Fractional Expert & Interim Executive Singapore

Chormui - Strategic Communications Advisor, Marketing Expert

At Maestro, we know there’s more to life than work. In fact, it’s the experiences, relationships and pursuits we have outside of work that can often give us an edge in what we do each day. We host an interview series called “Meet the Maestro” where we interview our Maestros and get an insight to who they really are and what makes them tick - beyond the CV.

Chormui helps organisations cut through global media noise and build communication strategies that actually resonate. She specialises in finding clarity where cultural and political agendas collide, creating unified narratives that hold together across markets, audiences and contexts that often pull in different directions.

Bilingual in English and Chinese, and having lived across Europe and the Asia Pacific, she brings a rare cultural fluency that allows her to see both nuance and structure in how messages land and shift behaviour. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, design and human insight, combining economics, public policy, sustainability and experience design into one integrated approach.

What defines Chormui is her ability to connect thinking and doing. She brings together research, data, behavioural science and design to build end to end communication and experience strategies that move from insight to execution without losing intent. She believes strongly that when great design meets clear communication, it can create meaningful change at scale.

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1. Tell us about a career highlight to date…

During my time at the Asian Development Bank, I worked closely with the bank’s senior leaders to develop core messaging across key development initiatives. I successfully pitched stories to BBC’s Global News segment and secured airtime for a senior leader to discuss the bank's work. In addition to the BBC, I achieved major coverage with other top-tier media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNBC, and CCTV.

2. Talk us through an unusual career choice you’ve made along the way…

My first degree is in Applied Economics, and I initially intended to become an economist. However, my first role at Singapore Airlines pivoted my focus toward market research and marketing communications. I subsequently spent 10 years of my career in branding and communications across Shanghai, Beijing, and Manila before relocating back home to Singapore.

3. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

To be honest, I didn’t think too much about what I wanted to be when I was young. Like most kids in Singapore, I just wanted to get over the examinations.

4. What are your passions outside of work and how do you make time for them?

I have developed a second career in design after completing a Master’s in Interior Design in Florence, Italy, a few years ago. I eventually expanded my skillset into UX and UI design; since then, I have created several project prototypes, which you can view at www.chormuilee.space.

I am also an avid reader of history and philosophy, with a particular interest in Chinese literature and history. I am currently pursuing a part-time diploma in Chinese teaching, as I believe there is immense wisdom to be gained from the lives of those who came before us. 

5. If you could instantly master any skill or hobby, what would it be and why?

The skill to play any musical instrument especially the piano and violin. In my view, music is perhaps the greatest invention of humankind, second only to language.

6. What’s a personal value or belief that guides the way you live your life?

Listen to my heart and do my very best, regardless of the circumstances.

7. What’s a challenge you’ve overcome outside of work that shaped you?

I thrive on the challenge of adapting to new environments and embracing life in foreign lands. My journey began when I left Singapore for the Netherlands on a six-month international exchange program during my final semester at NTU, and I haven't looked back since. In the early 2000s, I moved to work in China without having ever travelled there before. Over the past 20 years, I have lived in seven cities across Europe and the Asia-Pacific. I truly embrace the unknown and value the profound life lessons gained from immersing myself in new surroundings.

8. What do you think your job will look like in 10 years time?

We are living in an era where the definition of a 'job' is being constantly challenged and redefined. I look beyond mere roles to focus on what drives me and the unique value I can contribute to the world. My goal is to discover new intersections between communications and design, embracing what makes us uniquely human at a time when the boundaries between humans and machines are increasingly blurred.

9. If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and what would you do?

Any holy mountain in the world. I want to spend time there, discovering the profound gifts of nature that we, as urbanites, often miss within the concrete jungle. 

10. What does success look like to you?

I have done my very best to become the person I aspire to be, and accept whatever outcomes may follow.

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