"The Art of Career Transitions: From Acting to Asset Management"

About Crescere Asset Management

Crescere Asset Management is a registered fund management company based in Singapore, regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The firm is dedicated to empowering clients to achieve their financial goals through tailored investment strategies. Guided by the Latin word "Crescere," meaning "to cultivate and grow," Crescere emphasizes the importance of personal relationships and a deep understanding of clients' unique financial needs. Their comprehensive services include investment portfolio customization, fund management, and family office governance. With a commitment to integrity and professionalism, Crescere strives to provide sound, diverse investment advice that fosters long-term financial growth and stability for its clients.

About 章证翔

Zen Chong is a versatile professional with a rich background spanning acting, real estate, and financial advising. With over a decade in the real estate industry, he has excelled at leading firms such as SLP Realty and ZACD Group, earning notable accolades for his performance. Currently, as a financial advisor at Crescere Asset Management, Zen leverages his extensive relationship management skills and market insights to guide high-net-worth clients. A passionate advocate for giving back, he serves as Director of the Rotary Club at Garden City, all while balancing family life with his two children. Zen’s unique blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and commitment to integrity makes him a valuable asset in any professional setting.

Networking and Professional Development |建立联系和职业发展

Mike Sim: How has your association with COPFA helped you connect with international allocators and enhance your professional network?

Zen Chong: "As a CEO at Crescere Asset Management, COPFA has been invaluable in connecting us with international allocators and expanding our professional network. Through COPFA's events and networking opportunities, we've been able to establish meaningful relationships with various stakeholders in the private fund industry."

沈玟企: 您与 COPFA 的联系如何帮助您与国际分配商建立联系并增强您的专业网络？

章证翔："作为 Crescere 资产管理公司的首席执行官，COPFA 在帮助我们与国际资产配置机构建立联系和扩大我们的专业网络方面发挥了不可估量的作用。通过 COPFA 的活动和交流机会，我们得以与私募基金行业的各利益相关方建立有意义的关系。

Mike Sim: What specific resources or support does COPFA provide that you find most beneficial for private fund managers?

Zen Chong: "The most valuable COPFA resources include their educational programs, market research, and working groups - especially the LP and Allocators Working Group. These help us stay informed and connected with industry trends."

沈玟企: 您认为COPFA提供的哪些具体资源或支持对私募基金经理最有益？

章证翔："COPFA最有价值的资源包括他们的教育计划、市场研究和工作组--尤其是LP和分配者工作组。这些都有助于我们了解和掌握行业趋势。

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Career and Transitions | 职业生涯与转型

Mike Sim: What motivated you to transition from a successful acting career to real estate and financial advising?

Zen Chong: Being an actor in Singapore is challenging and not sustainable, even though I love it. Unlike in the US or China, where the markets are large, the opportunities here are limited.

I didn’t want to be left behind or become irrelevant without preparing myself with other skill sets. Sometimes, it takes courage to make a big change, and I'm not afraid of it.        

沈玟企: 是什么促使您从成功的演艺事业转型到房地产和金融咨询？

章证翔: 在新加坡做演员是很有挑战的，并且不太可持续，尽管我热爱表演。与美国或中国这样的大市场不同，这里的机会相对有限。

我不希望自己因市场变化而被淘汰，也不想在没有其他技能准备的情况下被动应对。有时，做出改变需要勇气，而我并不惧怕这种变化。        

Mike Sim: Can you share any pivotal moments or opportunities that influenced your decision to make this career change?

Zen Chong: Moving from acting to real estate wasn’t as difficult as it might seem—I had actually been doing both since 2010. One of the extras I worked with introduced me to real estate, and I found it enjoyable. The transition from real estate to financial advising came when my previous real estate parent company expanded into capital market services and needed someone to set up the family office and EAM (External Asset Management) department.

I took on the challenge and found it very interesting.

沈玟企: 您能分享一些影响您做出职业转型决定的关键时刻或机会吗？

章证翔: 从表演转型到房地产并不像看起来那么困难——我其实自2010年以来就一直在同时从事这两份工作。当时一位群众演员将我引入了房地产行业，我发现自己很喜欢这份工作。从房地产到金融咨询的转型则是因为我的上一家房地产母公司拓展了资本市场服务，当时他们需要有人来建立家族办公室和EAM（外部资产管理）部门。

我接受了这个挑战，发现这也很有趣。

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Impact of Acting on Current Roles | 演艺经验对当前工作的影响

Mike Sim: How has your experience as an actor shaped your approach to client relationships in finance and real estate?

