Hey, I'm Alistair,
a design lead in Singapore, with over a decade in experience.

I’ve never really seen design leadership as something you do at people. I see it more like gardening…with fewer hats, slightly more chaos, and a bit less compost. You set the environment, give things time and space to grow, and occasionally step in when something’s going off in a strange direction. Most of the time, if you’ve done it right, the best work happens without you in the spotlight.

My job has often been to help teams make sense of the ambiguity in front of them. That might mean gently re-framing a brief, helping untangle competing needs, or stepping back so someone else can take the lead. I care a lot about clarity, but the kind that comes from doing the hard thinking, not just having a clever slide.

Most of my career has been spent helping others build their confidence and judgment. I’ve led big teams, built a studio from the ground up, and mentored students through messy, meaningful work.

I try to pass on what I’ve learned: start with good questions, listen properly, don’t get too precious about your first idea, and build just enough to find out if it’s any good.

I’m particularly drawn to the kinds of projects that don’t usually get design’s full attention: things like dormitory furniture, DAO governance, localised nutrition for kids, end-of-life care. Messy, human, important stuff. It’s in those places I’ve seen design do its best work: quietly, thoughtfully,
and with lasting impact.