Jamie Lim

CEO, Scanteak Singapore

UCLA-NUS EMBA, Class of 2015

While working at Walden Media after graduating from university, Jamie Lim was asked by her boss where she saw herself in a few years. “I see myself becoming my own boss, to be honest,” she responded. Little did she expect that the answer she gave more than 20 years ago turned out to be a prophesy of sorts about where she would later end up, as CEO of Scanteak Singapore – her family’s furniture business. 

After graduating in 2002, Jamie began her career in movie marketing in the United States, working on notable films such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Ray. By 2004, however, many of her projects were wrapping up, and her roommates were leaving the country for new opportunities, signalling it might be time for Jamie to return to Singapore. During a stopover in Taiwan at her family’s office, her father invited her to discuss future plans. Inspired by their conversation and Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad, Poor Dad—which advocates making money work for you through businesses and investments—Jamie decided to return home and join her family’s furniture business. 

Despite inviting Jamie to return home, Jamie’s father and Scanteak’s founder Lim Pok Chin did not actually have a career plan for Jamie. “I just learned on the job. There was no structure or proper training,” said Jamie. Having said previously that she would want to be her own boss, Jamie decided to take her growth into her own hands.  

Tapping into her previous marketing experience, Jamie undertook a project to ascertain Scanteak’s brand perception.  Upon observing her potential, Jamie’s dad remarked, “Very good, now you go and do sales!” This launched Jamie into a series of rotations across various departments within Scanteak, slowly working her way to becoming the second-generation owner of the business. 

In 2014, Jamie enrolled into the UCLA-NUS EMBA programme at NUS Business School as she wanted to be a part of a course that was more hands-on in nature and not just about pure memorisation and exams. The course was memorable for her because of amazing faculty members who delivered deep insights into the business world. 

Jamie graduated from the UCLA-NUS EMBA programme in 2015. That same year, Scanteak won the President’s Design Award. Their Prologue collection also won the Japan Good Design Award. But perhaps the best recognition of all for Jamie and her family is that Scanteak Group is now an easily recognised furniture brand with more than 180 stores across Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Jamie hopes to continue to leave Scanteak’s mark across Southeast Asia, including countries like Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.