How did you become an owner’s corporation manager?

By default, in a sense. I joined the civil service in Singapore. I was in the Land Office, and I looked after state properties. That spurred my interest into owner’s corporations. From there I moved on to work for multi-national companies, looking after owner’s corporations.

What are the key attributes to a good owner’s corporation manager?

You have to have patience. You have to have a genuine desire to understand, and to want to help people, and to empathise with their problems. You have to be able to put yourself in their situation, so you can appreciate it better. Everyone is proud of their property. If you treat their property with respect, as though it was yours, I think that’s the key thing.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

When I see the gratitude that I get from the members. They appreciate me for what I’ve done, and I can see their joy. Sometimes when taking over the owner’s corporation, their property has been badly treated. I sometimes look at it as though I am taking the role of the RSPCA, looking after a pet that has been abused. Sometimes, when you take the owner’s corporation over, the funds are in a state where they are not sufficient to meet the financial obligations and maintenance needs of the building. The owner’s corporation is in a dire state, and from there it can crumble and fall. We can revive it, and bring it back to life. There is a great deal of satisfaction from that.

What did it mean to you to win REIV's Owner’s Corporation Manager of the Year award ?

It was a milestone in my career. And also it’s recognition that what I’ve done in the past has been officially recognized. And I wouldn’t have got that without testimonials from my clients who are satisfied. To understand that you’ve been recognized and appreciated for what you’ve done.

I have read that you are also a magician. What do you enjoy about performing magic?

The good thing about magic is when you see the happiness, the joy that it brings to both adults and children. That is the reward. That moment is very special when they see something, but they can’t explain how it happened. The joy that it brings is always something I’m happy to do.