On 22 May 2026, a room full of strangers gathered at a French brasserie in Singapore and left with new ideas, unexpected connections, and conversations that extended far beyond the evening itself.
Creatives exchanged ideas with business owners.
Founders seen perspectives from architects.
Writers, designers, community builders, and leaders found themselves in conversations they never expected to have.
That was the first edition of The Curious Circle.
Hosted by El Brand at Chez Suzette, the evening gathered a curated group of people around a simple theme:
Curious Women Build Powerful Things.
Not because they have all the answers.
But because they continue asking questions.
A Room Built On Curiosity
There was a genuine openness in the room. Attendees arrived not to pitch themselves, but to learn from one another.
As speaker Naomi Chang later reflected, the room itself captured the spirit of the evening.
“Founders, creatives, leaders, decision-makers. All in one space, genuinely curious about each other. That kind of energy you cannot manufacture.”
That energy became the thread connecting every conversation throughout the night.
Between Conversations
Before the talks began, guests were welcomed by the soulful voice of singer-songwriter Nazreen Coupland, whose live performance set the tone for the evening.
Her presence was a reminder of how meaningful opportunities often begin. Paula first met Nazreen through a simple no-agenda coffee conversation. Months later, they found themselves crossing paths again at The Curious Circle, this time with Nazreen performing for the community.
It’s a pattern many of us experience in life and business. A conversation leads to a connection. A connection leads to an opportunity. Sometimes, the people we meet today reappear in unexpected ways tomorrow.
As attendees arrived at the venue, her music provided the backdrop to new introductions, fresh conversations, and the beginning of connections still waiting to unfold.
Starting With Curiosity
The evening began with a welcome from Paula Andrade, Founder of El Brand and host of The Curious Circle.
In her opening remarks, Paula shared the inspiration behind creating The Curious Circle, a gathering designed for people who believe that some of life’s most meaningful opportunities begin with curiosity.
She spoke about the value of bringing together individuals from different industries, backgrounds, and experiences into one room. Not to sell, impress, or compete, but to exchange ideas, challenge perspectives, and create genuine connections.
In a city known for its fast pace, and carefully polished interactions, The Curious Circle was created as a space where people could slow down, be intentional and connect through curiosity rather than expectation.
The Spaces We Move And Work In
Naomi Chang, Business Development Manager of The Work Boulevard, explored a topic many of us experience daily but rarely stop to examine: how the spaces we move and work in quietly shape our behaviour, relationships, and performance.
As work continues to evolve, so does our understanding of the role physical environments play in influencing productivity, creativity, collaboration, and even the quality of conversations we have. Naomi encouraged attendees to look beyond desks, meeting rooms, and square footage, and instead consider how thoughtfully designed spaces influence the way people think, feel, connect, and lead.
Drawing from her experience at The Work Boulevard, she shared how modern workspaces have evolved beyond simply providing a place to work. It plays an important role in fostering community, innovation, and meaningful business relationships.
This philosophy is reflected in The Work Boulevard, a Singapore based premium workspace provider known for creating professional environments where businesses, entrepreneurs, and teams can work, meet, and grow.
For many attendees, Naomi’s reflections extended beyond workspace design. They prompted a broader question: how much of our growth is shaped by the environments we choose to be part of?
It’s a question that feels particularly relevant as The Work Boulevard prepares to open at SGX Centre 2. Located within one of Singapore’s most respected business addresses, the new space reflects the idea that where we work often influences who we meet, how we are perceived, and the opportunities that become available to us.
The Possibilities Beyond Borders
The second conversation of the evening featured Clarence Koo, Founder of Amica Labs and strategic partner of El Brand. Both organisations share a common belief: that local expertise, trusted relationships, and strategic partnerships are often the key to sustainable business growth.
Amica Labs helps businesses strengthen the foundations of their operations through POS systems, payment solutions, operational tools, and business enablement services designed to streamline workflows and improve customer experiences. Together with El Brand’s expertise in branding, marketing strategy, campaigns, positioning, and growth, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping businesses build both operational efficiency and market visibility.
Speaking on The Possibilities Beyond Borders, Clarence explored how strategic partnerships help businesses expand into new markets, navigate local nuances, and unlock opportunities that would be difficult to achieve alone. His message challenged the traditional view of growth as a purely individual pursuit.
As Clarence shared, growth is no longer one-dimensional. In the interconnected economy, success is increasingly shaped by ecosystems, and the ability to create value across borders.
One insight particularly resonated with attendees:
“Your network is not your value. Your ability to create value together is.”