Zen Chong: My acting background helps me break the ice easily, especially since many senior Singaporeans recognize me from TV. They enjoy chatting with me about my acting days, which smoothly leads into conversations about real estate and finance.

沈玟企: 作为演员的经验如何影响您在金融和房地产领域的客户关系处理方式？

章证翔: 我的演艺背景让我很容易与客户打破僵局，尤其是许多新加坡的年长客户会在电视上认出我，他们非常乐意和我聊从表演到房地产、再到金融市场的历程。

Mike Sim: Are there specific skills or lessons from your acting career that you find particularly valuable in your current roles?

Zen Chong: Absolutely! Acting has given me visibility, and real estate has taught me how to address clients' needs effectively.

I’ve learned to support clients holistically, especially when they're moving assets to Singapore.

沈玟企: 您在当前的职业中是否发现了某些特别有价值的表演生涯中的技能或经验？

章证翔: 当然！表演给了我知名度，而房地产则教会了我如何有效地满足客户需求，

尤其是当客户需要将资产转移到新加坡时，我学会了如何全方位地支持他们。

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Passion for Finance | 对金融行业的热情

Mike Sim: What drew you to the finance industry, and what do you find most fulfilling about your work at Crescere Asset Management?

Zen Chong: My goal is to build long-term relationships with clients and grow together with them. Our firm is relatively small, so we focus on branding and work closely with clients with smaller AUMs.

I find fulfillment in solving clients’ problems—it’s like cracking a code or solving a puzzle.        

沈玟企: 是什么吸引您进入金融行业，您在Crescere Asset Management的工作中最有成就感的是什么？

章证翔: 我的目标是与客户建立长期关系，与他们共同成长。我们的公司规模较小，所以我们专注于品牌建设，并与资产管理规模较小的客户紧密合作。

我从解决客户的问题中获得成就感，这感觉就像是破解代码或解开谜题。        

Mike Sim: How do you believe your creative background influences your perspective on financial advising and investment strategies?

Zen Chong: I enjoy structuring solutions creatively to meet clients' needs. However, investment strategies must be balanced; they can't be overly creative or aggressive. That’s where I rely on my partner, who is our company’s CFO, to bring his expertise.

沈玟企: 您认为您的创意背景如何影响您对金融咨询和投资策略的看法？

章证翔: 我喜欢通过创造性的方法来帮助客户进行结构化安排。然而，投资策略必须保持平衡，不能过于创意或激进。在这方面，我依赖于我的合作伙伴，他是我们公司的首席财务官，以发挥他的专业优势。

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Challenges and Growth | 挑战与成长

Mike Sim: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered in your transition to finance, and how have you navigated them?

Zen Chong: The asset management industry has become increasingly competitive over the past three years. Many firms have entered the market, which has driven down prices. Despite this, we stay focused on delivering quality service and good returns to our clients, which helps us stand out.

沈玟企:在您向金融行业转型的过程中遇到过哪些最大的挑战，您是如何应对的？

章证翔: 在过去的三年里，资产管理行业的竞争越来越激烈，很多公司进入市场，价格也被压低了。尽管如此，我们始终专注于为客户提供高质量的服务和良好的回报，这帮助我们在竞争中脱颖而出。

Mike Sim: As someone who has worked in both the arts and finance, how do you manage the pressures and expectations in these distinct fields?

Zen Chong: Arts and finance are more connected than one might think. In China, for example, many actors have leveraged their knowledge of finance to become billionaires. Ultimately, everyone wants to maximize their expertise in the capital markets to create wealth, regardless of their background.

沈玟企: 作为一个在艺术和金融领域都有经验的人，您是如何管理这两个截然不同领域的压力和期望的？

章证翔: 艺术和金融的联系比人们想象的要紧密。在中国，许多演员通过对金融的理解成为了亿万富翁。归根结底，每个人都希望将自己的专业知识最大化，用于资本市场来创造财富，无论他们的背景如何。

Thank you Zen, for taking time to share your valuable insights and experiences.

感谢证翔抽出时间与我们分享您的宝贵见解和经验。

Mike Sim

I am one of the billions of LinkedIn members online that post on a regular basis, I interview CEOs, entrepreneurs and talks about entrepreneurship in fund management, follow me and comment so we can have more conversation.

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