On The Run

It’s hard not to spot Hieu on this rainy afternoon, even as the walkways are filled with the lunchtime crowd. His outfit certainly isn’t run of the mill (“Yes, I’m wearing socks with loafers!”), but he seems perfectly comfortable. When it comes to picking out his clothes, Hieu is pragmatic. “I’m sort of a klutz,” he says. “I travel to developing countries, I’m always eating at my desk, or on the run, or writing on a white board. So I avoid anything that stains easily, or is hard or expensive to replace. I’m not sure where my trousers are from, except that they’re from the bargain bin at Robinsons.” There’s a bit of preppiness mixed in to that as well, which Hieu attributes to his time growing up in New England. Of Vietnamese descent, he’s a proud supporter of local and regional brands; his loafers are from local label Sifr. Hieu says that he’s a big fan of trivia, and goes for pub quiz night twice a week. It’s not all books and facts for Hieu, though; he gets his tanned complexion from dabbling in wakeboarding. “I can finally jump over both wakes with height, but I’m still working on board grabs.” Hieu’s life sounds pretty well-balanced, although he says he’s still trying to find ways to make sure he has enough time for both work and life. One of the things he’s learnt at his time at work — slow down. “If you can wait an hour before sending an email, or picking up the phone, then wait,” he says. “Organisations take longer to react than individuals, and what seems like a fire you need to put out may already be on its way to being sorted. You also have time to cool down if provoked.” Not that he’s complaining about his job, however. “I enjoy my job! My colleagues are inspiring, and I’m intellectually challenged in my current profession,” he says. “I look forward to where it takes me next.”