Latest news with #KennyChan
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Kinokuniya's Kenny Chan on intuition, empathic connections, and his moral compass
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Kinokuniya's Kenny Chan on intuition, empathic connections, and his moral compass Kenny Chan led Kinokuniya's business in Singapore and the region for almost 20 years. He's credited for building the Japanese bookstore's presence in Singapore, and seeing it through particularly challenging times in the book business. Kenny shares how his "rollercoaster of a journey" took him from the carnival, to a diplomatic posting in London, and finally, to the defining chapter of his career — which began when he was "ambushed" with a single question: "Do you love books?" 55 mins CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Businessman Anwar Tahar's path to success is paved with compassion and grit Mohamed Anwar Tahar is the founder and managing director of POS TKI, a logistics and shipping company. He is especially well-regarded as a pillar of the Indonesian foreign domestic helper community here, as he's known for his dedication in promoting their wellbeing and dignity. Anwar's road to success has taken a few detours, but along the way, he gained valuable lessons in hard work, compassion, and humility. He shares his journey in this interview. 37 mins CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: How The Social Outcast's Chef Mint found his authentic self in culinary artistry Aminurrashid Hasnordin — better known as Chef Mint — is co-owner of the acclaimed omakase restaurant, The Social Outcast, which used to be at Katong. But on the road to culinary success, he's had to overcome many challenges, especially during his youth. Chef Mint shares the most valuable lessons he's gained through his journey. 36 mins CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: How former investment professional Qi Zhai-McCartney found her calling as a psychotherapist For almost 20 years, Qi Zhai-McCartney thrived as an investment professional, working for large investment houses in the US, China, and Singapore. But the native of Harbin, China, always felt something was amiss. The passing of a close family member caused her to re-evaluate her life's calling. Today, as a psychotherapist and coach, Qi helps individuals and couples through rough periods in their life. She shares the most valuable lessons her journey has given her. 35 mins
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
My Perfect Weekend with veteran bookseller Kenny Chan
Who: Veteran bookseller Kenny Chan, 72, was a senior director at Books Kinokuniya. He was with the Japanese-owned bookstore chain for 19 years and retired in 2019. Mr Chan was in the book business since 1983, after leaving his role as a diplomat, with stints at publishing and retail companies such as Popular, MPH Bookstores and SNP Publishing. He also contributed to the 2025 book Footprints In Singapore: Meandering Through Memories. The book is the sequel to 2021's Footprint On Foreign Shores, and both books contain stories from those who served as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Foreign Service Officers. Chan's chapter is called Memories Of Queenstown, where he lived from the 1950s to 1990s. 'Ideally, the perfect weekend is when I sit back and do practically nothing, but that is never going to happen. Instead, what makes a perfect weekend is one where I can balance both relaxing and achieving. Achieving, to me, looks like reconnecting with old friends, reminiscing, piecing together elusive memories and basking in our shared glory days. Another old friend I'd revisit is a book I've loved. I'd especially like to reread works by English author Michael Moorcock, because I miss his eternal champions like Elric and Corum. Right now, I'm reading Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, which is, in a nutshell, about a scholar-magician's descent into hell to save her professor, whose death she inadvertently caused through a careless mistake. Think Dante's Inferno seen through Harry Potter's glasses, set against a fantastical backdrop reminiscent of Piranesi. In cinematic terms, imagine something pulled from Japanese film-maker Akira Kurosawa's archives. The perfect place to enjoy all this exists only in my dreams, but a nice serviced flat in Johor Bahru with internet access would do just fine. In the evening, I'd take a walk to a nearby watering hole, meet or make new friends, and simply groove to the music. There are many great spots in Johor Bahru. I particularly like the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House as it offers a view of the straits, Singapore and the new bridge connecting the two countries. A bowl of soup kambing in the backstreets of Johor Bahru after a late night would be the perfect end to a Saturday. Sunday mornings are usually reserved for a family walk and breakfast at Singapore Botanic Gardens with my granddaughters, twins Lila and Leia, who will turn two in July. After a forest bath and a spin around Swan Lake, we'd go hunting for prata. Sadly, our favourite spots have shuttered, so we settle for breakfast at McDonald's. Caught between the rambunctious revelry of my four-generation family – with my mother at 98, my wife Su, my son Zakee, my daughter Nadia, her peerless, long-suffering husband Fahmi and their twins – as well as a yearning for solitude, I believe the perfect weekend lies somewhere in between.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
