Our People

Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI) has a committed but small team working across Policy, Research, Outreach, Communications, Membership, and Administration to ensure SIMI achieves the goals set out in our vision to be the vanguard of mediation in Asia.

Our Board of Directors are made up of committed individuals and we are extremely grateful to them for their time, expertise and support.

We are also very fortunate to have both the support of the Ministry of Law, as well as the National University of Singapore for this organisation.

Alvin Sim

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Alvin graduated from the National University of Singapore and was called to the Singapore Bar. He started his vocational life as a general practitioner (which included involvement in Court-facilitated mediation and a couple of cases at the then newly established Singapore Mediation Centre), and was also a corporate real estate lawyer.

Thereafter, Alvin entered the Singapore Public Service as an in-house legal counsel. Across the years, he has trained and gained experience in the intellectual property (IP) field, undertaken policy analysis, international negotiations and cooperation activities, and legislative and systems reviews. The latter included IP enforcement/dispute resolution issues.

Alvin last worked on engaging a wide range of businesses and public agencies in advocating for pro-enterprise regulations for businesses, as the team lead at the Ministry of Trade & Industry’s Pro-Enterprise Panel Secretariat. He also worked with his team and relevant consumer protection agencies/bodies (including Enterprise Singapore and the Consumers’ Association of Singapore) to address consumer protection issues, including (amongst others) safety standards in consumer products.

In returning to the administration of justice, Alvin hopes to contribute to the development of mediation in Singapore as a important and viable tool in the dispute resolution toolbox, which can be deployed confidently and efficiently across a range of domestic and cross-border disputes.

Prema Thangavelu

MANAGER / ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

As a driven individual, Prema brings to SIMI her rich experience as a Corporate Administrative Senior Executive developed over a couple of decades in a European MNC previously listed on the SGX.  This included working alongside the company's regional legal counsel to support legal documentation with its clients, ensuring statutory compliance in Asia-Pacific jurisdictions, handling corporate secretarial matters and general company administration.   

Prema currently manages the operational and administrative aspects of SIMI's initiatives for accredited Partners and supports selected initiatives for mediator accreditation systems. She also supports selected SIMI outreach and communication initiatives.

During her time here, Prema endeavours to utilize her skills (including her writing skills developed through her specialization in English Language) to enhance SIMI's initiatives and systems and make contributions to the dispute resolution landscape both in Singapore and globally.

Lim Su Lin

SENIOR CONSULTANT (PART-TIME)

Su Lin graduated from NUS Law and was called to the Singapore Bar. She then went on to pursue a career in corporate communications, where she discovered her passion in writing for and producing all forms of corporate literature, from annual reports to corporate brochures, newsletters, websites and flyers, and even corporate videos. Over an 18-year career in communications, she has gained extensive skills in the tools of the trade through stints in different industries, from maritime to electronics and healthcare.

Su Lin stepped away from corporate life to nurture her young children for 10 years. On her return to the workforce, she joined a global religious organisation where she took on a corporate secretarial role. She then went on to join the Singapore Academy of Law where she was a member of the Secretariat supporting the Promotion of Singapore Law Committee, managing projects to create awareness and adoption of Singapore law. Su Lin has now returned to communications and hopes to use her skills and experience to support SIMI’s efforts to enhance its communications and advocacy work among its stakeholders. 

Nur Rafidah Rosdi

SENIOR EXECUTIVE / ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

Rafidah supports the team in managing the operational and administrative aspects of SIMI's appointed Partners and Mediators credentialing schemes.  Rafidah will also support various industry communications initiatives and help address organisational excellence issues. 

Prior to joining SIMI, Rafidah was an experienced Marketer and Business Partner with a demonstrated history of working in Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry. She is a strong support professional skilled in event management, labour relations, corporate branding, and project management amongst others. In her leisure time, Rafidah aims to engage in various activities which help in her personal growth.  She also loves to travel and explore other countries.

Rafidah holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Marketing (National University of Ireland, Dublin) and Diploma in Employment Relations from SIM - Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute. Her 15 years of experience in employment relations included monitoring the adherence of employers and employees to labour agreements. She was also involved in mediating and resolving labour disputes amongst various stakeholders. She was conferred the Comrade of Labour Award in 2015.