Our People

Cynthia brings over 17 years of legal and business experience to Tang Thomas, where she co-founded the firm and leads its corporate practice while co-heading the healthcare and life sciences offering. Under her leadership, Tang Thomas has been recognized as one of Singapore’s Best Law Firm (corporate law) for 2023-2025 by The Straits Times.

She began her career as a Foreign Service Officer at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on Middle East and North Africa relations, and later served as Centre Director for the Middle East at the Singapore Economic Development Board. Cynthia subsequently joined regional law firm Kelvin Chia Partnership, where she advised multinational clients on complex transactions and regulatory matters across ASEAN jurisdictions.

Cynthia’s practice focuses on commercial law, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance across various sectors, with extensive experience managing a broad spectrum of M&A transactions, amalgamations, and cross-border deals for multinational corporations across ASEAN jurisdictions. Her work encompasses healthcare and pharmaceutical industry matters, including medical device commercialization, regulatory compliance for major pharmaceutical companies, data privacy compliance, and employment matters. She has represented prominent Japanese and European pharmaceutical clients including major industry players, advising on complex regulatory frameworks, licensing agreements, and corporate structuring across multiple markets. Effectively bilingual in English and Chinese, Cynthia has developed a substantial Chinese client base across construction, real estate, and trading sectors.

In her private wealth practice, Cynthia has extensive experience advising high-net-worth families in Singapore on legacy planning, bringing thoughtful and practical wealth preservation strategies. Her philosophy centers on the principle that successful legacy planning happens not after death, but through practical and sensible steps taken by family members during their lifetime. She regularly advises prominent Singapore families and international ultra-high-net-worth individuals to approach succession planning holistically, recognizing that estate planning is just one component of a comprehensive strategy.

Cynthia also has extensive experience in compliance leadership, having served as Deputy Managing Counsel for Italy’s largest pharmaceutical company, MENARINI Group, where she led compliance across 13 APAC markets and managed key distribution and licensing partnerships. She was lead counsel for data privacy compliance across the region, leading the data privacy program for APAC while ensuring GDPR compliance across multiple jurisdictions. She expanded and directed the regional IP team, overseeing strategic intellectual property portfolio management and commercialization initiatives across multiple markets.

• Advisory to one of the world's top 3 oil companies on employment issues across Asia Pacific operations, including employee data collection and compliance
• M&A transaction for the world's largest cargo sales and freight forwarding company acquiring a regional player, including subsidiaries across 10 jurisdictions
• Reorganization and employee transfer matters for the world's largest listed Japanese electric motor manufacturing company
• Investigation defense for a European multinational reinsurance firm in Ministry of Manpower proceedings over employment practices
• Competition Commission guidance application for a top European consumer goods multinational company
• In-house investigations for a NYSE-listed American fashion and apparel company over workplace practices allegations
• In-house investigation for one of the world's largest advertising agencies regarding employee misconduct and company resource abuse
• Government contract work for Singapore agencies, including nationwide transportation software system development agreements and merchant agreements with multinational global payments companies for smart card infrastructure
• Global advertising campaign advisory for a major American credit card company involving Singapore landmark usage rights
• Corporate and regulatory matters for leading Japanese pharmaceutical companies and major Japanese conglomerates in their healthcare divisions
• Private equity advisory for a well-known Singapore private equity fund acquiring privately-held local technology companies
• M&A representation for a SGX-listed real estate company acquiring a worker dormitory business
• Led in-house training sessions for clients on issues ranging from data protection to employment law
• Estate planning and succession structuring for multi-generational Singapore business families, including complex trust arrangements and family office establishment
• Cross-border wealth planning for ultra-high-net-worth families with assets across Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America
• Philanthropic planning and charitable giving structures for prominent families, including private foundation setup and grant-making frameworks

Cynthia co-founded Tanglin Law LLC (formerly known as Tang Thomas LLC) which has been recognized as one of Singapore's Best Law Firm (corporate law) for 2023-2025 by The Straits Times.

Cynthia co-authored “Data Privacy in the Advancement of Digital Health Technologies” published in the Personal Data Protection Digest 2022 by the Singapore Personal Data Protection Commission.

Cynthia served on the Board of Governors of Spirit of Enterprise from January 2023 to 2025, an Institution of a Public Character dedicated to promoting entrepreneurs and enterprises in Singapore.