Clara Yap

Transforming destination marketing through strategic partnerships, innovative content initiatives, and data-driven campaign execution across key global markets and strategic collaboration:
Global Markets Leadership
· Cross-Market Campaign Orchestration: Co-led multi-regional rollout of STB's refreshed brand campaign across UK, US, China, India and Indonesia markets, driving unified brand presence while enabling market-specific adaptations that significantly amplified engagement. This was an inaugural approach to using 3D anamorphic Out-of-Home (OOH) screen for destination marketing resulted in reaching 46.65 million global audience.
· Stakeholder Alignment: Cultivated strategic partnerships with regional offices, securing high adoption rates for global campaign initiatives where in-market activations complementing the 3D OOH, exceeded targets by achieving a cumulative reach of more than 900 million, over initial target of 320 million.
· Creative Conceptualisation: Drove concept development and asset production for UK mega-influencers Jeremy Lynch and Nicole Scherzinger, delivering more than 50 million social reach on Facebook, IG and owned channels through innovative content formats that elevated standard influencer engagement.
• Agency Management & Negotiation: Successfully negotiated resolution for technical execution challenges, including securing OOH make-good solutions and resolving complex cross-border taxation and currency exchange issues.
Entertainment & Content Partnerships
• High-Value Media Company Cultivation: Co-led business development missions with our China office to cultivate partnerships with China's premier media companies (Tencent Media, iQIYI), identifying qualified opportunities for strategic funding through Singapore Film Fund and Regional Film & TV Fund.
• Reality TV Series Conceptualisation: Cultivated SG-based iQIYI, a Chinese streaming platform, with growing Asian presence of more than 130 million paid and highly engaged subscribers, to showcase Singapore for stronger destination integration and content narration.
Global Brand Partnerships
• Strategic Partner Pipeline: Developed and implemented partnership cultivation framework resulting in engagement with 20 premium global brands across varying sectors such as activewear, mobile tech and music labels.
• Team Capability Building: Enhanced team proficiency in strategic partnership development, guiding members through landscape scanning, proposal development, value proposition alignment, and stakeholder negotiation techniques.

Established and led Singapore's strategic outpost in Chengdu, catalysing unprecedented growth from emerging Chinese markets while managing cross-functional teams to deliver results:
· High-Growth Market Penetration: Orchestrated expansion initiatives across 10+ Tier 2 cities, generating a remarkable 71% surge in visitor volume. Achieved extraordinary city-specific growth metrics, including Chongqing (170% increase) and Kunming (40% increase) by implementing tailored market strategies for Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an, and other high-potential regions.
· Strategic Alliance Development: Cultivated and secured high-value partnerships with China's premier travel ecosystem players - C-trip, Bank of China, and Sichuan Airlines - establishing critical distribution channels and co-marketing platforms that dramatically accelerated market penetration and visitor acquisition.
· Integrated Campaign Execution: Conceptualized and implemented comprehensive STB-Changi Airport Group joint marketing initiatives that delivered 20% growth in Sichuan visitor arrivals and 40% from Xi'an through sophisticated online tactics and strategically targeted ground events.
· Incentive Travel Revenue Generation: Captured and secured major corporate incentive programs, highlighted by the landmark Ping An (Chongqing) group that delivered more than 1,800 visitor arrivals and 3,700 visitor nights, significantly contributing to Singapore's Meetings and Incentive Travel sector revenue growth.
· Market Diversification Strategy: Pioneered innovative Free Independent Travel-focused partnerships with travel agents and carriers including Tigerair, successfully developing untapped market segments and creating counter-seasonal demand through strategic online and offline activation programming.
· Office Administrations & Operational Efficiency: Directed full administrative and operational functions for Singapore Centre in Chengdu - the consolidated hub for Economic Development Board, IE Singapore and Singapore Tourism Board - while negotiating favourable lease renewal terms that achieved 15% cost reduction.

