Kheng Lian Ho has worn many hats throughout her career, from working on major debt-restructuring deals to advising investment holding companies. Now, she’s found her calling in uplifting young and eager changemakers in the entrepreneurial scene.
Ho’s career began in the legal sector after she completed her law degree at the National University of Singapore. She then transitioned to the world of venture capital, eventually moving on to co-found Turn Capital in 2020. The firm focuses on undervalued consumer technology companies, with recent acquisitions such as the Thai arm of Flash Coffee late last year.
In 2018, Ho co-founded Open Circles, a think tank and conference organisation that connects leaders across fields and industries. Its initiatives have featured talks by thought leaders such as actress-turned-activist Alicia Silverstone, longevity expert Dr Oz Garcia and Ethics in Entrepreneurship executive director Erika Cheung.
Among Open Circles’ impacts are donations to nonprofit organisations such as the advocacy group Bye Bye Plastic Bags and Solve Education, which aims to bring educational technology solutions to students from underprivileged communities.
Finding a deeper meaning
Ho sees her work on Open Circles as part of a core motivation in life, something she has honed over the years. “For me, my purpose lies in expanding networks of knowledge and friendship, fostering collaboration between the East and West and East with East — as everyone tends to work in silo — and empowering the next generation,” she tells Options.
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So when Ho was invited to join the Singapore chapter of Red Club x Cartier in 2022, she jumped at the opportunity. The club aims to bring together young leaders with a “common vision of conscious leadership and willingness to make a difference”.
“One of Red Club’s goals is to empower its members to empower the next generation of leaders to have a positive impact on society,” Ho points out. “I resonate deeply with this mission because I often felt lost and struggled to find mentorship and support when I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey a decade ago.”
Impact-focused communities have become a hot topic in recent years, as the world turns its focus increasingly towards issues of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). But Ho says Red Club stands out from the rest, because of its focus on selecting “dynamic, high-achieving, multicultural entrepreneurs who can relate with one another”.
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“We are entrepreneurs who share a unique bond having navigated the challenges of building businesses and living in new cities,” says Ho, adding that members get to learn from one another through their shared yet varied experiences.
“Having lived and worked in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US over the past decade, connecting with others at Red Club who have similarly sought balance in unfamiliar environments has given me a relatable and supportive environment — much like family — for all us to thrive.”
Launched in 2019, Red Club has 11 chapters around the world today. The club organises annual global gatherings for members, with workshops on topics such as leadership and strategic thinking.
Giada Zhang, president of Red Club, says such initiatives are geared towards helping entrepreneurs achieve their business goals while encouraging them to “stay grounded and courageous as they work towards making a meaningful impact”.
“This sense of shared purpose and resilience is what I envisioned for Red Club: a space where entrepreneurs can inspire and uplift each other,” Zhang tells Options.
Nurturing young innovators
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In 2021, Red Club established the Young Leader Award (YLA), an international prize which provides young entrepreneurs with support to grow their impact-driven or not-for-profit businesses.
The third edition of the YLA was held this year, centring on the theme of “Tech for a Sustainable Future”. Two winners were crowned at an awards ceremony held at the National Gallery Singapore in October: Suraj Nandakumar, co-founder and CEO of Recity Network in India, and Didi Gan, founder of N&E Innovations in Singapore.
Nandakumar and Gan each won a grant of EUR50,000 ($70,932), as well as a tailored mentorship programme and ad-hoc coaching by Red Club’s networks. The two other finalists, Aaswari Kane of PadCareLabs and Enrico di Oto of OACP, received EUR10,000 each.
Describing this year’s theme as “crucial”, Zhang says the role of technology in building a better future — through economic development, as well as long-term environmental and social well-being — has become “more essential than ever”.
Speaking to Options after his win, Nandakumar says he’s excited to take Recity Network to the next level. The company, which he founded in 2017, specialises in transforming waste management systems with a focus on diverting post-consumer waste from the environment.
“It is incredible to be recognised for our efforts in mitigating climate change,” says Nandakumar. “One day, I was working at a landfill in India; the next, I was celebrating with the Cartier team in Singapore. My team and I couldn’t be happier.”
Similarly, for Gan, whose company N&E Innovations upcycles food waste into new products — including ViKang, an edible, natural antimicrobial solution — winning the YLA comes as a “powerful affirmation” of the company’s work. “This award motivates us to continue expanding N&E Innovations globally,” she tells Options, adding that the company is looking to establish a presence in Europe, where demand for sustainable food packaging is strong.
Ho, like other members of Red Club, was involved in various aspects of the award, from rallying applications to screening candidates, and providing support to the winners. “Through YLA, we mentor, elevate, and support these individuals,” she says, adding that it has been “a true joy to give back”.
Drawing from experience
Ho’s work in investing has given her deeper insight into what it takes to make it as a venture seeking to make a difference. Besides having the right mission, getting the business side of things in order is just as important, she says. “Successful impact-driven businesses must deliver both financial returns and meaningful contributions to society.”
As the importance of impact continues to gain ground in entrepreneurship, Ho says conscious leadership will be key for those looking to break into the scene. This, she explains, entails “a heightened awareness of one’s impact on others, a commitment to create positive impact on individuals, communities and the environment, and having a deep sense of purpose”.
Empowering others is another important practice for young leaders, Ho adds, whether it be within their own ventures or with the broader community. She cites her work at Turn Capital, where her team practises servant leadership, as one model that others can follow. In this philosophy, a leader is not solely focused on leading, so to speak, but rather on serving others in the company. This can take the form of a strong emphasis on talent development and creating opportunities for others to helm projects.
“As we acquire stressed, growing consumer technology companies … we have to work consciously together to turn these companies around,” says Ho. “As such, we practise servant leadership, engage with all stakeholders collaboratively, and prioritise creating quality products that bring joy to users.”
Concurring, Zhang points out that employees are “no longer undifferentiated cogs in a workplace or industrial machine”, but rather key players in the entrepreneurial process. “They are now looking up to leaders who not only delegate tasks but also inspire and define the company with purpose,” she adds.
Fostering a sense of community
Entrepreneurship has gained a reputation for being a lonesome journey. That sentiment is one both Ho and Zhang resonate with. “I realised that entrepreneurship can often be a challenging and lonely path,” says Zhang. Her company, Mulan Group, was founded in 2018 and produces ready-to-eat Asian meals that are sold in supermarkets throughout Europe.
Going through the early days of running a startup made Zhang realise that staying connected to one’s roots and sticking to one’s core values are essential factors to staying on track. With Red Club, she is hoping to keep young entrepreneurs on the right path while giving them opportunities to grow.
Already, she is seeing progress. The people she has met through Red Club, she says, have given her guidance and insights that have also helped her in her own business. “It’s been incredibly motivating to engage with such passionate individuals who generously share their expertise.”
For Ho, it’s been a similar experience. The club’s workshops, in particular, have been a pivotal part of her experience with the club.
“The best way to foster a sense of community and belonging is by learning together,” she notes, citing as an example her time at a course on social entrepreneurship at INSEAD’s Europe campus in Fontainebleau, France. “We definitely bonded over the Outward Bound School activities, group projects such as presenting new business solutions together and having study groups to pour through case studies together.”
As she continues to chase her deeper purpose, Ho believes Red Club will continue to play a major role in her journey. “My experience with Red Club x Cartier has been exceptional,” she adds. “I have been welcomed into the warmest family that truly cares for one another.”
