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Keynote Speaker

Karen Hoisington is known for building business brands that include several well-known Singapore Superbrands, ranging from airlines to zoos, since the 1980s. A regular speaker on Singapore's history and heritage, Karen has appeared on the UK’s BBC and local TV documentaries.

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Scroll down for Public Talks, Seminars, Workshops, TV Documentaries and more

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ART THERAPY WORKSHOP
Singapore Art Week
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24 January 2026

Surrey Hills Raffles City

 

 

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Latest

 

2026: Singapore Art Week 2026 Art Therapy Workshop "Pollinator"

2026: MINDEF National Defence Day Documentary "Elizabeth Choy"

Institutional Keynote Speaker (Singapore History & Heritage)

 

2022:   Vincent Hoisington (1924-1972), Artist, Entrepreneur, Nothing is Forever Singapore Exhibition, National Gallery Singapore 

2020:   Archives Invites – Karen Hoisington: Personal Correspondences of Elizabeth Choy OBE, National Archives of Singapore

2019:   From Gambier to Gucci, Singapore Bicentennial Season, Library@Orchard

2019:   From Gambier to Gucci, Singapore Bicentennial Season, Fort Canning

2018:   From Surrender to Significance The Legacy of Elizabeth Choy, OBE (1945 – 1955), Former Ford Factory, National Heritage Board

2018:   The Story of Elizabeth Choy OBE – Japanese History Association, Bangkok, Thailand

2017:   Acts of Faith, St Andrews Cathedral, Singapore

2017:   Taking the High Ground: The Morality and Memory of Elizabeth Choy,, Witness to War Season, National Museum Singapore

2017:   “A Flower in the Fall: The Torture, Testimony, and Triumph of Elizabeth Choy OBE”, National Library, Main Library

2017:   The Life and Legacy of Elizabeth Choy, OBE, Malaysia Heritage Trust, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2015:   Cakap: History of Orchard Road, Singapore Heritage Society, Library@Orchard

2011:   Mods. Hippies, & Dallas: Down Fashion Memory Lane in the 60s, 70s, and 80s in Singapore, National Library, Main Library

 

Keynote Speaker (Personal Branding & Entrepreneurship)

2019:   PIVOT, Malmö, Sweden 

2019:   Personal Branding, Paris, France

2018:   Personal Branding, Malmö, Sweden

2018:   The POW of Personal Branding (International Women's Day), Malmö, Sweden

2017:   Bag it with Style: Go Vintage!, Library@Orchard

2016:   Brand! Desire Library@Orchard, Singapore
2011:   Art & Science of the Handbag, Singapore Science Centre

2011:   It’s in the Bag!: Personal Branding and Style, Estee Lauder, Singapore

2008:   It’s in the Bag!: Personal Branding and Style, AIA, Singapore

2008:   It’s in the Bag!: Personal Branding and Style The International Women's Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI), Singapore

 

Event Producer, Publicist, Programme Emcee & Moderator

2026:   Singapore Art Week, "Pollinator" Exhibition, Hoisington Galleries (exhibition, art therapy workshop)

2025:   Singapore Art Week, "Urban Drift" Art Exhibition, Hoisington Galleries (exhibition)
2024:   Singapore Art Week, "Earth.Interrupted" Art Exhibition, Hoisington Galleries (exhibition, talk, children's workshop)

2010:   Steve Slater: Design for Speed, National University of Singapore Auditorium

2010:   Darren Heath: Photography Tips on the F1 Track, 2010 Singapore F1 GP, National Library

2009:   Darren Heath: F1 Photography Symposium, Science of F1 Exhibition, Singapore Science Centre

2008:   Darren Heath: Life on the Fast Track, The Pod, National Library, Main Library

 

Workshop Designer & Facilitator

2020: “Elizabeth Choy”, Docent Training, National Museum Singapore

2019: “Elizabeth Choy”, Docent Training, National Museum Singapore

2019: Unleash Your Book Workshop, Malmö, Sweden  
2018: Unleash Your Book Workshop, Singapore

2018: Moving On, Moving Up Workshop, Singapore

2016: Brand! Desire Workshop, Library@Orchard


ZOOM Talks (Covid Season)
2022: Brand Ambassador, FENIX Sweden

2022: Personal Branding, FENIX Sweden 

2022: Service Excellence, FENIX Sweden 

2020: Elizabeth Choy, Book Launch, AsiaPac, Singapore  

2020: Personal Branding, FENIX Sweden 
2020: Service Excellence, FENIX Sweden 
2020: Brand Ambassador, FENIX Sweden

 

Interviews for TV Documentaries

MINDEF "National Defence Day"
30 January 2026
Producer: MINDEF/SAF

Network: Red Dot Stories


“Great Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo: Singapore”
4 April 2020 @10pm
Producer: Boundless UK
Network: BBC 2 UK

“Foodage”
4 August 2011@10pm
Producer: Sitting In Pictures
Network: Mediacorp OKTO

“Momento SG”
19 June 2013 @10pm
Producer: Moving Visuals OKTO 19 June 2013
Network: Mediacorp OKTO

“History From The Hills - Fort Canning”
4 Dec 17 2013 @ 10 pm
Producer: Sitting In Pictures
Network: Mediacorp OKTO

“Singapore National Campaigns”
18 June 2014
Producer: Sitting In Pictures
Network: Mediacorp OKTO

 

Publications

  • Vincent Hoisington (1924-1972): Art and Legacy (launching 2024) 

  • Evolve: Reinventing Your Personal Brand in Times of Transition (2020)

  • Pulling the Punch in Your Personal Branding (2019)

  • Dana: From Sweden to Uganda (2019)

  • A Flower in the Fall (2018)

  • Brand! Desire - 39 Recipes for Creating a Brand That Leaves Your Customers Wanting More (2016)

 

Professional Experiences

2022-Present: Gallerist, Hoisington Galleries

2018 – Present : Brand Development Specialist / Keynote Speaker

2018 – Present :  Founder and Creative Director, Datum Branding

2008 – 2017 : Adjunct Lecturer, Nanyang Polytechnic, School of Design

2016 – 2016 : Adjunct LecturerAdjunct Lecturer, Kyoto International University, Marketing and Anthropology

2008 – 2014 : Associate Lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, School of Interdisciplinary Studies,  Innovation & Enterprise

1988 – 2008 : Founder, Creative Director, Datum Design

1980 – 1988 : Art Director, Ogilvy & Mather

 

Awards

  • Mediacorp Star Awards (2003)

  • Creative Circle Singapore, Gold (1985), Silver (1986), Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Singapore (4As)

 

Certifications

  • Advanced Certification for Training and Assessments (ACTA), Institute of Adult Learning

  • Certificate of Wedding Planners, Institute of Wedding Planners 

  • Specialist Diploma of Quantity Surveying, Building and Construction Authority

  • Certificate in Risk Management - Control, Manage and Optimise Projects, Building and Construction Authority

 

Academic

BA (Hons), Design Kingston University, London, UK

M.Div, Trinity College for Asia, Singapore

M.Th, (Education), AGST Alliance, Malaysia

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