Orchestrated transformative tourism initiatives across Northern and Eastern India, strategically elevating Singapore's market position through targeted leisure and business travel campaigns, high-level trade partnerships, and innovative destination marketing. The multi-faceted initiatives collectively repositioned Singapore as the destination of choice within Indian market while delivering substantial revenue growth across all key travel segments:
· Meetings and Incentive Travel Transformation: Pioneered the groundbreaking "In Singapore Incentives and Rewards" (Inspire) program, breaking India targets by generating more than 33,000 visitor nights in 2014. Secured unprecedented visa approvals for GSK's landmark 1,000-employee incentive program, over 3times the standard group size.
· Cruise Industry Revolution: Architected comprehensive marketing campaigns yielding consistent 30% YOY growth in fly-cruise passengers, scaling from just 50 passengers to 3,000 annually representing a 5,900% increase over the initiative period.
· Strategic Brand Alliance: Negotiated and executed high-visibility partnership with premier children's FMCG & animation property, Chhota Bheem, creating an integrated marketing ecosystem spanning television, outdoor advertising, retail activation, and educational outreach that captured 100+ million viewers across pan-India.
· Market Penetration & Expansion: Spearheaded strategic entry into untapped Tier 2 markets (Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolkata) through targeted B2B programming and digital campaigns, driving 9% visitor growth despite competitive market conditions.
· Diplomatic-Executive Level Staffing and Support: Interfaced directly with Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry agencies, orchestrating ministerial delegations for market-critical events while managing complex stakeholder relationships and logistical frameworks.

Delivered exceptional results across healthcare tourism development and high-level diplomatic coordination:
· Emerging Market Penetration: Orchestrated SingaporeMedicine's strategic entry into the Ukrainian market through targeted participation in Ukraine International Travel and Tourism exhibitions, generating a 200% ROI through exponential healthcare spending growth from this previously underdeveloped region.
· Patient Experience Transformation: Pioneered innovative patient journey frameworks specifically tailored for Russian and Middle Eastern markets, establishing differentiated service delivery models that positioned Singapore's private healthcare institutions as premium destinations for international patients.
· Data-Driven Market Segmentation: Implemented analytics approach using medical receipt data to identify and prioritize high-value market segments and specialty treatments. Leveraged insights to develop precision B2B and direct-to-consumer marketing initiatives that reinforced Singapore's position as Asia's preeminent healthcare destination.
· Ministerial-Level Diplomatic Coordination & Support:
· Served as designated APEC Liaison Officer for the Russian Foreign Minister, ensuring seamless execution of complex diplomatic protocols, security requirements, and high-stakes meeting coordination
· Appointed ASEAN Tourism Forum Liaison Officer for the Laos Tourism Minister, orchestrating comprehensive logistical operations and facilitating critical stakeholder engagements across the forums.

Program Coordinator, Executive Education Program, 07/1999 - 06/2000
INSEAD Business School – Fontainebleau, France
Successfully led executive education operations during inaugural international assignment in France, delivering excellent program management and participant experience:
· Efficient Program Coordination: Delivered comprehensive pre-course preparations in partnership with academic faculty, ensuring flawless execution of learning materials, facilities, and administrative frameworks for C-suite and senior executive participants.
· Executive Learning Experience Design: Masterfully managed training delivery, curriculum scheduling, real-time participant support, and engagement initiatives that maximized learning outcomes for global business leaders.
· International Logistics & Coordination: Engineered end-to-end travel and accommodation solutions for multinational executive cohorts, including seamless arrival-to-departure experiences.
· Project Management & Adaptability: Demonstrated problem-solving capabilities by efficiently resolving time-sensitive challenges and executive special requests, preserving the integrity of critical learning schedules and participant experiences.
· Executive Relationship Management: Cultivated valuable business networking opportunities and social engagement platforms that complemented formal curriculum, creating holistic development experiences for global executive participants.
· Exceptional Performance Metrics: Achieved remarkable 4.9/5 participant satisfaction rating for the Young Managers Program (90 participants) - evidencing superior program execution, participant care, and operational excellence in a cross-cultural context.