When Anna Yip was 12 years old, she saw an ad in the papers in her native Hong Kong for a scholarship to study in Singapore. Without telling her family, she applied and got in.
In 1984, she spent a year at Hwa Chong Institute, but was ushered back to Hong Kong when her mother realised that her daily commute from her accommodation at Ngee Ann Polytechnic to the school was untenable.
The deputy CEO of Singtel Singapore and CEO of Business Development at Singtel has always had a slightly rebellious streak. Four years ago, she made the difficult decision to leave her job as CEO and executive director of Hong Kong's leading telecommunications company, Smartone, to accompany her husband when he got a posting to Singapore, to be with him and their 16-year-old daughter.
"I had many questions, like whether I could deal with the change, and whether it was right to step down. But I had clear priorities and goals.
While my career is important, my family is equally important, so that's what I needed to prioritise," explains the 54-year-old.
She spent six to eight months working on her transition plan with the Smartone board. "I had the confidence that I would manage the [shift], and I would survive and come out stronger, or at least different. Having that courage and confidence is part of life." She pauses, adding: "I think loving yourself is important. Because if I didn't, I would have found it hard to change, and I would keep worrying whether I would get [a similar role]." Proving that worrying is a futile endeavour, she received a call from Singtel during the Smartone leadership transition, to take on the role of deputy CEO, Consumer Singapore. She joined Singtel in 2020, which put paid to all her plans to take time out to recharge and perhaps explore entrepreneurship.
BUILDING LIFE-LONG SKILLS
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2024-Ausgabe von Her World Singapore.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2024-Ausgabe von Her World Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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TREASURE ISLAND
When plans to demolish the Merlion Tower on Sentosa were announced in 2019, some Singaporeans were sad to see one of the island's most iconic attractions go. After all, the quirky creature – with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – had been a significant part of their memories of Sentosa.The 37m-tall, 12-storey structure, completed in 1996 and designed by Australian sculptor James Martin, was a focal point for laser light shows and projections that transformed its ivory facade into a vibrant display of colours.The Merlion Tower was a popular attraction for families. Singaporean couple Anand and Vrunda Patel would often take their children there for outings. Vrunda, now 50, fondly recalls climbing the structure and admiring the views of Sentosa from the Merlion's mouth. “Outside the Merlion, there was a beautiful step garden with flowing water. I used to love walking there,” she shares.Years later, the statue, covered in dirt and grime, required a refresh. The demolition was not only part of a larger vision to connect Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in the north to the three beaches (Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso) on the island's south, it was also the start of a massive rebranding project to transform Sentosa from a recreational family destination to a premier lifestyle attraction.Today, Sentosa Sensoryscape stands in its place. Set within a lush landscape, the 30,000 sqm attraction features a 350m-long connector that leads visitors to six sensory gardens – where they can explore the gardens’ massive vessel-like sculptures, observe the various flora and fauna inhabiting the space, and interact with Instagrammable light displays through an augmented reality app after nightfall.“To attract younger visitors, our additional focus is on creating more authentic and immersive experiences, recognising that this demographic seeks deeper, more engaging interactions with the places they visit,” says Thien Kwee Eng, CEO, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).Just as Sensoryscape is designed to create an otherworldly atmosphere after dark, the Sentosa Night Mode campaign, launched in August, aims to introduce the island as a day-to-night destination for both locals and tourists, who would typically only make day trips to Sentosa. In addition to more nightlife events – such as the recent Waterbomb Festival, which saw about 10,000 revellers partying to a live K-pop line-up – the initiative includes extended operating hours at key attractions, along with street performances and dining promotions.It’s a move that has boosted visitorship to the island, with total numbers reaching 16 million this year.“This is a 20 per cent increase in the number of visitors as compared to the same period last year,” reveals Kwee Eng.
TAKING THE LEAP
It’s 10 am on a Monday, and Gan Guoyi, 40, walks into Jigger & Pony with a set of dry-cleaned clothes – a picture of calm amid the aftermath of last night’s chaos. The Singapore bar recently secured a spot in the Top 5 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, announced in Madrid on Oct 23. To celebrate, she threw a three-night promotion from Nov 10, where customers enjoyed five premium cocktails for just $5 each at select bars like Gibson, Live Twice, Sugarhall, Como Pony Jakarta, and Jigger & Pony.Naturally, the event was a hit, and Guoyi, who was manning the guest list at Sugarhall, only managed a few hours of sleep the night before. Still, she arrives promptly to our photo shoot without complaints.
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