INTHEBLACK July 2025 - Magazine - Page 33
ONE PIECE OF ADVICE
“Of course there will be ups
and downs in life and business,
but make sure that you have the
resilience to weather challenges.
Never give up — and raise the bar
each time to achieve your destiny.”
and what we can do better. How can we
make things better for tomorrow?
“As CFO, it’s not just about the hard
numbers and P&L and balance sheets and
cash flows. It’s about being able to navigate
through challenges related to areas such
as politics, public relations, changing
economics — and a lot of the time dealing
with vendors as well.”
LEADING FUTURE TALENT
At SPX Express, Chung heads a business
insights and strategy team of more than
100 people.
One of his principal goals as a leader has
always been to promote people development.
“That’s at the forefront of what I do, because
I feel strongly that without people, a business
is just four walls, the ceiling and a licence
to operate,” Chung says.
To that end, he insists on setting a vision
that gives purpose and direction to his
teams “because when people know where
they belong, how they belong and how they
contribute, they can all move together
in the same direction”.
In the age of generative artificial
intelligence and other technological advances,
the emphasis on great people should not
be diminished, according to Chung.
“They’re just tools and people need to operate
them. Soon AI may help with financial
planning and analysis, but I think it’s still
going to be people who will use those
outputs to drive change.”
As a senior leader who has come back
to live in Vietnam for a second time,
Chung has been impressed with the talent
of young accountants coming through
the ranks who “can interpret the numbers
and turn them into a story”.
“The quality and capabilities of the
Vietnamese staff have taken a huge turn,
and the chance to work with these young,
energetic and very tech-savvy people has
also given me an energy boost.”
CONNECTION AND SUPPORT
During his career, Chung has often drawn
on the skills and networks he acquired
through first studying for his CPA and
later achieving the FCPA designation. The
ability to access other CFOs and “hear their
pain points” has been invaluable in his rise
through the corporate ranks.
“Being recognised as an expert or a finance
professional through the CPA designation
has also been really valuable,” he says.
Chung has prospered on the back
of a personal commitment of “making today
better than yesterday”. The philosophy has
helped him take on personal and professional
challenges, including during the Coca-Cola
project in Myanmar. He reflects fondly that
the popular soft drink is still being consumed
today in Myanmar.
“Despite political unrest, Coca-Cola still
is operating there, and in fact it’s gone from
strength to strength.”
For Chung, pride also comes from being
one of Australia’s refugee success stories.
“If it wasn’t for Australia and for the
support of Australians, our family wouldn’t
have been able to get through, nor would
I have the education, the experience and
the career opportunities I’ve had. For sure,
Australia has made a huge contribution
to my journey.” ■
READ
an article on a tech
entrepreneur’s
journey of resilience
LISTEN
to a podcast
episode about
the evolution
of accountancy
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 33
