Debra Soon
Managing Director
Channel NewsAsia
MediaCorp Pte Ltd
Ms Soon has 16 years experience in the media and communications industry. She started in broadcast journalism with the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation and has also written for print. Her range of experience includes reporting on ‘live’ events in Singapore and from overseas; ‘live’ talk shows, leading general elections coverage and being Editor and presenter of “In Parliament”. She rose to the position of Executive Editor in MediaCorp News, where she led and directed the daily news operations of the Singapore newsgathering team for its TV news platforms. She left in 2005 to take up another appointment in the corporate world, before re-joining MediaCorp News as its Chief Editor in 2008, and appointed Managing Director in March 2009.
In 2005, Ms Soon was Group General Manager for Corporate Communications and Investor Relations at SGX-listed company, WBL Corporation Limited (“Wearnes”). She managed the brand and image of the Group, shareholder and investor issues and launched the Wearnes’ Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
She served as President-elect SR Nathan’s Press Secretary during the August 2005 Presidential Elections. Ms Soon is currently also a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling, and Chairperson of the Youth Sub-Committee and is a Council member of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
Ms Soon says: “I have been fortunate to have worked with committed professionals throughout my career and have had the opportunity to view the news from both a journalist’s perspective and from the other side of the equation. I look forward to working with the team to bring news and current affairs to a higher level, both in terms of driving the business and in content provision, towards the vision of becoming one of the best stations in the region.”
Ms Soon obtained her BSc(Econs) and MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science under scholarship from the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, and later the Television Corporation of Singapore. She is married to Cassius Cheong and they have two children.