Rafflesian Professional Network

17/08/2026

In this episode, Jaelle shares with Hui Ling her journey through various career pivots, from architecture to investment banking and founding the Great Room. She discusses her approach to risk evaluation, decision-making frameworks, and the importance of understanding one's identity beyond professional titles. Jaelle emphasizes the significance of asking the right questions in business and the value of conviction through mistakes. She also reflects on the challenges of transitioning after a successful exit and the importance of choosing one's path in life.

Takeaways
- Each career pivot brings valuable lessons and experiences.
- Risk evaluation can be simplified into a matrix of reversible vs. irreversible decisions.
- Asking the right questions is crucial in business.
- Conviction often comes from making mistakes and learning from them.
- Identity can be challenging to navigate after a significant career change.
- Choosing your path means embracing the hard decisions that come with it.
- Understanding what you want to do on a typical day can guide career choices.
- The entrepreneurial journey is often terrifying at the start and boring in the middle.
- Success is often a result of consistent effort over time.
- Life is about taking long shots and playing in the field, not from the sidelines.

Titles
The Art of Jaelle Ang: Evaluation in Business

Bites
00:00 "I have a two by two matrix I think about."

08:28 "I think conviction is also making enough mistakes."

15:45 "I don't want regrets."

22:02 "Choose your hard.”

23:01 "What do you want to do on your typical Tuesday?"

Chapters
00:00 Navigating Nonlinear Career Paths

05:14 Risk Evaluation and Decision Making

10:08 Building the Great Room: A Contrarian Approach

15:02 Identity Beyond the Exit

20:27 Choosing Your Path: Embracing Hard Decisions

30/07/2026

Trust is the foundation on which finance, sustainability and communities are built.

At the recent Rafflesian-Professional-Network gathering, we brought together leaders and professionals for a thoughtful conversation on resilience, blended finance, the blue economy and the future of sustainable growth.

The discussion featured perspectives from:
Abigail E. Ng, Chief Sustainability Officer MAS— on the importance of building resilience and embedding sustainability into long-term decision-making.
Genevieve Ding, J.P. Morgan — on how trust and collaboration between different sources of capital are critical to unlocking blended finance solutions and accelerating the sustainability transition.
Alvin Lee, CEO of Maybank Singapore — on the role of financial institutions in supporting businesses, communities and economies through transformation.

A recurring theme throughout the conversation was that finance is ultimately built on trust.

Trust between investors and entrepreneurs.
Trust between institutions and communities.
Trust between generations of leaders who must work together to solve complex challenges.

Capital may be the enabler, but relationships are what allow capital to move with purpose.

Whether it is financing the transition to a low-carbon economy, developing the blue economy, or building resilience in communities, progress requires more than transactions. It requires shared understanding, credibility and long-term commitment.

This is the spirit behind the Rafflesian-Professional-Network — creating a trusted community where professionals across industries and generations can come together, exchange ideas and build meaningful connections.

Thank you to our speakers, participants and all volunteers for contributing to an evening of insightful conversations and genuine connections.

29/07/2026

From Airbnb side hustle to building a global access control platform. In this conversation, Anthony Chow shares how a practical problem in short-term rentals led to the creation of igloo, and how that product later expanded into adjacent markets like self-service rentals, long-term rentals, co-living, and assisted living.

A few takeaways that stood out:
- Start with a real customer pain point.
- Build for the problem, not the trend. Expect pivots as markets change.
- Think globally from day one.
- Focus on creating value that lasts beyond you.

One especially powerful idea from Anthony: “It’s good to be great, but it’s more important to make others great.” The discussion also touches on entrepreneurship, resilience, and what it takes to keep evolving as a founder in fast-changing markets. Speakers: Anthony Chow — CEO & Co-founder of Igloo, Hui Ling — Host, Founder, Beyond Horizons. Special note: At 18:02, Anthony shares a “Raffles discount” for anyone who needs smart locks or access control.

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrsLLf0fznU&t=594s

10/05/2026

They said we were “too smart for our own good”. Too ambitious. Too independent.
That somehow excellence and femininity could not coexist.
That we would never be “marriage material”.

Funny thing about myths — eventually reality catches up.

Because many of us went on to discover the best, hardest, most meaningful job in the world: motherhood. The role that has no resignation letter, no off switch, and no KPI more important than love, resilience and showing up.

We were first daughters of a better age — beneficiaries of women before us who fought for education, opportunity and voice.

And now, we get to be mothers for a better age.

What a privilege it is to raise children with both roots and wings. To build homes while building lives. To show our daughters that brilliance need not be dimmed, and our sons that strength and tenderness can coexist.

