16 years building digital products and brand identities trusted by global giants like De Beers, SingTel, and Standard Chartered.Today, I bring that enterprise-level strategy directly to ambitious brands through my design consulting studio, Gentle Lion.
My Design Journey: From Handbags to Interfaces
My story began in my childhood home in Singapore, surrounded by swatches of leather and the hum of a sewing machine. Watching my father, a handbag craftsman, taught me my very first design lesson: how form meets function, and how deeply details matter to the person holding the final product in their hands.
At age nine, this tactile curiosity found a new home on a computer screen. Messing around with early layouts and digital code, the world of physical craftsmanship seamlessly merged with the digital realm. That early blend shapes who I am today. Whether I am working with pixels or physical concepts, I bring the same foundation to the table: deep user empathy, structural integrity, and a love for solving complex problems.
Corporate Innovation & Digital Transformation
Before launching Gentle Lion, my career spanned over a decade of leading international digital transformations, building teams, and advising executive leaders.
Digital Transformation
At SingTel, SingPost, and Standard Chartered Bank, I helped architect global digital design languages and design-to-development infrastructures that scaled across entire organisations.
Team & Revenue Growth
Joining Valtech Digital as their first designer, I built and scaled their UX department from the ground up. I personally led the winning pitches for major accounts, including Far East Hospitality, Bolon Eyewear, Heineken, and Dairy Farm Group, directly driving a significant increase in regional revenue.
C-Suite Advisory & Strategy
At De Beers Group, I served as a strategic design partner for the C-suite, driving corporate innovation capabilities and translating complex business strategies into clear, impactful visual narratives.
Design Philosophy
1. Intentionality Over Noise
Great design doesn’t need to shout to be effective. I focus on quiet authority, stripping away distractions to highlight what truly matters for your brand and users.
2. Empathy as a Strategy
Deeply understanding human behaviour is the key to good design. Every layout, flow, and interaction is created to make your user feel guided, understood, and valued.
3. Enduring Value
Beyond immediate aesthetics, I build design systems and digital experiences that scale gracefully with your business over time.
Expertise
Brand Strategy & Identity
Brand Strategy & Messaging, Positioning, Visual Systems, Creative Direction
UX & Website Design
User Research, Website Architecture, Wireframing, Digital Product Design
Design Advisory & Leadership
Design Advisory for the C-Suite, Leadership for Design Teams, Workshop Facilitation, Design Systems, UX Audit
16+
years shaping enterprise & startup product experiences.
40+
projects led across digital transformation, corporate innovation, and brand identity.
50+
End-to-end product cycles, guiding brands from initial discovery and interactive workshop design all the way to production-ready design systems.
Reviews
Neil Ventura
“Jade has an unerring ability to turn a conversation or ideas into designs that are fresh and compelling. Jade could take my ideas or half-formed thoughts and turn them into visual concepts that I use to engage others with, from customers to team members and board members. Jade handles it all with ease and importantly, is great fun to work with.”
Danie Kruger
“Jade is exceptional to work within any team setup whilst actively driving key work activities independently. She knows her subject matter and provides great leadership here to the team.”
Let’s build something worth keeping.
I take on a limited number of projects at a time to ensure every partner gets my complete attention. If you’re ready to build a differentiated brand, let’s start the conversation.
Gentle Lion 