What's New With Fiona Xie?

As it turns out, a lot. Since making a splash on the silver screen with Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, the tireless multi-hyphenate has been keeping busy with several personal projects, one of which involves investing in an up-and-coming tech start-up.

- Chelsia Tan

Actress, fashion influencer, art aficionado... It’s no secret that Fiona Xie is a woman of many diverse interests, but these days, she is first and foremost a businesswoman.

The one-time television starlet – whose popularity soared in the 2000s with leading roles in Channel 8 mandarin sitcom My Genie (2001), and home-grown idol drama, The Champion (2004) – has over the years pursued work in art, fashion and photography since announcing her retirement from acting in 2009.

Currently, the 40-year-old is focused on helping to grow Singapore-based start-up Treedots as one of its investors. Founded in 2017 as a surplus food marketplace for F&B businesses in Asia, the company has now expanded with a social commerce feature that allows consumers to purchase surplus groceries at up to 90 per cent off retail prices, as well as providing businesses with cold-chain logistics optimisation services to help improve supply chains.

In November last year, it was announced that Treedots had raised a Series A funding round of $11 million, which will go towards investing in its operations in Malaysia and other expansion plans in the region. Led by venture capital firms East Ventures and Amasia, a global firm focused on sustainability and climate solutions, it marked the start-up’s first significant round of seed venture capital funding.

But why Treedots? Fiona explains that she has always been interested in venture capitalism, and “how it helps early-stage businesses to grow and scale”.