Seng Ti Goh, Director, Focal Partners Pte Ltd
Seng Ti was most recently the Senior General Manager at Isuzu Motors Asia holding a CFO/COO position, heading up the FP&A, Treasury, Accounting, Human Resource, Corporate Communications, and General Affairs departments. Prior to that, he was at A.P. Moller Maersk Group, SKF Group, Asia Genesis Asset Management, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He has over 15 years of corporate and market experience spanning from banks to hedge funds to corporates. He was the President of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (Singapore) and a main committee member of the MAS SOR to SORA steering (SC STS) committee. Seng Ti holds an MBA from Nanyang Business School and had attended an Executive Programme at IMD Lausanne. Seng Ti is a regular speaker and moderator at international and regional treasury events such as Eurofinance, banking and finance events. He has launched a corporate treasury workshop with Risk Management Institute, National University of Singapore with ACTS.
What is your favourite social media platform?
LinkedIn.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
Currently, I am the Director at Focal Partners Private Limited and based in Singapore. After 15 years of a high flying corporate lifestyle spanning from being a Bank Interbank Dealer to a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager to CFO/COO/Treasurer at multiple MNCs, I have decided to leave it all and set up my own consultancy.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
The aspiration is to create an online platform to provide Corporate Functions as a Service (CFaaS). It is an ambitious goal that attempts to solve real issues that many business decision-makers have. While we attempt to build the technology, we are currently offering our consultancy and advisory services in the traditional manual format. Our aim is to help our clients focus and grow their business.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
On my university matriculation day, the school decided to change the program and path that I had applied to and was accepted to. When I wrote in a long letter of complaint, and demanding changes, the Professor assigned as my mentor replied to my super long email with just 4 words, "Time has since changed". That was one of the best pieces of advice I had ever received, and I will always remember it.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
As the saying goes, Change is the only constant. I believe in embracing change and being prepared for change. Change is inevitable and it is powerful. It can be both negative and positive, depending on many factors and different circumstances. Change inspires, motivates, and moves me forward.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Three F’s - My Family, Friends, and my Faith.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Both virtual and physical. Both planned and accidental.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Two I’s - Inquisitive and Inclusive. Staying Inquisitive, staying curious makes me feel alive. There is so much that I do not know and have not seen or experienced. As an Anglican, I believe that God made everyone different. We come in different shapes and sizes, different colours and creeds, different thinking and behaviour, but we are one - mere mortals. We should be inclusive, agreeing to disagree peacefully.
What do you wish you had known when you started?
That "Time has since changed" :)
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
Many intrigue me. Many inspire me. I have a wide interest from arts to music to sports to business to the world.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Cherishing the times spent with my family, friends, and further understanding my faith. Seeing people develop and grow gives me immense joy and purpose.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
In my opinion, Covid-19 is the best change agent in recent times. There have been much suffering and destruction, but Covid-19 has sparked many good changes both physically and mentally.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have been blessed to have many great mentors in my career. I hope that I have been considered a mentor to others.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Listen first, then think before reacting.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
This time is different.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
Time has since changed.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
There are many but in general, those who are forward-looking and courageous to adopt changes when many are fearful.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Success is a journey, not a destination nor a spot in time. It is not easy and filled with many tears, pain, and sacrifices. One needs to be crystal clear about what one wants before embarking on the journey to chase that rainbow. One thing I have learnt and agree on is that passion is the common quality for many successful people, businesses, and countries - without which, many things and times fade.