A Life Beyond

The glamorous jet-set lifestyle of legendary public relations guru SUPORNTHIP “TIPPY” CHOUNGRANGSEE might be the envy of many, but the truth is that she didn’t always have it easy. Her successes and accomplishments are the result of passion, hard work and sheer determination. Manta Klangboonkrong meets up with her for a heart-to-heart chat

- Manta Klangboonkrong

If you ask Supornthip “Tippy” Choungrangsee how somebody from a fairly ordinary background ended up leading such an extraordinary life – she’s on the board of directors of Leicester City Football Club, amongst other impressive achievements – she credits it to one thing only: her decision at a very young age to be different.

“I was the odd child in the family,” Tippy says. “I always enjoyed being by myself, doing my own thing, in my own little world. There are five of us and we’re very close, but I often found myself isolated from everyone else – doodling, painting, daydreaming about travelling the world. Since I was a little girl I wanted to be a world traveller…”

Tippy is very much living her dream now. She spends most of her time jetting from one destination to another, either to satisfy her urge to explore the world more or as part of her duties with Leicester City FC. “I consider my working life to be very fortunate. I have opportunities to try different things; I learn from these experiences and further enhance myself. And I also get to travel and see the world,” Tippy says, smiling content.

It wasn’t always such a smooth ride in First Class, she admits. In the beginning, when she launched her first venture, 124 Communications, she risked it all and there were many struggles along the way. At the time she was only 23, and her agency was one of Thailand’s first full-service PR companies and event organisers.