear path forward. “It was the first time I moved somewhere without a job waiting for me,” she says. “I was pressing the reset button, both professionally and personally.” Slowly and steadily, she began to rebuild. Zhen tapped into online tech communities like Asian Wander Women, reconnected with former colleagues, and applied for as many jobs as she could. Her strong start-up background and hands-on experience in machine learning quickly stood out; she eventually landed roles at Meta, TikTok and Twitter. Today, she is a senior data scientist at Stripe. Looking back, Zhen is grateful for her international experiences. “I had my season of exploring, and I’m glad I did. But now I’ve found my place. Singapore is where we’ve built our life. This is home.” Her advice to anyone at a crossroads is simple: “Focus on what makes you feel grounded. Everything else will fall into place. You don’t have to find the perfect place; you just have to create your own version of home, wherever you are.” 👉 Read her story here: https://lnkd.in/gc8bbq4M #GlobalCareers #DataScience #LifeInSingapore #SG60

Born in the U.S. raised in Taiwan, Amanda Chen has always felt caught between worlds. That pull led her to the Yale-NUS College undergraduate programme in Singapore — a place that felt closer to home in both identity and interest, with a curriculum that blended science, policy, economics, and the humanities, rooted in both Western and Asian traditions. Years later, armed with a Master’s in Climate Science from Columbia University, she returned to Singapore on the Work Holiday Pass, drawn by the pace and potential of Southeast Asia’s climate-tech space. Today, she’s a full-time employee Venture Analyst at Wavemaker Impact on the Employment Pass, helping launch startups with the ambitious aim to cut 100M tonnes of CO₂ and generate US$100M in revenue. “[The Work Holiday Pass] gave me the room to get started before transitioning to a full-time Employment Pass right away,” she explains. “For others who want to test out working in Singapore or the region, it’s a helpful first step.” Read more about Amanda’s story here: https://lnkd.in/gADhYVMG #ClimateInnovation #WorkHolidayPass #WomenInSustainability