Ms Lim Hai Yen graduated from NUS in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Studies and English Language, and earned a Master of Arts in Directing from Goldsmiths College, University of London, in 2002. At NUS, she was named Best Speaker in the 1990 Chinese Inter-Varsity Debate and initiated the Chinese Studies department’s first graduation dinner in 1992, a tradition that continues today.

She is the Artistic Director of The ETCeteras, a Singapore theatre company known for original works about island life. Over a theatre career spanning nearly 40 years, she has been recognised for her contributions to the arts. Known for her light-hearted, satirical, and multilingual style, she is also a drama educator, author, columnist, and speaker. Her 2023 essay collection, For Better, For Worse, won second prize in the Readers’ Choice Award. She also received the NUS Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 2017.