Robert Chua Is Perfectly Alright With Losing Money

I started [my career] in 1964 in Australia, at a television station. I worked there for nearly two years. It was all by chance. When I left for Australia to study, in those days people tried to become professionals, like doctors or lawyers.

I somehow went for television because Singapore was about to start its own TV channel. TV got my attention—I started watching in boarding school and I liked it. I started from the rock bottom. I swept the studio floor, I moved props, I was a cameraman, a floor manager—I did everything. I was doing what I liked best. Then I went back to Singapore to work for a TV station.

After seven months, in May 1967 I left for Hong Kong to help start up TVB, six months before it opened. They gave me a job offer before I turned 21. I started two days after my 21st birthday. Now I’ve been in the business for 52 years. I helped to train the staff, and I created “Enjoy Yourself Tonight.”

The Australian general manager [of TVB] had the idea to do a live variety show based on Australia’s “In Melbourne Tonight.” The idea was there, but I changed the format and concept to make it a family show, rather than a talk show. I made it more entertainment, less talk, and got a great cast of talent, movie stars and new stars. It became a great success. It was the first-ever live show in Hong Kong. The rest were all pre-taped. Inspiration comes from oneself. I don’t understand how I managed it—but I loved it.

I left TVB and became an entrepreneur all by chance. I never plan. At one point I wasn’t too happy. I’d just got married and I wanted to change my life. So I resigned and started my own business, a production company. Later I started [satellite TV channel] China Entertainment Television—and nearly went bust. There were a lot of problems but I got through it. It was a suicidal move for anybody who didn’t have the “corporate” money for it. I still went ahead and did it because of my passion.

I started in the food and beverage industry again by chance. The credit goes to my brother. I took him to [Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant] Tim Ho Wan to eat. He loved it and said, “let’s start one in Singapore.” I talked to the chef and owner: He’s got a Michelin star and there were more than a hundred people from the industry who had approached him already. He turned everybody down and I, with no F&B experience at all, landed it. I’m glad he gave me the opportunity to start in F&B, and it became a big success. It’s [rare that] a Hong Kong F&B brand goes overseas so successfully. Tim Ho Wan’s success got me into the industry, and that’s why I created A La Bakery.