Ooi Tiat Jin

Scholar background

Based in Singapore, Ooi Tiat Jin (TJ) is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Curated Connectors, a firm that specializes in supporting SMEs in Asia. He helps his clients with restructuring activities, the clarification of work processes and identifying strong platforms from which to showcase their businesses.

His passion for fostering successful partnerships began when working for the Singapore Chemical Industry Council,overseeing their communications, human resources and event activities. While there, he helped grow the organization into a full-fledged independent industry council. He also spent seven years as the Executive Manager (and later, General Manager) at Absotech, a chemical blending, trading and distribution company. He then served as the Director of the Asia Pacific MSME Trade Coalition where he was in charge of developing strategic relationships with regional organizations and government departments.

TJ received his Bachelor of Engineering (with Honors) in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at University of Manchester in 1999 and his Master of Global Trade at RMIT University Vietnam as a Hinrich Foundation Scholar in 2023.

Personal statement

I see myself as an entrepreneur whose journey began in March 2020 when I stepped out of my comfort zone to start Curated Connectors, my consulting business. Through small wins, hard work, favor and opportunities, I was able to start my second business in January this year, focusing on trading goods.

Through both businesses, I aspire to connect entrepreneurs and MSMEs and help them grow. Ultimately, I hope the lives they are connected to will be empowered as well. To achieve that, I need to expand my knowledge of global trade. I have a good appreciation both at macro and micro (implementation) levels, but that has come about largely through work experiences. I believe that a formalized learning approach through the Master of Global Trade will accelerate my knowledge growth.

I have further observed a gap amongst MSMEs, in understanding and appreciating, global trade at the policy and implementation level. There are, of course, many reasons why this may be so. However, one reason clear to me is that MSMEs are generally under-represented at macro level trade discussions and forums. I spoke in a session at the 2019 WTO Public Forum in Geneva. There, I realised that these platforms discuss policy issues that are aimed at helping MSMEs, but there were hardly any MSMEs present.

I see myself stepping out to lead the charge, to be a strong advocate and strategic representative for Asian MSMEs in advocating meaningful global trade. To be that leader, I will need structured knowledge, good corporate connections, and mentors that can guide me along this path. This program between Hinrich Foundation and RMIT University will meet my needs so that in turn, I can meet the greater need.