Rafflesian mums exist.
Not as unicorns. Not as exceptions.
But as women who built careers, communities, families and futures — often all at once.

To all Rafflesian mothers — Happy Mother’s Day. We celebrate us today.

With love, from the desk of RPN.

14/01/2026

💖 Love Wins, Always 💖

🌟 RBN KICKOFF – 7 FEBRUARY 2026 🌟

Our first official RBN event of the year is here! While we usually meet on the last Saturday of the month at Winery Tapas Bar, this time we’ve shifted to 7th February 7-10pm — the first Saturday of February — because January was busy, and Valentine’s Day on the 14th is just too romantic to compete with.

Why 7th Feb? Because love always wins. Not romantic love, but the love of friendship, connection, and shared memories across the Rafflesian alumni — from different schools and generations.

💚🤍💗 Let’s show it in green, white, and pink! Gentlemen, are you game for pink? Let’s fill the room with color, smiles, and heartwarming bonds. The Rafflesian family spirit shines brightest when we come together — the perfect way to kick off 2026!

Signup up here

https://luma.com/83tn5vsg

06/12/2025

Exciting collaboration coming your way

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16sofAcGKx/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🎉 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 - 𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 🎉
𝐈𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐚𝐞 (𝐑𝐆𝐒𝐀) - 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞!

We are excited to announce that the ORA Annual Dinner 2026 will be a historic collaboration as we come together as one Rafflesian family under the theme - ✨𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗲✨

It promises to be a meaningful evening of fellowship, memories, and community spirit.

📝 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭:
If you would like to register your interest early, simply complete the form here: https://bit.ly/ORADinner2026Interest
Our dinner secretariat will contact you once RSVP officially opens.

We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with you - see you there!

24/11/2025

Come join us for great conversation and good cheer. Raffles Unite!

https://luma.com/zb4khkbb

07/11/2025

True Grit. Stanley Teo RJC 1990.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1APQid2Kzi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

“I had expected my early 20s to be all fire and passion. Yet I was confined to my room, learning how to write, eat and live all over again.

After a car accident, doctors took over 20 operations to reconstruct my right arm with skin and nerves from my legs. Because of permanent damage, I’ve only managed to recover about 20% of its motor function. The physical pain and challenges were debilitating, but even so, I’d say the mental spirals were the hardest to grapple with.

I was young, proud and confident – especially in sports and fitness – and was about to be commissioned as an officer in the army. When the doctor advised me to start relearning everything with my left arm, only then did it hit me. It felt like the life that I was building over the past 19 years had collapsed overnight. I had lost my sense of self.

I spent the next few years in deep depression and aimlessness, until a pastor’s visit probed about my future. Of course, I hadn’t the slightest idea of what it would be like, but one thing was immediately clear – I did not want to spend the rest of my life without hope. So at 21, I started learning how to write with my left hand. Each milestone was small but fuelled me with the confidence I needed. I reunited with sports, this time with my left arm. Slowly, I rediscovered my rhythm.

Perhaps this has trained me to also constantly pursue learning and not shun changes in my career. In the 30 years since, I’ve moved across industries and departments, to my current role in community partnerships. With each job came a different way to contribute to the community and grow as an individual. Now, it’s to do all that I can to help others, in the same way my friends and church peers helped me get back on my feet.

In life and work, starting afresh has always felt challenging at the beginning, but I’ve come to realise that it is never impossible.” – Stanley Teo, Head of Wellness & Community Partnerships, UOB Singapore

“Stories from UOB” is a series that spotlights our colleagues, customers and community partners as they share their rich personal stories, collected over our 90-year history of doing Right By You.

03/11/2025

Seven months ago, Leong-Yan Yoong , one of RBN’s founders, Vincent Ng (RBN’s Co-Head of Mentoring 2024), and two RGSA Exco members Shuli Law and Hui Yian GOW , met Claire Chiang at her home to explore her long and meaningful ties with the school. Claire, who served on the RGS Board of Governors for many years, has always held a deep desire to give back to the Rafflesian community.

That conversation came full circle on 31 October, when Claire Chiang graciously opened her home and her remarkable wealth of experience to the RBN community. The evening marked the culmination of seven months of planning and coordination, and offered a rare opportunity to learn from one of the most influential voices of the Merdeka generation. Thanks to Serene Ong Shwu- Yng for moderating the conversation.

Thank you, Claire for your generosity of spirit and hospitality.

Please note that not all RBN events are shared on LinkedIn. To receive the latest updates and invitations, you must be an ORA member. Learn more about an ORA membership here: https://lnkd.in/g_KjPdP4

26/10/2025

Liu Yuantai Thanks for joining our networking event at Winery@chijmes ! And for sharing this. Roger Lim Vincent Ng

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