From Malaysia to Japan: Chasing Dreams from the East to the West and Back
In a world full of accountants, Mun Soon from Penang and Kay Ryln from Kuala Lumpur proves to be an accounting powerhouse. It is interesting to see how similar their journeys turned out from university days to landing their first job at PwC KL, Malaysia where they met. Together, they have travelled the world in pursuit of career growth and an exciting adventure of a lifetime.
The beginning of life abroad
After working at PwC for several years, Mun Soon was offered a role at EY Singapore. As daunting of a decision it was, he took a leap faith and accepted the offer kickstarting his journey abroad. It was made extra special with the support of Kay Ryln who cheered him on from Malaysia as she worked on completing her CPA post-qualification experience in Malaysia. The transition from working in Malaysia to Singapore proved to be quite the challenge he shares. Naturally being in a new environment poses its own challenges. Luckily for him, there were familiar faces at the office as he reunited with some ex-college mates and was surrounded by fellow Malaysians.
Time works in wondrous ways. Just as Kay Ryln completed her three years CPA post-qualification experience in Malaysia, Mun Soon received an offer to move to Houston. By then she was ready to make that move with him and decided to embark on a new adventure and explore the world.
Since then, they have lived in Houston, Manchester, San Francisco and now Tokyo. Their move was mostly attributed to Mun Soon’s career progression. He expressed his gratitude to his partner, Kay Ryln for supporting him through the years of moving from one city to another. Having a support system is admittedly crucial especially when making major life changing decisions.
Fast forward to 2023, when the opportunity presented itself for Kay Ryln to move to PwC Tokyo under a global mobility transfer, Mun Soon was completely onboard and ready to start a new chapter together in the vibrant city. “I think for us, the great thing is we have both of us to support each other”.
Adapting to life abroad
During their time in Houston, Mun Soon and Kay Ryln were part of the Malaysian and Singapore Association of Houston (MSAH). “I think that’s one of the places that help us connect back to our own roots”. Festivities such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and National Day celebrations were celebrated together. Now that they’re in Japan, they partake in Malaysian events held by Japan Graduates Association of Malaysia (JAGAM). Like many Malaysians abroad, being part of a Malaysian society gives them a sense of home away from home and makes adapting to their new life in a foreign city a little less lonely.
MyHeart aims to make it easier for Malaysians abroad to connect with associations in their city and keep users informed on Malaysian events they may be interested in.
Hitting milestones together
Reflecting on their respective careers, Mun Soon shared that one of his achievements is being able to stay relevant and successful in other parts of the world. “It goes to show we Malaysians are equally talented if not better than people from other countries”. Kay Ryln on the other hand highlighted that being able to strike a balance between work and family has been a huge blessing. Additionally, she is proud to represent women in her industry and playing an active role in driving female leadership in her field.
Harnessing local talent
Sharing their thoughts on talents in Malaysia, Mun Soon and Kay Ryln spoke about how international companies are keen to set up businesses in Malaysia due to an interest in local talents. Explaining further that Malaysians are knowledgeable, hardworking and multilingual which goes to show how capable we are.
While Malaysians abroad have their personal reasons for living overseas, he shares that having a platform like MyHeart where likeminded professionals can connect and share stories is a good start. Bridging Malaysian abroad to home opens a myriad of opportunities such as collaboration for knowledge transfer which will leave a positive impact on the nation.
Key takeaway from an experienced auditor
When Mun Soon started off with interning at PwC before being offered a full time role, he could not have predicted what would become of this career years down the road. He explained that “I believe interning at PwC was the reason why I managed to join them after I graduated,” emphasising the importance of training and having industry experience. He adds that “For students out there, I want them to know the importance of internship. I would strongly encourage them to make full use of the internship opportunities out there”.
In addition, having a good boss who acts as a mentor can transform an individual to unlock their fullest potential. In his case, with his talent, unwavering work ethic and guidance from his bosses, he was able to perfect his craft, making him a desirable talent for many companies.
Mun Soon and Kay Ryln are keen on seeing MyHeart grow within the Malaysian community and is onboard with working together where possible to contribute to Malaysia even from afar.
If you’re a Malaysian abroad who would like to leverage on a global Malaysian network for your career or to simply keep in touch with other Malaysians, register yourself on MyHeart to get started.
