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Hi, I’m Debbie. Born in Singapore and educated in the US, UK, and China, I am a journalist turned branding strategist with more than 15 years of experience shaping stories for some of the world’s most influential media and brands.

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I began my career in traditional newsrooms — from national broadsheets The Straits Times and The Business Times — before moving into editorial leadership roles where I guided legacy global publications such as Fortune magazine, Robert Parker Wine Advocate and the Michelin Guide through the shift to digital visibility. Along the way, I built and led multicultural teams across Asia, and developed a front-row perspective on how business, culture, and leadership intersect in the region.

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Today, I channel that experience into Atypical Media, the executive branding and content studio I founded to help humble, high-achieving Asian leaders show up with clarity, courage, and humanity. Through proprietary storytelling frameworks like 5Vs and STICKY, I partner with executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators to make their voices heard on global stages.

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Outside of work, I continue to indulge my curiosity in retail and hospitality innovations, and once scratched my entrepreneurial itch by launching Batch, an online farmers’ market, and Pin Tea, a boutique tea company inspired by Singapore’s heritage.

 

These days, my goals beyond the office are less profit-oriented: I spend my weeknights volunteering to help low-income families in my constituency and my weekends pandering to my true bosses — two pesky little human beings and a perpetually jealous furkid.