Staff Spotlight: Chris Ong

Our next staff spotlight episode focuses on Marketing Executive, Chris Ong.

Chris’ episode welcomes an introduction to the Asia Pacific branch of Roffey Park Institute. The Asia Pacific team is based in Singapore and is a vital part of the Roffey Park effort.

Friday the 13^th may be unlucky for some but not for Chris as he was born on Friday 13^th June 1986. He was born and raised in Singapore being the eldest of three brothers. Growing up as the eldest, in an all-boys environment, meant that Chris was not spared of the household chores. He told us that helping his mother when he was younger has resulted in him coming to enjoy washing and cleaning, most of which he still does today in his family.

Since young, Chris has been fascinated by fishing. He recalls the excitement whenever his grandfather took them out on weekend fishing trips. Chris has become a keen angler since and continues to fish today. He told us ‘I find excitement but also serenity whenever I’m out on a fishing trip.’ Chris’ hobbies do not stop there, he explained ‘Incidentally I got involved with Netball about 5 years ago and I absolutely love it.’ Chris plays competitively in a mixed team of men and women and competes every year in the national leagues. He is now on the path to becoming a Netball coach and hopes to become qualified in November.

Chris graduated with a Diploma in Information Technology from Naynang Polytechnic in Singapore before completing his Batchelor’s in Business and Marketing from the London School of Economics. Marketing was something that Chris had always been interested in and his journey began in a small advertisement vendor, before joining Mediakeys. In this role, Chris worked with many clients in the APAC region and was able to visit many countries to help various brands launch their campaigns. He told us ‘The most memorable experience for me was working with Lotte Confectionary to launch their new campaign in Myanmar.’

Chris explained that although he enjoyed the experience of this role, he soon got tired of the frequent travel that was needed and so decided to venture into the education sector. Chris joined Nanyang Technological University in Singapore as part of the marketing team. He said ‘It was during this time that the SkillsFuture initiative began so the education sector was becoming more vibrant and exciting. I learnt a lot from my time there and started to see the need for constant upgrading and reskilling within organisations.’

It is no surprise then that Chris joined Roffey Park Institute. After listening to how some organisations are facing trouble and how training and development can help, Chris took the opportunity make a difference. He told us ‘It warms my heart to see participants who have benefited from the training and newfound energy within their organisations.’

Chris’ gentle and caring nature can be summed up in his approach and passion for coaching. He draws many comparisons between coaching Netball and Roffey Park Institute. He said ‘As a sports coach myself, I see greatness in what Roffey Park is doing. I feel a sense of joy whenever I see our clients or participants better themselves and/or their organisations. The ability to coach unlocks so many possibilities, I love to see people achieve their goals.’

Chris enjoys letting loose in his free time. Nothing encapsulates this as much as on Halloween, when on two occasions he has acted as a ghost in a haunted house tour in his local area. He explained ‘It was an amazing experience and I had tons of fun scaring the attendees for the night.’ It is this down to earth, fun spirited side of Chris that makes him a hugely popular figure, not just within Asia Pacific but the whole of Roffey Park.

Categorised in: Company News