Congratulations to Bond Law alumnus Chris Tan who has been honoured as 2016 Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Malaysian Australian Alumni Council.
Since completing his Bachelor of Laws at Bond in 1999, Chris has earned a reputation for his energetic, ‘out of the box’ approach to business… and to life.
Just four years out of uni, he established his own boutique legal practice - Chur Associates (CA) - in Kuala Lumpur. The company headquarters, known as The CAstle, has been described as the ‘Google’ of law firms, reflecting Chris’ colourful, forward-thinking personality with its collaborative, individual and social zones, given catchy titles such as CAtizen Square, 6Nature Bar, The CAve, The CAbin and the Clubhouse. (Check out the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5rXsXnadhA – to see why it won a 2014 My Favourite Interior Design Award.)
But perhaps even more importantly, CA reflects Chris’ philosophy of focusing on the ‘personal’ not just the ‘professional’. Whether he and his associates are dealing with real estate transactions, start-ups, equity crowdfunding or online platform matters, everything is guided by Chris’ unorthodox leadership style and his caveat that “If we cannot address the person, we cannot address the issues.”
This attitude naturally extends to his staff at CA who benefit from his focus on talent cultivation and retention – as evidenced by an internship program that has attracted close to 60 interns from all over the world since 2005.
Beyond his legal practice, Chris wears many hats: author, media columnist, entrepreneur, circuit speaker, copywriter, business consultant, life coach, current affairs commentator, radio DJ, singer, songwriter, emcee, football pundit and more.
In 2001, he co-founded CAD Music as a small music and recording studio. Specialising in commercial production, CAD now services some of Malaysia’s largest companies and advertising agencies and has won numerous awards.
Chris has also authored/co-authored a number of books focusing on business and entrepreneurship including:
- Turning Green: The Journey of the Green Sugar Merchant (2010)
- The Most Wanted Series: Write a Will (2013)
- Chris’s Art of War (2014)
- The Most Wanted Series: Goods and Services Tax (2015 … with Richard Oon)
- The Wholly Book for Home Buyers (2014)
- Shake & Spear Your Business – The Romeo and Juliet Way (2015 … with Freda Liu)
- Strata OMG – Owners’ Manual and Guidebook (2015)
- Property Investment BLT – Size Up Your Return with Bank Law Tax (2016 … with Richard Oon and Miichael Yeoh)
These publications, in turn, have spawned speaking engagements, forums, seminars, workshops and extensive media commentary around the country.
The MAAC Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award also honours Chris’ contributions to the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), which include helping to set up the Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat and East Asia Multinational Chapter, and serving on the FIABCI International Board of Directors as President of its Youth Members Committee.
In 2010, he became the youngest ever recipient of the Federation’s Medal of Honour for his efforts in overseeing its youth activities worldwide and he continues to serve the FIABCI’s Regional Secretariat today as Honorary Legal Adviser.
Bond’s Alumni and Development Office was very proud to nominate Chris for the MAAC Young Entrepreneur Award and equally proud of his humble response:
“Thanks for your encouragement over the years. Bond University has been a huge part of my journey so far and ‘thank you’ is an understatement!” he wrote.