Christopher Quek

And I was not very happy of what the family was actually building towards or if I didn't want to have my name stuck on it that Christopher Quek, manufacturer of automotive parts. But rather, when I went over to Malaysia, my Malaysian friends were really nice to me and I got really influenced by them.

And I was not very happy of what the family was actually building towards or if I didn't want to have my name stuck on it that Christopher Quek, manufacturer of automotive parts. But rather, when I went over to Malaysia, my Malaysian friends were really nice to me and I got really influenced by them.

In fact, one of them was just telling me about the immense economic prosperity that Malaysia will go through and this kind of potential opportunities that you can work on. At that time, I created an e-commerce business that was very similar to Amazon. But what I did was an arbitrage advantage where Amazon couldn't actually enter Malaysia at that point in time.

In fact, one of them was just telling me about the immense economic prosperity that Malaysia will go through and this kind of potential opportunities that you can work on. At that time, I created an e-commerce business that was very similar to Amazon. But what I did was an arbitrage advantage where Amazon couldn't actually enter Malaysia at that point in time.

That was in the early 2000s because Malaysians couldn't use their credit cards overseas. And so what I did was that I established a very localized payment system. Malaysians were happy to purchase books, beauty products, and I shipped them via Singapore. So I think this was just a little bit of creativity that I discovered.

That was in the early 2000s because Malaysians couldn't use their credit cards overseas. And so what I did was that I established a very localized payment system. Malaysians were happy to purchase books, beauty products, and I shipped them via Singapore. So I think this was just a little bit of creativity that I discovered.

I discovered the demand and then I discovered the supply line that I could go for. And it was fantastic for those six years. I guess the reason what actually changed significantly was that regulations went down. That means credit cards in Malaysia were becoming much easier to purchase overseas. So I was starting to lose my advantage.

I discovered the demand and then I discovered the supply line that I could go for. And it was fantastic for those six years. I guess the reason what actually changed significantly was that regulations went down. That means credit cards in Malaysia were becoming much easier to purchase overseas. So I was starting to lose my advantage.

And the second one was like you having the likes of Lazada, Q10, all arriving and they were gladly throwing money to lose money. And I realised that my game is up and I decided that maybe this is a part of my phase of journey that I decided that it's time to actually move on.

And the second one was like you having the likes of Lazada, Q10, all arriving and they were gladly throwing money to lose money. And I realised that my game is up and I decided that maybe this is a part of my phase of journey that I decided that it's time to actually move on.

And at that moment in time, coming back to Singapore and meeting my fiancé, I realised that life is becoming more deeply back-rooted into Singapore. So just to give you a little bit of context, what really transpired during that point in time in Malaysia.

And at that moment in time, coming back to Singapore and meeting my fiancé, I realised that life is becoming more deeply back-rooted into Singapore. So just to give you a little bit of context, what really transpired during that point in time in Malaysia.

And I also wanted to highlight to the audience, it's really interesting that sometimes when you've been to a place, it doesn't mean that it's the end in your life journey. In fact, this year, my venture capitalist company, we have actually gone full circle and I'm back in Malaysia very often. It's because half my team is in Malaysia.

And I also wanted to highlight to the audience, it's really interesting that sometimes when you've been to a place, it doesn't mean that it's the end in your life journey. In fact, this year, my venture capitalist company, we have actually gone full circle and I'm back in Malaysia very often. It's because half my team is in Malaysia.

My startup portfolio companies have built a huge regional ops HQs, not just one, but I think three or four of them have done that as well. So it's coming back to full circle and I do understand the Malaysian psyche and I feel that I'm not coming back as someone who is unknown to the Malaysian scene. I know it for the last 20 years.

My startup portfolio companies have built a huge regional ops HQs, not just one, but I think three or four of them have done that as well. So it's coming back to full circle and I do understand the Malaysian psyche and I feel that I'm not coming back as someone who is unknown to the Malaysian scene. I know it for the last 20 years.

So I think it's just to give a little bit of context when, you know, some people, when they go overseas to another country,

So I think it's just to give a little bit of context when, you know, some people, when they go overseas to another country,

Wish I could tell you, Vince, that I'm a very organised person. I am a very good forecaster of my life, knowing where my life was going. To be honest, it was more of circumstances and situations and opportunities that just appeared. If you ask me, like, some certain... crossroads in my life. For example, heading off to Malaysia instead of China. I felt that was the right thing to do.

Wish I could tell you, Vince, that I'm a very organised person. I am a very good forecaster of my life, knowing where my life was going. To be honest, it was more of circumstances and situations and opportunities that just appeared. If you ask me, like, some certain... crossroads in my life. For example, heading off to Malaysia instead of China. I felt that was the right thing to do.