My Story

My Journey: From Humble Beginnings
to Strategic Leadership

Born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, I come from a family steeped in resilience and ambition. My father’s roots trace back to Kuala Krai, Kelantan, where my grandparents—immigrants from Hainan, China—built a modest yet successful life through hard work. My maternal lineage is equally inspiring, with my grandfather, an English teacher and vice principal in Penang, also contributing weekly columns to The Star, Malaysia’s local newspaper.

Education was a cornerstone of my upbringing. At 7 years old, I chose to attend school in Singapore, which offered high quality education despite the challenges of a daily 3-hour commute. I excelled academically, ranking among the Top 10 students in my cohort, and eventually progressed to Anderson Junior College, one of Singapore’s Top 5 junior colleges, captaining the Basketball team. This experience solidified my dedication to growth and learning.

Exploring New Horizons: From Engineering to Finance

After earning my GCE A’Levels, I began an engineering degree at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). However, I soon realized my true interests lay elsewhere. Seeking broader opportunities, I moved to Australia to study Economics and Finance at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). Financial constraints were a challenge, but I struck a deal with my father: he covered my tuition, while I worked multiple jobs—waiter at Chinta Ria and Malaya, and retail assistant at Priceline—to support myself.

Graduating with a solid foundation, I pursued a Master’s in Accounting at Curtin University. Just prior to graduation, I scored an Assistant Accountant role at Sylex Ergonomics, an SME. Here, I encountered my first mentor, a CFO who pushed me to develop a commercial mindset. He challenged me to see beyond financial statements, teaching me to analyze transactions in the context of overall business strategy. The CFO also mentored me to pursue my CPA, laying the groundwork for my eventual transition into business partnering.

My next significant challenge came at Endeavour Life Care, where I partnered with the General Manager to restructure the company following a receivership process (near bankruptcy). Working across manufacturing, operations, and customer service, I spearheaded the consolidation of processes and streamlined operations to restore profitability.

During this time, I also pursued an MBA at Deakin University, applying myself rigorously to achieve a High Distinction average and placement on the Dean’s Merit List (Top 2% of my cohort). This experience deepened my understanding of business management and prepared me for greater responsibilities.

Bridging Finance & Business

Restructuring
for Success:

At HTC Corporation, I transitioned into leadership roles, including Senior Director, Global Business (including Head of APAC Sales & Marketing), and Senior Finance Director, APAC, where I delivered impactful results over six years:

Regional Profitability: Turned APAC into HTC’s only profitable region for two consecutive years.
Strategic Growth: Successfully launched HTC’s premium Virtual Reality Headset in the ANZ markets.
Financial Innovation: Developed and implemented advanced global forecasting models and pricing strategies, including a price elasticity model, to enhance SKU-level accuracy, align sales strategies with operational execution, and drive profitability.

These achievements reflected my ability to integrate finance with business strategy, fostering collaboration across teams and driving measurable outcomes.

Today, as Head of Business Strategy and Planning. APAC at Qorvo, I oversee strategic initiatives that align regional operations with corporate goals. My role involves developing leadership programs, optimizing resource allocation, and providing actionable insights to stakeholders. Key accomplishments include:

Strategic Planning: Leading Board and earnings call preparations, consolidating APAC insights into comprehensive presentations.
Forecasting Innovation: Addressing post-pandemic challenges with advanced models to refine revenue projections and guide priorities.
Leadership Development: Co-developing a coaching program for the China team, integrating my research in neuroscience and psychology to enhance communication and resilience.

Current Role:
Strategic Leadership at

A New Frontier: Neuroscience
& Coaching

Beyond my corporate achievements, I am a certified results coach (learn more) and an avid learner, currently exploring the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and leadership. This passion has driven me to design programs that empower executives to improve performance, demonstrating my commitment to fostering growth both professionally and personally.

My journey has been shaped by resilience, curiosity, and a drive to grow through every experience.

From long commutes for education to transforming businesses and navigating complex regional strategies, I’ve learned to see challenges as opportunities to evolve.

Each step has added depth to my perspective, fueling my passion for creating meaningful impact in both business and leadership.

Articles

Below are links to a 3 part mini series to my venture into

Finance Business Partnering journey in the early part of my career