For a room filled with founders, professionals, creatives, and community builders, the session served as a timely reminder that meaningful growth rarely happens in isolation. More often, it begins with collaboration, trust, and a willingness to build alongside others.
Individual Identity Behind Every Brand
The evening’s special guest, Alodia Cecilia, brought a unique perspective shaped by nearly two decades in fashion, design, and creative direction. As she celebrates her 20th anniversary as an artist this year, Alodia reflected on a creative journey that has taken her from Philippine Fashion Week runways to international showcases, including Paris Fashion Week, while also contributing behind the scenes as a creative director, producer, and designer across Manila and Tokyo.
Rather than focusing solely on fashion, Alodia invited attendees to think about the relationship between identity and personal expression. Through stories from her own experiences, she explored how the way we present ourselves often communicates long before we speak.
The conversation challenged attendees to look beyond logos, titles, and business cards, and consider a deeper question: how well do we understand ourselves before asking others to understand our brand?
Her insights resonated strongly with founders, professionals, and creatives alike, reminding the audience that personal branding is not about creating a persona. It begins with clarity, authenticity, and understanding the values, experiences, and perspectives that shape who we are.
Selected pieces from ACMS, All Classic Modern Staples, Alodia’s signature label, were also showcased during the evening. Known for timeless silhouettes and intentional design, the collection reflected many of the themes discussed throughout her session, proving that what we wear can be more than style alone. It can be an extension of identity.
For many in the room, the conversation served as a powerful reminder that behind every memorable brand is something deeply human: a clear sense of self.
Heels On Site: Women Redefining The Built World
The evening concluded with Ar. Joan De Leon-Tabinas, an ASEAN and APEC Registered Architect, sustainability strategist, and Managing Director of CORE+ Studio. A respected leader in the industry, Joan has spent her career challenging conventions and advocating for a future where sustainability is no longer viewed as an option, but an essential part of how we design, build, and live.
Speaking on Women Redefining The Built World through Innovation, Leadership and Impact, Joan shared insights drawn from her work across architecture, sustainability, leadership, and education. Her perspective encouraged attendees to look beyond individual projects and consider the broader systems that shape our communities and future generations.
The core of her talk was the idea that everything is interconnected. True sustainability, she explained, cannot exist in silos. It is not only about buildings or environmental targets. It is about people, communities, resilience, ecology, culture, and the generations that follow.
Her reflections resonated far beyond the architecture profession. For many in the room, her message offered a valuable reminder that meaningful solutions often emerge when we consider the bigger picture and recognise the connections between seemingly separate challenges.
Joan also spoke about the role women play in shaping industries, organisations, and communities. As she observed throughout her journey, women often lead beyond isolated solutions, bringing together diverse perspectives, disciplines, and stakeholders to create more holistic outcomes.
As the final speaker of the evening, Joan left attendees with a powerful perspective on leadership, sustainability, and the responsibility we all share in building a future that works not only for today, but for generations to come.
The Ripple Effect Of Curiosity
As the evening came to a close, one thing became clear: impact is not always measured by the size of a room.
A new perspective. A meaningful introduction. A question worth exploring. Sometimes, that is all it takes to create lasting change.
Throughout the evening, ideas were exchanged, assumptions challenged, and connections formed. Attendees left not only with new contacts, but with something more valuable: a fresh way of seeing the world around them.
That is the power of curiosity.
One conversation can spark an idea. One encounter can open a door. One curious mind can leave a lasting impression on another.
The Curious Circle was never created to be the biggest room in Singapore. It was created to be the right room.
And if the first edition taught us anything, it is this: when curious people gather, the impact extends far beyond the circle itself.
Curious about future gatherings?
Visit The Curious Circle and join the circle. We look forward to seeing where curiosity takes us next.
From left: Christine Reyes, E-Commerce Manager at Epitex; Jennifer Lie, Musician and Local Director of El Brand; Liu Hao of Worldpay; Pradnya, Founder of OmniGro AI; Susan, Founder of Hub Solutions Digital; Hasnah Mohamed Samidin, Director of The Tenth Floor; and Paula Andrade, Founder of El Brand.
The women of The Work Boulevard. From left: Naomi Chang and Catherine Reyes, Business Development Managers, together with Ankita Singh, Director of Operations.
From left: Gretchen Gatan, Founder and Editor in Chief of The Metro Edit; Ar. Joan De Leon Tabinas, Managing Director of CORE+ Studio and Founding Partner of GBUILDEX; and Dr. Kim Chan Lim, Dermatologist.
From left: Rebecca Bisset, Founder and Chief Editor of Expat Living; Patricia Malay, Founder of Candour Leads; and Pradnya Nikam, Founder of OmniGro AI.
