Tipsy Collective and Jelebu Dry Laksa co-owner dies at 35, Sentosa Beach Club opening postponed
Photo: Green Pasture Christian-based funeral parlour Green Pasture posted an online memorial for Derek on its website. His cause of death was not revealed. According to Derek’s Instagram page, he has two children. 
Photo: Tipsy Collective
He was due to open a new beach club
His passing came just days before the grand opening of the Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club on Sept 1. The company’s biggest concept to date, it is an ambitious large-scale venue at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach Walk that takes over former club Wave House.
Boasting 500 indoor and outdoor seats, the Tipsy Unicorn has a pool, private cabanas, VIP lounges and live performances.
Derek had been due to host media representatives for a preview tomorrow (Aug 28) at the beach club, but the preview and opening have since been postponed to an unspecified later date.
Runs 13 F&B concepts
Under the Tipsy Collective, Derek ran 13 F&B concepts including the restaurant expansion of home-based business Jelebu Dry Laksa, hip Filipino diner Kubo Woodfired Kitchen, rooftop bar Lady Wu and seven restaurant-bars under the Tipsy brand.
This includes Tipsy Flamingo at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which was opened in partnership with Pierre Png and his wife Andrea De Cruz.
Despite his young age, Derek had over 10 years of experience in F&B. The Republic Polytechnic graduate started working in the industry at 17 as a bartender trainee, and went on to open his own eateries like the Friends-themed Central Perk Cafe in 2016, and the first Tipsy outlet called Tipsy Penguin in 2018.
