Why the Resaro AI CEO and former pilates instructor refuses to be defined by one title — and what that says about leadership today

How has the idea of being a multi-hyphenate evolved in your field?

I chuckled at the term “multi-hyphenate” when I first heard it. By definition, it would mean breaking one-word stereotypes. But as a term of expression, I understand it encapsulates a range of unconventional choices. I’ve always been driven by a sense of mission, which has shaped my life choices.

From advocating for the dignity and worth of every individual to my current work pioneering AI assurance and testing at Resaro — our mission of enabling an AI market worthy of trust fuels my courage to explore uncharted paths. In fact, “multi-hyphenatism” is a core part of our Resaro DNA, and that keeps me on my toes.

What do people most misunderstand about balancing multiple roles?

The world may paint you as a superwoman — effortlessly balancing time, relationships, and endless tasks with perfection — but the truth is simpler. I am bound by the same 24 hours as everyone else, finite and human, with limits that remind me of my need for grace. 

Life has taught me to embrace its seasons. Everything feels possible in summer. Yet, though barren and bare, winter carries its own quiet magic — a time for rest, reflection, and renewal. Pruning may sting, but it prepares the way for deeper roots and growth. You can’t do everything at once, but each experience becomes a deposit in your purpose bank, building a stronger foundation for what’s to come. 

How have shifting expectations influenced how you define and manage your various hats?

In the AI world, the once-distinct domains of trade, technology, and security policies are

increasingly converging to advance nationalistic agendas. This shift is accelerating fragmentation. Verifiable technology transfers will be increasingly critical to enable trusted AI innovations.

However, trust is multifaceted, and we cannot verify AI systems purely from a single lens, especially in mission-critical industries such as defence and healthcare, where there are sharp trade-offs between performance and risk. As a futurist, I’m always looking for what’s on the horizon and choices today to be ready for tomorrow.

As a policy practitioner, I pause to observe when there’s dissonance. The benefit of having different hats is that I often get fresh perspectives when I step into “other worlds”.

What’s the toughest part of being a multi-hyphenate that people rarely discuss?

Sometimes, there is an expectation to explain the rationality of the hyphens in life or to pick the best hyphen to double down on. Boxes and categories are neat but it’s never so simple. My identity is so much more than each of my career paths. I am more than the different roles and hats I wear. Connection happens when we see people as a whole, but there needs to be a paradigm for embracing multidimensionality.

What three things would help amplify all the work you’re doing today?

Not things, but people. I can only do what I’m doing now with my husband’s love and support. We work hard as a team to build our marriage, discipline our kids and hold the space for one another to grow and learn. In fact, he is the one who always encourages me to try different hats. 

Pathfinding in AI assurance, across markets in Singapore and Europe, is not for the fainthearted. While the mission fuels me, working with a team with the same vision energises me. Collaborating with my co-CEO in Europe, who shares mutual trust and creative synergy, has been transformative — it’s a partnership that amplifies our efforts and impact.

Lastly, champions who are willing to provide platforms for connecting unconventional ideas — those that don’t fit neatly into boxes — are invaluable.

Beyond the labels, what does it truly mean to live and work as a multi-hyphenate?

It means having the courage to live a life of conviction. It will never be a linear path — there will be highs and lows, bumps and detours, delightful starts and unexpected ends. I often think of organisations as an orchestra. Everyone has a note to play. Sometimes, what seems out of tune can become a beautiful melody in the end if we can hold the space for exploration.