Mark Phooi’s unique way of leading his life – by thinking like a sage, working like a fool and acting like a criminal has seen him rise above poverty and mediocrity, against all odds, to become one of Singapore’s most successful designpreneurs.

At the age of 27, Mark founded Lancer Design in February of 1989. In 2002, he established First Media Pte Ltd (FM) as a holding company to manage his collection of design firms and design institutions. In 2005, FM was one of only five recipients to receive the Enterprise 50 Award – an annual business award recognising Singapore’s most promising privately-held companies. In 2006, Mark was awarded one of the Top Entrepreneurs of the Year Awards (organised by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and the Rotary Club of Singapore) – one of the highest business award recognitions in Singapore, and one that no trained designer had ever attained previously. In 2007, Mark was also selected as one of the finalists in Singapore’s top design accolade – the President’s Design Award.

In 2006, Mark also founded and assumed the role of principal at First Media Design School (FMDS), a progressive private educational institution. Since then, he has retired from being a practicing designpreneur, and has devoted his life to being an educator. To date, he has successfully groomed more than 50 working designpreneurs using his own brand of design management theories and principles.

Mark’s PhD qualities of Passion, Hunger and Discipline, have undoubtedly provided him with the answers to his success.