Brand Do!

If you have ever picked up a copy of Time Out, scrolled through Tatler, or sat through a brainstorm where someone said, “Let’s make it more experiential,” chances are Nicholas Chan had already figured it out — and made it cooler.

He’s spent his career leading some of Asia’s most recognizable lifestyle and media brands. And if there’s one thing he knows better than most, it’s how to take a traditional business and make it feel exciting (and profitable) again.

“I’ve always gravitated towards brands that sit at the intersection of culture, content and commerce,” Nicholas says. In other words: he doesn’t just work with brands. He evolves them.

At Time Out, he helped shift the brand from an ad-driven business to a content-led marketing partner. At Tatler, he repositioned the magazine to connect with a new generation of luxury consumers. Reinvention has never been just a nice-to-have for him. It’s been the job.

How to Keep Evolving Without Losing Yourself

The media landscape changes faster than most people can keep up — but Nicholas is not most people.

“You don’t survive in this industry unless you keep evolving,” he says. And you evolve by starting where it always matters most: with your audience.

He’s seen it all — the rise of branded content, social media, influencer marketing, commerce — and he’s adapted to every shift by asking one simple question: What does the audience actually want?

“Don’t get too precious about the format. If you know your brand and you know your audience, you’ll know how and where to show up.”

Personal Branding Without the Hype

If you’re expecting Nicholas to start talking about building a ‘personal brand’ in the influencer sense of the word, you’re going to be disappointed.

For him, it’s simple: be the person known for actually building things.

“New business models. New revenue streams. Better teams. That’s what I focus on,” he says. No drama. No ego. Just momentum.

When you need someone to grow or transform a business, you bring in Nicholas Chan.

Making Brand Experiences That Actually Feel Good

Most people can smell a sales pitch from a mile away. Nicholas’s approach? Make it feel natural. Make it feel real.

“You need a strong sense of what your brand stands for. And you need to really understand your audience.”

At Time Out, it meant focusing on discovery and trusted recommendations. At Tatler, it was about telling deeper, more meaningful stories around luxury — not just showing off logos.

“When you get it right, it doesn’t feel like advertising. It feels like something the audience actually wants to be part of.”

The Defining Moment

If there’s one period that shaped the way Nicholas leads today, it was his time repositioning Time Out in Asia — and navigating the early days of the pandemic right after.

“There was no playbook. We had to move fast, make bold calls, and focus only on what would actually move the needle.”

It taught him two things he never forgets: lead with conviction and empathy, and always back strategy with action.

Because good ideas are everywhere. Good execution is rare.

The Last Word

In an industry that never sits still, Nicholas Chan isn’t just keeping up. He is setting the pace — and proving that the best way to stay relevant is to never stop reinventing.

Fun fact: “Chan” is one of the most common surnames in the world. But when it comes to building brands that last, there’s nothing common about this one.