About

Ms Soh Lai Yee has over a decade’s experience in international cultural exchanges and promoting greater understanding and connections between people of different cultures. 

As head of Cultural Exchange at the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), she leads a team to develop multi-sectorial partnerships and cultural programming. Her programme unit also drives an initiative to leverage the arts for social impact across borders, including initiating the Arts for Good Fellowship programme for a vibrant and connected ecosystem. Prior to this appointment, she was deputy director of a department that contributed to the growth of SIF’s portfolio in thought leadership, social entrepreneurship and the arts, as well as alumni and international community engagement.
 
From 2004 to 2010, she was the deputy director of Public Affairs at the Asia-Europe Foundation responsible for planning and implementing advocacy and communications strategies to increase awareness and understanding of ASEF and its work in education, environment, human rights and the arts, as well as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process. In conjunction with the ASEM Summit for Heads of State, she has planned and organised media roundtables in Beijing (2008) and Brussels (2010). She has worked with diverse stakeholders from government officials to civil society partners to build networks that push project outcomes for positive change and greater reach.  

Prior to joining the two foundations, she was a founding member of a new media team where her duties span business development, project management and production. 
 
She has curated multi-sectorial conferences and arts showcases, as well as produced print, web and multimedia projects. She was editorial assistant for the academic quarterly Asia Europe Journal (2004 to 2008), and she co-edited a graphic novel, Go Home! (2009), compiling reflections of Asian and European comic artists on the meaning of home in a rapidly borderless world, reflecting their take on cultural and national identity.  

Lai Yee received her BA in Sociology and English, and has a BA (hons) in English, both at the National University of Singapore. As a recipient of the Japan Airlines Scholarship programme, she attended a summer course on Asian Studies at the Sophia University in Japan.  She has contributed articles to various media agencies, and photographic works to magazines and exhibitions. Outside of her professional engagements, she keeps herself busy by volunteering for arts and community projects.