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Hi, I'm Sarah Tan

Malaysian-born Australian now based in Tokyo, Japan.

I’ve loved making and designing things for as long as I can remember, and design has remained one of my biggest passions in life. I’m an award-winning Product Designer specialising in UX/UI and emerging technologies, including Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). I’ve designed digital experiences for Google, Meta, Atlassian, NASA, Adobe, Mastercard, REA Group, Commonwealth Bank, and more. Currently, I’m working on a VR app that I’m excited to share more about soon!

As a woman of colour and former international student who moved to Australia alone at 19, I’ve developed a strong belief in the power of a growth mindset, resilience in navigating uncertainty, and the discipline to achieve what I set out to do. This is why I’m passionate about empowering women and migrants to break into tech. I mentor migrant women pro bono and have helped more than 50 people secure roles in technology.

Awards, speaking, and features

Award-winning designer

I've been recognised for 10+ industry awards both nationally and globally for my work in design, AI and XR innovation.

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International speaker

I’ve spoken at conferences including SXSW Sydney, the Global AI Summit, and the VR/AR Global Summit, and have conducted design workshops.

View speaking

Media and features

My design and innovation work has been featured in Adobe, 7NEWS, 9NEWS, ABC, The Australian, SBS Australia, B&T, and more.

View features

Values I believe in

Courage to innovate

I take initiative, explore new ideas, and make decisions even when the path isn’t clear.

Best outcomes comes from collaborations

I love collaborating, taking ownership, and working together as a team to create the best outcomes.

Adaptability & just enough processes

I stay flexible, learn quickly, and adapt to challenges, while using just enough process to keep things moving.

Supporting others

I strive to create work environments where people feel safe to communicate, collaborate, and have fun.

My design leadership values

With 2+ years of design team leadership experience and extensive leadership coaching, here are the values that guide how I lead.

I am a multiplier leader

I create clarity, empower others, and help teams do their best work. I lead with trust rather than control.

People come first

I believe the best work comes from people who feel heard, trusted, and empowered to contribute.

I lead with vision

I connect the big picture with practical next steps, creating clarity and momentum even when the path isn’t clear.

Keep things moving forward

I stay flexible, learn quickly, and adapt to challenges while using just enough process to keep teams aligned and moving forward.

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

Textile crafts

Art small business

Painting

Hanging with Maple the cavoodle!

Tinker with hardware

Being in nature

Food & journaling

Travelling around the world

Making miniatures

Visiting art museums

Drinking coffee!

What I enjoy doing

Outside of work, I enjoy travelling, experiencing new cultures, trying new foods, hanging out in cafés, and spending time in nature.

To keep my creativity flowing, I love visiting art museums and exploring creative hobbies like crochet, embroidery, painting, and making miniatures. I also run a small art business selling my original illustrated work and have recently started tinkering with hardware in my free time!

Outside of work, I enjoy travelling, experiencing new cultures, trying new foods, hanging out in cafés, and spending time in nature.

Nice things people said

Sarah has an amazing ability to take ambiguous problems and turn them into tangible and practical designs.

Product Manager Lead

Atlassian

Sarah connects big-picture thinking with strong execution. She can move comfortably from strategy and storytelling into the details of the experience.

Software Engineer

Google

Her collaborative approach not only enhances the quality of her designs, but also fosters a cohesive team dynamic.

Ryan Jiang

Senior Product Manager

Sarah asks the right questions, challenges assumptions, and consistently pushes the work to a higher standard.

I was afraid to try AI and emerging technologies until I attended Sarah’s talk. She broke complex topics down into something understandable

Product Designer

Atlassian

Sarah's journey and achievements are nothing short of remarkable as an immigrant.

Tom

Editor, B&T

Design Director, 3Lateral

She has a natural ability to bring people together and create clarity in complex situations through alignments, reviews, and workshop facilitation.

Engineering Manager

REA Group

Sarah exemplifies using technology and creativity for positive impact and inspiration.

Jeanette Cheah

CEO of HEX

Sarah approaches problem-solving with thoughtfulness and consideration, ensuring she fully understands the problems before diving into design solutions.

Lisa Railey

Senior Design Manager

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Contact

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Contact