A flair for fixing problems

Text: Nur Isyana Isaman

Driven by her passion for fixing problems and providing solutions, Teo Peiru leads artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare firm KeyReply, which specialises in conversational virtual assistants.

KeyReply’s AI solutions have been deployed in hospital operations management and outpatient health monitoring, among other applications.

“Healthcare has a very unique melting pot of objectives and constraints. The systems and processes are complex; people want to make things better yet have many considerations beyond just doing the ‘right thing’. Things get more complicated when you deal with people's lives in stressful situations,” says the recipient of this year’s Nanyang Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Despite the complexities and challenges, Peiru is thankful for every turn in her career, spanning an eclectic mix of experiences, that led her to becoming the CEO of KeyReply.

The mechanical engineering graduate has worked at global banking company Citi and property investment firm MGPA. She also turned around an insolvent wedding services company.

“I love fixing problems and providing solutions to make things 10 times, 100 times, 1,000 times better. It gives me great satisfaction to see things running optimally and lives being uplifted. My professions serve as vehicles for me to do that, even though in different contexts,” says the 38-year-old.

Peiru (first from left) and some of her KeyReply team members at an expo in Jakarta.

Under Peiru’s leadership, KeyReply has grown from a small start-up to a leading firm accredited by the Singapore Ministry of Health serving over half of public hospitals across the country. The firm also has regional clients, with plans to expand globally.

Peiru attributes her professional achievements to the support and balance of her personal life.

“My professional and personal life is very much intertwined. I could not have done well in my career without the support from my family and friends. Ensuring that important relationships are nurtured regularly regardless of work schedules are daily micro-wins for me,” says the mother of one.

Talking about her recognition as an Outstanding Young Alumna, Peiru says: “As long as the recognition can potentially inspire just one more person to go for their dreams and not hold back, then I think it will be well worth it. I want to live my life without regrets, and I feel that I have yet to fully maximise my potential. I am just getting started and there are many milestones ahead in many aspects of both my professional life and personal life.”

Peiru with her husband, Alan Soh (NBS/2004), and their four-year-old son.

 

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This article first appeared in issue 4 of U, the NTU alumni magazine