MOST teenagers would have been attracted by fame and opted to pursue a music career should the opportunity arise, but not Wong Jyh Juan.
When Juan, as he is better known, was in secondary school, he joined many music competitions. The music he composed captured the hearts of talent scouts from a notable music publishing company, and led to one of his compositions being used in the album of local singer Michael Wong, or better known as Guang Liang.
But even in his teenage years, Juan was aware that a music career might not be sustainable as only a small percentage of musicians would make it big.
"It was fun and self-fulfilling, but I always thought about the opportunities and calculated the risks. There was a time where my team was tasked to produce an album with an estimated revenue of RM30,000.
"Time is crucial when you record an album due to the cost of renting a music studio. So, I allocated 1½ hours for the recording of each song. Normally when recording starts, you will lose track of time and it can go on for long hours, but I made sure every session ended at precisely 90 minutes," he said.
It is this business sense and knack for calculation that led him on the path towards a career in finance.
But Juan knew that the music royalties were not going to get him far. Thus, decided to pursue a bachelor of accounting (Honours) at Universiti Tenaga Nasional.
He furthered his studies for a string of professional certifications and qualifications, such as the Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor and chartered accountant.
He started his career as an external auditor in professional accounting firms, from Deloitte to Ernst & Young.
He used his savings during the fourth year of his work life to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA International) at the Nottingham University Business School.
He honed his expertise in the investment and corporate banking arena when he was the associate director with CIMB Investment Bank Bhd for more than seven years.
He was appointed chief financial officer (CFO) of OCR Group Bhd, a Kuala Lumpur-based listed company that focuses on property development, construction and project management consultation, on Aug 19, 2019.
Before joining OCR, he was the CFO and assistant regional president for Country Garden Holdings Co Ltd Malaysia between 2014 and 2019.
At the time, he was the most senior Malaysian in the organisation.
Having worked in an investment bank, Big Four accounting firms, a Fortune 500 company and a listed entity on Bursa Malaysia, Juan has always believed in using his knowledge, expertise and experience to contribute towards the growth and development of an organisation.
"My financial understanding and discipline have helped me in my personal life journey, be it investment or my corporate career. You have to apply financial literacy in your daily life. The financial knowledge has provided the foundation for my personal growth.
"Figures are meaningless if they don't help you understand and appreciate the real picture. They will, however, help you gain a new perspective and lead you to a more informed decision."
Juan's personal investing journey started while he was in university.
"I am more of a fundamental investor, although I do look at charts."
Just like everything else, Juan said investing required constant monitoring and effort.
"My advice to young investors and anyone who wants to climb the corporate ladder is to get the fundamentals right, whether in terms of mindset or one's attitude in life. If I do not embark on self-improvement and stay competitive, I cannot expect my team to improve and stay dynamic.
"I believe that in whatever that we do, learn from others' experience but do not fear the trials and errors. Making a mistake is fine so long as one does not repeat it," he added.
And while Juan doesn't have the luxury to compose music nowadays due to his hectic work schedule, he still keeps in touch with many talented artistes in the local music scene.
The writer was a journalist with The New Straits Times before joining a Fortune Global 500 real estate company. This article is a collaboration between the New Straits Times and Tradeview, the author of 'Once Upon A Time In Bursa'.