Olivia: Could you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to CloserStill?

Kaylen: I’ve always worked in marketing, mostly in B2C within the education and institutional sectors. Joining CloserStill was a bit of chance - a head-hunter reached out just as I was looking to broaden my experience into B2B. After more than a decade in B2C, I wanted to challenge myself and explore a different space. The transition wasn’t easy and the first year came with struggles as I worked to build up the team and get up to speed in the events industry, which was quite different to anything I’d done before. Now, I’ve found my rhythm and really enjoy the work, especially because there’s always room to push boundaries and explore new possibilities.

Olivia: You set up the Marketing & Conference team in Asia. Can you walk us through your approach for this and how you found it?

Kaylen: Building up was initially challenging, as marketing in Singapore operated quite differently from the rest of the company. Originally, the team was small and focused mainly on admin and operations. With support from the board, I defined a clear vision and growth plan.

Today, we have strong expertise, including a dedicated conference team that secures top-tier speakers. This year, we’re proud to welcome Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, as our Guest of Honour, marking the Singapore government’s first formal involvement in Tech Week. We’ve also launched a customer success team to improve exhibitor onboarding and experience. All of these investments are strengthening our culture and laying the foundation for higher exhibitor retention and long-term business growth which I’m really excited about.

Olivia: How do you adapt your marketing across regions while keeping your brand voice consistent?

Kaylen: We always start with a strategic framework or idea, then use local expertise to shape our approach. I never pretend to know a local market inside out, so I rely on marketers who do.

Olivia: You spend a lot of time travelling and you’re often in London HQ. Do you find it helpful to build stronger alignment with global teams that way?

Kaylen: I made it a personal goal this year to learn from other portfolios and bring those insights back to the Asia team. With different landscapes and priorities across the business, it’s easy to fall into siloed ways of working. I’ve really appreciated having more time with Alexia Maycock and Matthew Butler. They, alongside my brilliant manager Andy Kiwanuka, have been hugely supportive behind initiatives leading to the growth of Tech Week Singapore. Events like the internal Global Leaders’ Summit have also been really valuable because they give senior colleagues a chance to step away from the day-to-day and connect on a more strategic level, which is so important.

Olivia: How do you foster collaboration and accountability across culturally and geographically diverse teams?

Kaylen: I’m fortunate to have very strong senior managers on the team whom I trust deeply. They help keep everything running smoothly particularly when I’m travelling and together, they play a big role in uniting the wider team. Beyond structure, I put a lot of focus on casual, relationship-building moments, whether that’s after-work drinks or a dinner. I really believe that when relationships are strong, collaboration comes naturally. Open, honest conversations are easier when there’s trust, and with that, accountability and teamwork follow.

Olivia: How do you like to work? Do you think you're a person that kind of thrives being pushed out of a comfort zone?

Kaylen: For me, it’s all about pacing. I love strategic changes and believe it’s essential for any company, but it always brings challenges. You need to rethink structures, workflows, mindsets, and how people interact, which takes resilience. Change is generally uncomfortable for people and so it takes time for a new momentum to develop. This is why, after a big wave of change, it’s important to pause, measure results, and let the team adjust before starting the next phase of innovation. Pacing is so important - knowing when to push forward, when to stabilise, and when to evolve again.

Olivia: Asia is often seen as a fast-evolving events market. How do you see its potential compared to more mature markets, and what unique opportunities - or challenges - does it present?

Kaylen: I definitely see Asia as a fast-growing market, with major investments flowing into the region. The Singapore government also now has a roadmap set in place to grow the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry exponentially before year 2040. So yes, there’s strong momentum, but this also brings more competition. New events are constantly entering the market, and the challenge is staying ahead - we have to keep innovating to deliver value and retain exhibitors, delegates, and speakers. This innovation demands resources and a willingness to evolve, which can be uncomfortable, but that’s what makes this role exciting.

Olivia: What trends or shifts in the Asia events landscape are you most excited about? Have you been inspired by anything recently?

Kaylen: The biggest trend in tech right now is the rapid growth of the data centre sector, largely driven by the rise of AI and the increasing demand for data storage. Our Data Centre World Asia event has grown exponentially in the past few years. And today, we could actually market ourselves as the world's largest data centre event! This growth opens up new opportunities: how do we keep delivering the right audiences? Can we build adjacent products or extensions? How do we align this with other parts of our portfolio?

Olivia: Tech Week Singapore is just around the corner. In such a fast-moving space, how do you decide what new formats or marketing approaches to experiment with?

Kaylen: I let the environment, trends, and data guide the balance. A lot of it comes down to insights, both from the market and from data. I look at what competitors are doing, review feedback from our post-show surveys and even casual chats with our team, exhibitors, speakers, and delegates. Then there’s the data we track internally across digital, registration, and more.

Olivia: Beyond just KPIs, how do you see the impact of your work?

Kaylen: What matters most to me is the impact I have on my team so their growth, development, and the relationships we build. Helping someone shift from just doing a job to seeing broader career possibilities, mentoring them, and opening their minds feels deeply rewarding. These personal changes often lead to better performance, which benefits the business indirectly. 

Olivia: What are you most proud of so far in your role as Director of Content and Marketing in Asia?

Kaylen: Three moments stand out as my proudest. Firstly, after my very first show in 2023 - just a year after joining - I had built a team and navigated many changes and challenges. Receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from colleagues and exhibitors showed that all the hard work paid off. Secondly, seeing how much the team has grown since the restructure is incredibly rewarding. Now, I can confidently step away knowing a strong team is managing five portfolios under Tech Week Singapore and successfully delivering the event which has 28,000 attendees and senior profiles across the Tech sector. Lastly, Tech Week Singapore just won the Best International Show - Asia Pacific at the AEO Excellence Awards 2025. This is such a huge recognition for the team, highlighting Tech Week Singapore's impact and significance as a B2B tech event in the region. Growing from a lean marketing function to where we are today is a huge achievement and I just want to keep going!