Having worked for Singapore Airlines in the IT division for 6 years, Swee Chiow quit his job in January 2001 to attempt skiing to the North Pole. But he had to abort the mission after 9 days due to some frostbite injuries. Not one to give up easily, he made a 2nd attempt the following year. After 45 days, he reached the North Pole. He is now the 1st South East Asian and the 4th person in the world to complete The Adventure Grand Slam, that is, the South Pole, the North Pole and the Seven Summits.
He has been called Singapore's very first professional adventurer. However, he is happier to simply let people know that he is merely chasing his dreams.
Mr Khoo has given more than 200 talks to organizations ranging from kindergartens to MNCs, from CEOs to frontline staff.
He uses his powerful first hand experiences from organizing high-risk expeditions to surviving in the most remote and hostile parts of the world to speak on topics such as:
Vision
"Believing in what others consider impossible."
Preparation
"There is no shortcut to hard work."
Life-long learning
"Why did I climb Mt Everest? Because I have never done it before."
Performing under pressure
"It's not about skills. It's how calm and clear-headed you are."
Risk-taking
"The future belongs to those who take risks."
Fear of failure
"You don't set out to fail. But if you dare not try, you have already failed."
Peak performance
"A state of mind and body where one overcomes the challenge in an effortless manner."
Passion
"The fuel of life that propels one into achieving excellence."
Courage
"The good news is, everyone can learn to overcome his or her fear."
Leadership
"A leader sees the vision, takes risks and acts with deep conviction."
Teamwork
"The magical power greater than the sum of each individual."
ACHIEVEMENTS
Climb 7 Summits (including Everest twice)
Ski to South Pole
Ski to North Pole
Cycle Singapore-Beijing
Swim Malacca Strait
World's Longest Scuba Dive
See Chiow's clients include: Microsoft , Motorola, IBM, HP, Seagate, Discovery Networks Asia, Disney Television, F&N Coca-Cola, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, DBS Bank, Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts, Procter & Gamble, Gillette, Nu Skin, Hitachi Asia, Young Presidents Organization, Norwegian Embassy & Norwegian Business Club, Montessori, Kindergarten , Singapore Management University, National University of Singapore, Ministry of Education, Defence Science Technology Agency
Testimonials
Your session was quite inspiring and provided our leaders a different,perspective of team work, leadership and passion for achievement. It offers,useful lessons which can help them achieve their business objectives and,ambitions.
- IBM ASEAN/South Asia Region
Your talk helped us convey the essence of our conference to the sales management team from a very different perspective. It was a fascinating and inspirational experience for all of us. You have set the standard for our future conferences.
- FCI ASIA
The talk was tremendously inspiring to our staff - even to those of us who were,hearing you for the second time. The business situation we are facing as a team is very much like your Everest ascent - full of ups and downs, and we are in it for the long haul. So it was very apt and well tailored to our context
- ASEAN/Australasia/India
Mr. Khoo proved a most engaging speaker for our 900+ high school student body. Students and faculty were not only impressed by his achievements but also inspired by the lessons Swee Chiow has learned from his experiences
- Singapore American School
I certainly found Swee Chiow's speaking most inspirational, exciting and personally motivating. It was highly relevant yet totally original. It was very real rather than theoretical or fantastical. And it changed the way I do things as soon as I left that room.
- Hunter Hastings, USA.
Swee Chiow's sharing of his experiences was one of the most captivating and inspirational testimonies I have ever heard. Swee Chiow's achievement is a testimony of how one can turn a dream into reality with sheer focus, hard work and determination
- Alina Tan, Singapore.
Swee Chiow is truly inspirational in his approach to goal setting & achievement. He is a role model for all in the audience. He brings out the practical aspects and lessons learnt of both success & failure. The way the application of his philosophy can be applied in the business world is truly inspirational. Thanks for motivating the Asia Region teamâ€Â
- Caterpillar Asia Pte Ltd
Your messages were very succinct and relevant and you were able to convey that through sharing your experiences which really made the messages come
alive. You have the ability to connect with the audience, no easy task given the fact that we're all from many different countries throughout Asia and the US. Your casual, easy and personal style resonates well. You were able to be "one of us" and not just another speaker on stage, and that makes your delivery come
across so much more impact.
- Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing, Seagate
