Management Committee
President
Dr. CHEN ZHONG (BMedSci; PhD)
Graduated from Peking University with a medical degree and from National University of Singapore with a PhD in life science, Prof Chen was an assistant professor at National Institute of Education and residential professor at Nanyang Technological University, skilled in developmental epigenetics, biotech & biomaterials, and STEAM education. He is the EMBO fellow and SIBiol fellow, and a principal coach of Singapore Team to International Biology Olympiad.
Vice-President
ELLEN SHAO
Ms. Ellen Shao is an experienced entrepreneur with a strong background in business and international trade. She holds an Executive MBA from the National University of Singapore and a degree in International Economy and Trade from the University of International Business and Economics, China.Passionate about fostering connections within the education and business communities, Ms. Shao serves as the Vice Secretary of the NUS Business School Mandarin Alumni, where she actively contributes to alumni engagement and development initiatives.She leads three Singapore-based companies spanning management consultancy and accounting services, media and digital marketing, and international student recruitment and immigration consultancy. Her diverse expertise and leadership across industries bring valuable insights to the association’s mission of promoting educational excellence and cross-border collaboration.
Secretary
LOUIS CHAN
Mr. Louis Chan, a National University of Singapore alumnus and Managing Partner at AR iCapital LLP, brings over a decade of expertise in finance and cross-border business strategy (Singapore-China). A seasoned board member, including an Executive Director role at an SGX-listed company, he advises foreign firms expanding into Southeast Asia. Passionate about education, he mentors startups and investors in Singapore and China, and teaches entrepreneurship modules at NTU, shaping the next generation of business leaders.
Committee Member
Prof NI RAN (CCEB, NTU)
Prof. Ni is an accomplished physicist and academic, specializing in computational studies of self-assembly in colloidal systems and polypeptides. He earned his Ph.D. from Utrecht University and conducted postdoctoral research there before joining Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2016. Promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2021, he has received prestigious awards, including the NWO VENI Fellowship and the COST Action Best Research Prize. His work bridges physics, engineering, and soft matter research, earning him international recognition.
Treasurer
LIBBY LI
Ms. Libby Li is an accomplished professional with a strong educational foundation, holding a degree in Political Science and Administration from South China Normal University. With over a decade of experience in media and communications, she has contributed to organizations like Southern Power Grid Media Company and People’s Daily Online. Currently, as a Project Manager at Air Media International (S) Pte Ltd, she combines her academic expertise and industry experience to drive successful projects.
Committee Member
Prof CAI YIYU (MAE, NTU)
Professor Yiyu Cai is a leading researcher in VR, AI, and robotics, with applications in healthcare, construction, and education. He heads the Computer-aided Engineering Labs and Digitalization Cluster at NTU’s Energy Research Institute and serves as Deputy Director of NTU’s Center of Augmented & Virtual Reality. A prolific innovator, he holds 10 international patents, has published 9 books and over 200 articles, and organized 20+ international conferences. He champions interdisciplinary research and global collaboration, partnering with top institutions worldwide.
Committee Member
KENNETH CHIAM
Mr. Kenneth Chiam, an NTU alumnus (B.Acc, MSc. TIP), is an entrepreneur and educator. Founder of Global Homestay Services and Principal Consultant at Solutionz Consulting, he specializes in business strategy and start-up advisory. Since 2006, he has taught entrepreneurship at NTU, focusing on venture formation and innovation. Awarded SIM’s Teaching Merit Award (2016) and Teaching Excellence Award (2017, 2022), he is also a certified Specialist Adult Educator under Singapore’s SkillsFuture framework
Committee Member
Dr. ZHU YAO
(Deputy Head, IME A*STAR)
Dr. Zhu Yao is Deputy Head of the Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems (SAM) department at A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME). Specializing in MEMS devices for sensing, actuation, and communication, as well as emerging memory technologies for in-memory edge computing, she is a leading researcher in microelectronics. Dr. Yao holds both her Bachelor’s and Ph.D. degrees from Nanyang Technological University, where she developed a strong foundation for her impactful work in advanced microsystems and memory solutions.
Committee Member
Dr. WEI XIAONA
(Data Science and Analytics Lead, Nestle)
Dr. Wei Xiaona is a Data Science and Analytics Lead at Nestlé, leveraging her expertise in computational biology, clinical data management, and advanced analytics. With a Ph.D. in Biology from the National University of Singapore, she has held key roles at MSD, A*STAR, and the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore. Skilled in MySQL, copy number variation analysis, and biology, Dr. Wei excels in driving data-driven solutions and innovation in the life sciences and healthcare sectors.