Meet The Women Leading The charge Into The Future

Meet BAZAAR’s league of extraordinary women. Singapore visionaries under 40, they are paving the way in the tech and digital spheres and proving that the future is not only female, the future is now.

- Adriel Chiun

LYNETTE TAN

Co-founder and Executive Director of the Singapore Space and Technology Association, 39

Propelling our little red dot light-years into the future, Tan is the female force behind Singapore’s introduction to the space game. Sharp, focused and energetic, the self-described “bundle of contradictions” shares common misconceptions about the space industry, and explains how a never-give-up attitude transformed a little organisation she founded 12 years ago—the Singapore Space and Technology Association (SSTA)—into the toast of international space agencies around the world today.

What are some of the challenges you face in your role at the SSTA?

Generally, people do not consider Singapore to be a space hub, as it is land scarce and hence not the most viable place for rocket developments. But the truth is, the space industry also entails spacecraft—both large and small—as well as satellites, downstream applications and a whole range of other fields and disciplines. Space projects are complex and can span years before one sees results. It is an industry that requires talented people with grit and in this aspect, we are not lacking. Changing this perception has been challenging.

Would you describe yourself as a risk-taker, a first mover or trend-spotter?

I would consider myself 70 percent trend-spotter; 30 percent risk-taker. I’m not a first-mover as I need time to observe and learn.

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned in your journey so far?