{"id":19978,"date":"2024-09-26T11:20:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T03:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/friends\/?p=19978"},"modified":"2025-07-17T13:27:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T05:27:50","slug":"ceo-puts-community-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/friends\/ceo-puts-community-first\/","title":{"rendered":"CEO puts community first"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

James Chen, CEO of Athena Best Financial Singapore.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author | Carmelle Wilkinson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This month, our Editor-in-Chief of Curtin Commons Carmelle Wilkinson had the pleasure of interviewing the President of the Singapore Alumni Chapter<\/a> James Chen, PBM \u2013 in Singapore!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James is a proud finance and marketing alumnus with a fascinating career journey \u2013 which includes time as an air operation specialist in the Republic of the Singapore Airforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is currently the CEO of finance advisory firm – Athena Best Financial<\/a> and the co-founder of Every Little Helps<\/a> charity, which helps underprivileged Singaporean families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, James was awarded a prestigious Public Service Medal by the Singapore Government, for his commitment to community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hi James! What an exciting career journey you\u2019ve enjoyed so far. Can you please share with us when your interest in finance began?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It would have been when I was in my late teens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I enjoyed flicking through the finance section of the local newspaper and became fascinated with how the stock market worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That curiosity eventually led me to study commerce at Curtin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was it always your dream to obtain a tertiary education?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Definitely. My parents didn\u2019t have money to send me to university, so I had to fund it myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did this by working for the Republic of the Singapore Airforce as an air operation speacilist for six years and studying part -time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After I left the air force, I joined the local bank as a personal banker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a couple of years, I had progressed to the branch business manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years I also gained experience working in as the head of business development and training before leaving the corporate world to set-up my own financial advisory agency six years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amazing. And now you\u2019re the CEO of Athena Best Financial Singapore!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haha yes. Last year, I received a call from a finance advisory firm in Hong Kong (Athena Best Financial Group) asking if I\u2019d set up their new operations in Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just earlier this year, we obtained our financial advisory license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and I was appointed as the CEO\/Country Head of Singapore operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s incredibly brave to leave a firm you had established and merge with a new company?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Looking back now, I guess it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, when I look back at my career, whether it was joining the defence force or starting my own start-up, I was never afraid to take a risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over my life I\u2019ve had some wonderful opportunities and that all happened because I said yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t just have good luck. Because if I\u2019m honest sometimes it doesn\u2019t always work out. Haha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I know that if I work hard and say yes, then there is always an opportunity to gain experience and knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you tell me a bit more about your charity Every Little Helps?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Every<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Curtin Alumnus James Chen co-founded the charity, Every Little Helps to help alleviate poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I co-founded the charity in 2018, to uphold the philosophy of giving back to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and living expenses are incredibly high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The core objective of the foundation is to uplift and help underprivileged families break the vicious cycle of poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together with our incredible donors and volunteers, we help alleviate poverty in three ways, by reducing food deprivation, ensuring equity in opportunities, and securing access to education for all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we first launched, I was offering free tutoring at a local hawker for about five kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those numbers have since grown, and we\u2019ve had to move to a local community office, where we have a group of volunteer student tutors running the sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also distribute care packages and food items to families in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from a very humble background myself, I can empathise with families doing it tough, as I know how hard it can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, I lived in a small one-bedroom apartment which my parents obtained through Singapore\u2019s Housing and Development Board, and the four of us all shared the unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My parents now own a food stall and are doing quite well for themselves, but it took a lot of hard work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout their life, they\u2019ve worked very hard, and I like to think I inherited their strong work ethic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Singapore Alumni Chapter President, what do you most love about the role?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started as a member a few years ago, before taking over as President.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m very grateful to Curtin for my degree, and I knew I wanted to give back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being President of the Chapter has allowed me to connect, engage and socialise with a number of amazing alumni living and working in Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve made some wonderful friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a husband and father of teenage children I felt now was the time in my life where I do have a bit more free time and I was happy to commit myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I do enjoy the social aspect of it, there is so much more to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone brings different ideas and concepts to the table and networking with alumni can be very enriching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people in my friendship circle went to Curtin and they come from all different industries and backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I encourage all Curtin alumni in Singapore to get in touch and join us<\/a> at our next event, we would love to meet you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author | Carmelle Wilkinson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

___<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n\n

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