Experience

South China Morning Post SCMP

• Hong Kong
• Newspaper Publishing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Editorial Consultant

  • Apr 2018 - Present

  I work with writers and editors at the Hong Kong desk of SCMP, copyediting news and feature stories, running writing workshops for graduate trainees, writers and editors at the desk. In 2023 I ran a week of writing workshops for Post journalists in Hong Kong and mainland China. What I emphasise always is writing plainly, clearly and putting readers first. It's never about proficiency in English language, but always about good reporting, legwork, getting fresh voices and descriptive details from going to the ground. That's what ChatGPT can't beat. Show less



SPH Media

• Singapore
• Media Production
• 700 & Above Employee

• Media trainer

  • 2022 - Present

  My training areas are news and feature writing and copyediting, and newsroom leadership. At SPH, I trained new editors from the 1990s. After leaving SPH, I trained writers and editors at TODAY and SCMP. In 2022 I ran two rounds of copyediting for sub-editors and writers at The Business Times. In 2023, I've run two rounds of copyediting workshops for supervisors, copyeditors and sub-editors from The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and The Business Times. My training areas are news and feature writing and copyediting, and newsroom leadership. At SPH, I trained new editors from the 1990s. After leaving SPH, I trained writers and editors at TODAY and SCMP. In 2022 I ran two rounds of copyediting for sub-editors and writers at The Business Times. In 2023, I've run two rounds of copyediting workshops for supervisors, copyeditors and sub-editors from The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and The Business Times.



Straits Times Press Singapore

• Singapore
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Writer

  • 2018 - Present

  I have a series of children's picture books for ages 3 and up, done with illustrator Quek Hong Shin. We have three books so far. The One And Only Inuka (2018), Ubin Elephant (2021) and Grandma's Tiger (2022), all based on animals in the news in Singapore over the years. We have more stories about more animals and a tree, that might add on to the series. This is for fun! STPress also published a collection of my personal columns that ran in The Sunday Times over many years. Good Grief! Everything I Know About Love, Life & Loss I Wish Somebody Had Told Me Sooner came out in 2016. Show less



Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

• Singapore
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director, Asia Journalism Fellowship

  • 2015 - Present

  This is an annual programme funded by Temasek Foundation and hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Journalists from across Asia come to Singapore to live, work and learn together, building unique bridges of friendship. See www.ajf.sg This is an annual programme funded by Temasek Foundation and hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Journalists from across Asia come to Singapore to live, work and learn together, building unique bridges of friendship. See www.ajf.sg



The Straits Times

• Newspaper Publishing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Journalist

  • 1980 - 2015

  Started as a sub-editor, then went on to be a writer, copyeditor, editor of news and features teams, and was deputy editor when I left in September 2015. Started as a sub-editor, then went on to be a writer, copyeditor, editor of news and features teams, and was deputy editor when I left in September 2015.



The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

• Malaysia
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Journalist

  • 1976 - 1980

  I started as a reporter at The Malay Mail, an afternoon tabloid. Moved from that to being a sub-editor at The New Straits Times, before returning to feature writing at The New Sunday Times, before I left Kuala Lumpur for Singapore. This was my first real job, after a stint teaching General Paper and Geography to Sixth Formers at Methodist High School and Tunku Abdul Rahman College. I started as a reporter at The Malay Mail, an afternoon tabloid. Moved from that to being a sub-editor at The New Straits Times, before returning to feature writing at The New Sunday Times, before I left Kuala Lumpur for Singapore. This was my first real job, after a stint teaching General Paper and Geography to Sixth Formers at Methodist High School and Tunku Abdul Rahman College.