TEDxSingapore

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Ashok Kumar Mirpuri

  Diplomat

  Ashok Kumar Mirpuri is a seasoned diplomat with over 30 years of experience representing Singapore on the global stage. As Singapore's Ambassador to the United States since 2012, Mirpuri has played a key role in strengthening international ties and fostering collaboration between nations. With over 30 years of experience, he has represented Singapore in key international roles, including Ambassador to Indonesia and High Commissioner to Malaysia and Australia.Through his extensive experience, Mirpuri continues to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes, driving dialogue and cooperation across borders.

• Elroy Cheo

  Web3 Entreprenuer

  Elroy Cheo is a Web3 entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of ARC, a platform that blends blockchain technology, NFTs, and culture to build meaningful digital communities. With a vision rooted in access and inclusion, Elroy has grown ARC into a dynamic network of creatives, entrepreneurs, and innovators across Asia. At the heart of his work lies a question: how can technology deepen, rather than dilute, human connection? Through ARC, Elroy is exploring what community, status, and belonging could look like in a decentralised future.

• Heema Izzati

  Musician

  Heema Izzati is a 17-year-old musician driven by a passion for artistic expression. Raised in a deeply musical family, with a mother who sang professionally and siblings who play jazz- Heema’s life has been shaped by melodies and harmonies. Classically trained in piano and cello from a young age, she grew into her voice as a songwriter. Since the age of 10, Heema has been co-running a free music programme for children from less-privileged backgrounds, empowering young learners through classical music.

• Hishamuddin Badaruddin

  Longevity Medicine Doctor

  Dr. Hishamuddin Badaruddin is a longevity medicine doctor and founder of Bartley Clinic, where he helps people live longer, healthier lives through personalised, preventive care. He is a pioneer in democratising healthspan optimisation, and advocates for making cutting-edge medical insights accessible to all. A certified longevity physician and thought leader in digital health, Dr. Hisham champions a future where medicine is proactive, not reactive.

• Khir Johari

  Culinary Heritage Advocate

  Khir Johari is a food historian, author, and cultural archivist devoted to preserving the culinary heritage of the Malay world. Raised in Singapore’s storied Kampong Gelam district, Khir grew up surrounded by the aromas, rituals, and rhythms of traditional Malay cooking. He left his teaching career to dedicate himself to preserving Malay culinary heritage throughout Southeast Asia. His award-winning book, The Food of Singapore Malays, is both a scholarly achievement and a love letter to heritage. Through his extensive research and storytelling, Khir highlights rich, interwoven histories behind Southeast Asia’s food traditions. Khir invites us to see food not just as sustenance, but as living history, passed from one hand to another.

• Opera Tang

  Drag Artist

  Opera Tang is a rising star in Singapore’s drag scene, captivating audiences with performances that blend creativity, self-expression, and tradition. Her 93-year-old grandmother, a cherished presence in her journey, symbolises the deep intergenerational bond that Opera celebrates through her art. Through her work, Opera inspires audiences to embrace their true selves while honouring the connections that shape and enrich our lives.

• Rebecca Toh

  Community Librarian and Visual Storyteller

  Rebecca Toh is a photographer and the visionary behind Casual Poet Library, a community-funded library nestled in the heartlands of Singapore. This unique space, built on the spirit of collaboration, allows each of its shelves to be rented and maintained by community members and a team of volunteer librarians. With a roster of volunteer librarians and 180 individually maintained shelves, the library fosters a love for reading and community connection. Through both her library and her photography, Rebecca Toh continues to inspire creativity, connection, and storytelling across different mediums. Rebecca’s photography career is equally dynamic. Her personal work has been exhibited internationally, including in New York and Singapore. Through both her library and her photography, Rebecca Toh continues to inspire creativity, connection, and storytelling across different mediums.

• Tze Peng Lim

  Centenarian Artist

  Lim Tze Peng, a self-taught artist and Cultural Medallion awardee, embodies the spirit of resilience and artistry. At 104 years old, he continues to paint daily, capturing the landscapes of a rapidly evolving Singapore with unmatched mastery in Chinese ink. Known for his depictions of post-independence Singapore, his work immortalizes the soul of Chinatown and the Singapore River before urban redevelopment reshaped the nation. His works have earned him the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003, making him one of Singapore’s living legends.

• Yang Chua

  Visual Storyteller

  Dr. Chua Yang is a Singaporean obstetrician/gynaecologist, photographer, calligrapher, and advocate for women’s health and well-being. As Director at A Clinic for Women, Global Clinic, and Babes, a charity supporting pregnant teenagers, she merges clinical expertise with deep compassion. Through her lens, Dr. Chua captures intimate stories of strength and resilience. Dr Chua has published two photobooks, Women Inspiring Women – The Home/National Editions, raising over S$300,000 for charities such as SCWO, Babes, and the Singapore Medical Association Charity. For Dr. Chua, photography is more than a way of seeing, it is her way of remembering and of making meaning out of stillness.

• Yao Yu Sun

  Relic Master, Printing Press Collector/Enthusiast

  Sun Yao Yu is a traditional letterpress educator and founding member of the International Association of Printing Museums (IAPM), he is the quiet force behind TYPESETTINGSG, an initiative devoted to reviving the endangered craft of movable type printing in Singapore. Through salvaged printing blocks, forgotten typefaces, and hand-cranked machines, Yao Yu documents and preserves the tactile history of a medium that once shaped how we read, think, and remember.