A nose for success: designing unforgettable scents for the world

Multinational firms make up about 20% of firms in Singapore and provide jobs for nearly one-third of employed residents.

Chan Ki Ki’s unexpected journey into the world of fragrance sparked a 20-plus-year love affair with scent design, and her nose for innovation keeps her sniffing for more. 

Passion to Profession

From the floral fragrance of your laundry detergent, to that refreshing scent that hits you when you enter a shopping mall, you’ve probably encountered Ki Ki’s work almost everywhere. But what exactly goes into the design of these fragrances? And how does one even find themselves in such a job?

Truth be told, Ki Ki didn’t start off with a keen nose. In fact, her first job after graduating with a Food Science & Technology Diploma from Singapore Polytechnic turned out somewhat less than ideal. Collating data and charting graphs for a food company’s quality control department just wasn’t her thing, so Ki Ki began sniffing around for other opportunities. It wasn’t long before she stumbled into the lauded hallways of International Flavours & Fragrances Inc. (IFF). It was there that Ki Ki’s adventure into the world of scents truly began.

Present in Singapore since 1969, and boasting a US$30 million innovation facility and plant which opened locally in 2022, IFF is a global innovator specialising in creating unique scents and ingredients for iconic brands in food and beverage, home, personal care, and fragrances. The company gave Ki Ki a platform for growth and cemented her decision to pursue a career with it. “When I first joined IFF as a fresh graduate, I was clueless about what I wanted in my career. I was attached to a perfumer who guided me in exploring various career paths in the industry, eventually leading me to pursue a degree in biotechnology through the company's scholarship programme,” Ki Ki says.

Over the years, Ki Ki has undergone extensive on-the-job training, including a pivotal three-month stint as a scent design trainee in Hilversum, the Netherlands, where she honed her technical and project management skills. The experience required her to juggle work and studies, and this taught her to manage time better and multitask effectively. Interacting with diverse nationalities and cultures has also enriched her perspective, contributing greatly to her professional and personal development in being more adaptable and mindful of how different cultural backgrounds shape our worldview.

Today, Ki Ki is a Scent Design Group Director, managing key global accounts in Southeast Asia and leading a team of scent specialists. In her role, she is involved in multiple aspects of the scent design process—from client management to research—and in creating custom fragrances. 

The Art of Crafting Scents

Ki Ki creates fragrances for various products, such as laundry detergents and toiletries, many of which can be commonly found in local homes. Central to the creation of these scents is understanding her clients’ needs. Her proudest achievements? A detergent scent that has been in the market for over 20 years.

Ki Ki’s job takes her around the world to source raw materials and meet clients, exposing her to different cultures and markets – and helping her to create scents that resonate with diverse consumers. 

She shares one of her most memorable experiences on the job, “I had to visit a rural area in Myanmar. For someone who grew up in a more urbanised country like Singapore, witnessing the living conditions there was an eye-opening experience. People were living in attap (zinc-roofed) houses and washing in rivers. The visit helped me understand the consumers' living conditions and enabled us to create scents tailored to their environments.”

Nurturing the Future 

One of Ki Ki's favourite parts of her job is mentoring the next generation of scent designers and watching them thrive. Her growth/journey from an assistant to a leader is reflective of the career growth opportunities at IFF, and she takes immense pride in imparting knowledge to help others advance too.

Looking ahead, Ki Ki hopes to transition into a business administration or management role, continuing to contribute to IFF’s success while pursuing further education in business-related fields.

Ki Ki’s personal life is just as interesting as her unique career. She met and fell in love with her Zambian tour guide while on holiday, and together, they have two lovely daughters, aged eight and one. How does she balance a demanding career and family life? Ki Ki says, “I am lucky to have a very supportive husband who often takes care of the children when I work late. But I try to spend time with my family on weekends and set time aside for travels together.”

Thanks to her dedication to continuous learning and the opportunities provided by her company, Ki Ki has developed a successful, fulfilling career. But as she reveals, the smell of success is constantly evolving: “I like to learn new things. I hope to grow even further in my career and manage a creative centre, leading a bigger team in the future.” 

Watch Ki Ki's video on gov.sg YouTube!

Article by: Maven Potter

Photos by: Maven Potter & Ki Ki Chan