Former WGSN Asia insights head launches strategy practice DUMPLING

Former WGSN head of Asia insights Jess Tang (pictured) has launched DUMPLING, an Asia-forward strategy and design practice built around strategy, cultural insight, education and ventures.

DUMPLING, which began as an Instagram account about decoding Asia in 2019, is now structured around four interconnected pillars: DUMPLING AGENCY, DUMPLING 100, DUMPLING U and DUMPLING VENTURES.

DUMPLING AGENCY will work with brands on strategy and design, drawing on DUMPLING 100, a network of culture-focused individuals across Asia who bring lived knowledge and specialist expertise to business challenges.

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Meanwhile, DUMPLING U will bring real-world briefs from clients to design students, who will be mentored by practitioners from the DUMPLING 100 network. DUMPLING VENTURES will work with founders to build brands in Asia, offering strategy, design and distribution in exchange for equity.

The four pillars are designed to operate as an interconnected ecosystem, with cultural insights informing client work, client challenges feeding into student briefs and learnings from across the practice informing its work with founders.

The launch follows Tang's departure from WGSN in 2026 after more than nine years with the trend forecasting company. She most recently served as head of Asia insights in its consultancy business. Before joining WGSN, Tang co-founded Hong Kong brand consultancy intangibly and worked as a designer at Landor.

Her experience across design, strategy and cultural insights now feeds into DUMPLING's wider approach to Asia. The practice is built around the idea that while more of the world's decisions, ideas and capital sit within the region, organisations can still approach Asia through perspectives and frameworks developed elsewhere. Tang said:

I wanted to build a practice where we read Asia from the inside out, not from the outside in.

Across its four pillars, DUMPLING uses a methodology inspired by the I-Ching, applying principles around interconnected systems, counter-forces and cycles of renewal to understand change. Its approach centres on reading Asia from the "inner room", looking beyond observable trends to understand the contexts, nuances and tastes shaping the region.

"Getting into the inner room takes the humility to unlearn what you thought you knew and to become attuned to Asia's contexts, nuances and tastes. That's what we mean by Asia-forward," said Tang.

Tang's launch also follows other senior regional brand leaders making the move into an independent creative practice. Earlier this year, former AirAsia brand co. (Abc) CEO Rudy Khaw launched Lobby Hours after leaving the group in October 2025, bringing an 18-year stint with AirAsia to a close.

Rather than positioning Lobby Hours as a conventional agency or consultancy, Khaw described it as a brand-led creative practice shaped by culture, creativity and discovery. Its name takes inspiration from lobbies as transitional spaces where people pass through, exchange ideas and observe what comes next, with Khaw describing the practice as rooted in curiosity, creativity and culture.

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