Speaker, board director and advisor to CEOs, Su-Yen Wong talks about her sporting pursuits and their impact personally and professionally
Sport can lead to success on the global stage, but this is not limited to the pitch, field, court or track—having a sporting background has the potential to lead to business success too.
Studies have shown that the vast majority—more than 90 per cent, according to a study by consultants EY and women’s sports platform espnW—of women in C-suite positions played sport. Taking up sport later in life can also have a positive impact professionally.
To tie in with Paris 2024, our limited series Top of Her Game sees women currently or formerly in C-suite positions in a range of industries discuss their sporting journeys, the role of sport in their lives, and why they would encourage other women and girls to pursue sport. Here, multi-hyphenate Su-Yen Wong, speaker, board director and advisor to CEOs, whose recent roles also include being the first female chairperson of the Singapore Institute of Directors, opens up.
Su-Yen Wong is a speaker, board director and advisor to CEOs
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Have you always been interested in sport or did it come later? What's your sporting journey?
I'm a late bloomer when it comes to sport. It all began in January 2019, when my husband and I embarked on a training regimen in preparation for a trek to Everest Base Camp in support of mental health. With Singapore’s highest natural peak being a mere 164 metres above sea level, we started by climbing stairs every weekend. Additionally, in June 2019, I started running three times a week. Although our climb scheduled for April 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic, we maintained our running routine. Not really knowing what we were getting ourselves into, we became the first Singaporean couple to run the Polar Circle Half Marathon in Greenland in 2021. Often referred to as "The Coolest Marathon on Earth", the route crosses the Greenland ice sheet and runs through the Arctic desert. It was bitterly cold—a frigid experience that tested our limits!
What's your current sport of choice and why?
Running has become my sport of choice. I've run four half marathons, and completed my inaugural full marathon in Berlin last year. In December 2022, my husband and I also summited Mount Kilimanjaro which, at 5,895 metres, is the world's tallest free standing mountain. I am currently training for my second full marathon in Chicago this October, and we are preparing for an expedition to Everest Base Camp thereafter.
I enjoy running for two reasons. From a pragmatic perspective, it's easy to keep up with the routine even when I'm on the road. In fact, it's a wonderful way to explore a city. From Bangkok to Melbourne; San Diego to Venice, it's been phenomenally enjoyable to run through some spectacular locales. Second, running can be a form of meditation. By focusing on my movement and breathing, it becomes a space for reflection and mindfulness.
