Page 40 - NYAA GAHA 30th Anniversary "Service Beyond Gold"

Dai Li Yan

Business Director, Mum N Kids Club

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
NYAA Gold Award Holder (2004 Cohort)

Dai Li Yan is an accomplished business leader Beyond her professional journey, Li Yan has remained
and community advocate whose career spans steadfast in youth leadership and community service.
entrepreneurship, education, and international She represented Singapore in numerous international
engagement. With over 20 years of experience in platforms, including the Japan International
strategic planning, business development, and cross- World Scout Jamboree (2005), the ASEAN school
cultural collaboration, she exemplifies the GAHA refurbishment project in Cambodia (2006), and a
ethos of ‘Service Beyond Gold.’ bilateral exchange in Switzerland (2007). She has
also served as a committee member for international
As Managing Director of Mum N Kids Club in Kuala water forums and led service-learning projects such
Lumpur, Li Yan established a unique clubhouse as installing water piping systems in Sarawak.
that integrates a preschool, a fine arts school,
and intergenerational community programmes. Her achievements have been recognised through
She pioneered curricula based on the Singapore the National Youth Achievement Award (Gold,
system and the Reggio Emilia approach, while 2004), presented by President S R Nathan and the
launching creative art programmes and workshops Duke of Edinburgh, along with leadership awards
that empower children and adults alike. Under her from Singapore Polytechnic and international
leadership, the company grew annual sales from organisations.
300,000 MYR to 1 million MYR in just three years,
even amid COVID-19 disruptions. With her trilingual abilities (English, Mandarin,
and French) and multicultural expertise, Dai Li
Previously, as Managing Director of DELKYO SARL Yan continues to bridge communities, expand
(France), she built an international trading and opportunities for youth, and foster sustainable
distribution company, managing supply chains enterprises that leave a lasting impact.
across Asia and Europe and introducing innovative
brands to the European market. She created and
marketed Patch-addict.fr, a new fashion brand for
patchwork hobbyists, which gained traction through
exhibitions across France and the UK.
Her earlier career in the Republic of Singapore
Navy as a Navigating Specialist saw her pioneering
navigation teams for Singapore’s state-of-the-art
frigates. She contributed to standard operating
procedures, logistics systems, and green initiatives
onboard, which supported the RSS Steadfast in
winning the Excellence Ship Award (2008).

38 30 Years of Service and Leadership