It’s never an easy task getting people
to confront their mortality; especially
in a conservative Asian society like
Singapore, where death remains a
taboo topic. But Tay is hoping to
change the status quo by shifting the
focus to the commemoration of life
and ensuring its final journey is a
meaningful affair. “It’s not about how
elaborate the funeral is, but more
about how much love and warmth is
felt during the last moments,” she
says. In the five years since she has
taken over the reins of her family’s
company, Tay has given the funeral
business a more polished outlook (its
revenue has reportedly jumped from
$2 million to $7 million under her
charge), while encouraging people
to give serious thought to
end-of-life-planning. At the same
time, she also launched the Direct
Life Foundation in 2015, which assists
the lonely elderly in Singapore.
Shirt; pants, Dior
JENNY TAY
Managing Director of
Direct Funeral Services, 32