Helena Ma

Helena set up and ran IDEA Communication Pte Ltd in Singapore from 2016 as its principal. A business strategist, she was formerly a simultaneous interpreter for central government leaders in Beijing and head of China at Oscar Jacobson AB, a Swedish menswear brand (appointed supplier to the Royal Swedish Family). For the past 15 years, Helena has consulted for expanding and blue-chip companies in oil and gas, industrial engineering, construction equipment, automotive, smart manufacturing, tech, food and beverage sectors, government agencies and legacy family businesses in China, Europe and Singapore. She’s a trusted advisor on cross-border expansion, joint ventures, cross-cultural stakeholder communications and crisis management issues.

She advised China Entrepreneur Club (aggregating $761bn annual revenue from its club members, co-founded by 1st-generation Chinese entrepreneurs) on foreign affairs from 2016 till present. She graduated in Swedish and English Linguistics (BA) from Shanghai International Studies University, with a scholarship (diploma) in Philosophy at Gothenburg University, and did an advanced study program in Psychology and Nutrition Science at Stanford University. A Chinese national, Helena speaks five languages, practices meditation, pilates and ball sports regularly, and has held three solo fine art photography exhibitions in Singapore and China between 2019- 2023.

She spoke about board diversity at the 2019 Women’s Forum organized by the Ministry of Culture of France and Publicis Groupe, and was awarded “40 under 40 Entrepreneurs” by Prestige Magazine in Singapore. She was entrusted by Red Cross Singapore to spearhead PPE goods supply chain management and regional distribution as part of the human relief effort during the Covid Pandemic.  Nowadays, she’s involved in causes related to children's education and mental health.