2020 - Present

DBS Bank

• Set up UX Engineering as a core discipline; attracted and hired talent to build frontend web development capabilities such as Design System Engineering and Accessibility Engineering
• Led the team through development, maintenance and operationalisation of both React & Angular UI libraries for DBS Digital Design System
• Drove design system adoption across the entire bank by helping to consolidate web frameworks, developing onboarding programmes, building business cases and forming close partnerships
• Improved governance and control of the DBS brand across multi-brand properties, services and products through integrating Design Tokens into frontend development
• Guided and led the team in establishing processes for delivering high-quality software delivery, focusing on developer experience, introducing a Component Lifecycle Framework, and implementing rigorous change control practices
• Improved design and engineering productivity by building Figma plugins, CLI tools and web applications to integrate workflows across SaaS applications
• Developed reusable UI components and patterns, performant and high-fidelity animations and transitions used in Micro-frontend (MFE) applications across consumer-facing services

2015 - 2020

Typography

Typographers whose work I admire usually come from independent type foundries, who are hungry and innovate fiercely. The typography industry is not exactly a fast-moving one, and there’s no incentive for incumbents to innovate—often ending up as rent-seeking dinosaurs and becoming stagnant.

Favourite type foundries:

• Letters from Sweden
  • Ivar
• Klim Type Foundry
  • Tiempos
  • National
• Berkeley Graphics
  • Berkeley Mono

Gear

These are some of the stuff I use for both work/leisure. I generally enjoy putting things together myself and customising my tools.

I spent a good amount of time during my childhood playing games, much to my parents’ disapproval. I still have fond memories of the magical feeling that came with inserting floppy disks and booting up Prince of Persia from the command prompt.

I’m not sure what it’s like nowadays for the young ones, but growing up in Singapore, computer or console gaming was often derided by adults as a childish thing to do and an absolute waste of time. To me, the concept of ‘play’ is fascinating. It is also a great way to learn and grow, and an essential ingredient to a healthy mind. People who stop playing, stop growing. And if you’re not growing, you’re dying.

Failures

• Sio bak (Roast Pork Belly)

Successes

• Lor Bak Png 卤肉饭

• White Beehoon 白米粉

After almost a decade of teaching myself software development and computing, I took the plunge and finally completed the NUS Master of Computing programme in 2025.

I may write a longer article to reflect on my journey of learning CS—especially from the eyes of an arts student who majored in visual design & communication. Personally, it was a meaningful and fruitful experience that filled in the theoretical gaps from self-learning over the years. I would definitely recommend it if you can afford it in terms of both time and money (or get a sponsorship).