Thinking big Professor Dato’ Dr Chua Hock Hoo, co-founder and managing partner of Malaysian accounting firm Cheng & Co, talks about why his ambition for growth will never stop Farming or finance? At first glance
his classmates had a sister studying with
optimistic father of three – two sons
ACCA in London and the two ventured
But for Professor Dato’ Dr Chua
and a daughter, all of whom are
to the UK.
Hock Hoo the former could have
studying accountancy in Perth, Australia
been the road easily taken, while
– is talking at the Kuala Lumpur
in classes and headed straight to
the latter remained nothing but a
headquarters of Cheng & Co, the
Chinatown to look for work, without
youthful dream.
realisation of a dream. But Dr Chua’s
luck. They scoured the classifieds and
career could have easily veered off into
found a familiar calling: an advert
a very different direction.
seeking experienced farm hands. The
Growing up in a farming family in rural Malaysia, the easier path could have been to follow his father’s
40
The energetic and infectiously
the two professions are worlds apart.
After completing his A-levels, Dr Chua
In London, the young men enrolled
job was in Bedfordshire, two hours
footsteps into agriculture, but Dr Chua
struggled to balance his accountancy
north of London on a farm that supplied
had other plans. ‘I was very clear: I
studies with his door-to-door salesman
Chinatown’s restaurants.
wanted to be an accountant and have
job. He was close to giving up and
my own practice,’ he says.
abandoning his dream. However, one of
The schedule was punishing. ‘We started work at 2.30am, stopped at
Accounting and Business January 2020
AP_YPRAC_Cheng&Co.indd 40
28/11/2019 13:42