BookTalk: Annabella Patisserie’s director Annabella Sonwelly reads to learn how to mentor

Ms Annabella Sonwelly with the book that has inspired her the most, The Ride Of A Lifetime by Robert Iger. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANNABELLA SONWELLY

Srinidhi Ragavendran

UPDATED May 03, 2025, 01:15 PM

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Who: Ms Annabella Sonwelly, 44, is the director of Annabella Patisserie, a home-grown bakery known for its artisanal macarons.

A computer science graduate from the National University of Singapore, the Singaporean began her career in banking before realising it was not where her passion lay. In 2014, she launched her baking journey as a home-based business, sparked by her search for macarons that matched the ones she first tasted in France.

Ms Sonwelly, a self-taught baker, now owns a chain of bakeries which includes two outlets in Singapore and one in Jakarta. The company aims to open two or three more stores in Singapore by 2026 and is exploring expansion into the China market.

“I am r eading three books. I tend to read multiple books at once.

Two of the books – Leaders Eat Last and The Infinite Game – are by Simon Sinek, and they explore how great leaders build trust and inspire their teams by putting people first. This is something I am reflecting on as I grow and lead m y team.