Chow started his working life as a police officer (Photo: Jonathan Chow)
Options: Congratulations on Asiaeuro’s 25th anniversary. What are some of the plans for this milestone celebration?
Jonathan Chow: Thank you. My colleagues and I are really excited and immensely grateful to have been part of this journey. We just wrapped up a two-day celebration in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 15 and 16 where we hosted almost 1,000 guests from 20-plus countries. To make things even more special, we worked with brand partners to create unique, limited-edition wines and whiskies to commemorate the occasion, which also allows our clients to enjoy our products while experiencing our story.
You started working life as a police officer. Tell us about it.
I am from Johor Bahru and my parents moved me to Singapore in the 1970s for my formal education. When I turned 18 and had to enlist for National Service in order to secure Singaporean citizenship, I found out that the serviceman stipend was far too low for me to survive. I then discovered that by joining the police force, I could kill two birds with one stone: earn a proper salary while fulfilling NS obligations. Apart from the economic perspective, I could also continue my university studies while pursuing exciting work in law enforcement.
And how did you trade police work for Pomérols and Partagas?
After graduating from the National University of Singapore in 1988, I worked in the police force for a couple more years before moving to Standard Chartered Bank and then Maritime Holdings, which taught me a great deal about commercial finance and shipping. But I felt I didn’t quite fit in, with an itch left to be scratched. In 1993, an opportunity came up at Riche Monde Singapore. I applied to become a product manager for Hennessy and Johnnie Walker, and landed the job. I have been in wines, spirits and tobacco ever since, working for other companies too, like Reemtsma International Far East, Maxxium Worldwide, Beam Global Asia and, now, the Asiaeuro Group.
Your work has given you some of the world’s best experiences, from staying at the Château de Bagnolet in Cognac, France, to drinking rum in Cuba. Tell us about that.
I am truly blessed, as working in the wines and spirits industry provides the opportunity to travel to many beautiful places that many can only dream about. My first trip to France was in 1994 as a guest of Hennessy, which gave me the chance to stay at the legendary chateau. It was also then that I had my first magical encounter, pairing vintage cognac with Cuban cigars after a fine meal. It was so good that I promised myself I’d work really hard to eventually afford all the finer things in life. Over the next two decades, I got to travel more — to learn and contribute back to the business. In 2004 at Maxxium Worldwide, the timing was perfect as it was the genesis for The Macallan in Asia. I was not only fortunate to handle the brand but also got to stay at the Easter Elchies House, the spiritual home of The Macallan. Another fond memory is my first visit to Cuba in December 2015. Havana is all about vintage cars, low-tech, beautiful old buildings and a resplendent culture rich in boutique rums and handcrafted cigars. I felt transported to paradise that trip, drinking rich rum paired with a fine Partagas E2 on the verandah of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba.
macallan.jpg
And what about your favourite Asiaeuro memories?
There have been so many, from creating Cohiba Atmosphere KL together with the Pacific Cigar Company in 2019 to working closely with the next generation of talent to make Asiaeuro Malaysia’s 25th anniversary celebrations a success. I’ve known Mr Her [Soon Seng, who founded Asiaeuro together with Toh Sek Piew] since 2009 when Beam Global Asia was looking for a dependable nationwide distributor in Malaysia. Asiaeuro became Beam’s distributor in 2010 and I got to know both of them better. The stars aligned and the business expanded beyond Malaysia, into China. I left Beam in 2015, following its acquisition by Suntory in 2014 and after the post-integration process. Mr Her immediately invited me to partner Asiaeuro to start the Singapore business as well as a Japanese restaurant. In 2017, I was appointed group CEO.
What’s next on your travel list?
The Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras. During the Covid years, there was a major shortage of Cuban cigars and to survive, I had to pivot our cigar company Mighty Milestones towards distribution of New World, non-Cuban cigars. We were privileged to establish a business relationship with Davidoff, Selected Tobacco, JC Newman and JR Eiroa Cigars. In fact, they all travelled to KL for our party and I would like to reciprocate, making my way to theirs to give my due respect.
What are your favourite food and drink pairings?
Malaysian curries and rendang tend to work better with single malts like GlenAllachie 15YO and Tamdhu’s Small Batch Cask Strength. For more formal occasions, I prefer fine Japanese cuisine dining, and fresh sashimi really pairs best with a chilled Joseph Drouhin Chablis or Saito Junmai Daiginjo.
glen.jpg
What Malaysian makan do you love best though?
Bak kut teh, wantan mee and nasi lemak!
What are you reading right now?
Sadly, I have not been able to finish reading any book this year but I did pick out something for the year end, titled Good to Great by Jim Collins. It offers insights into why some companies take the lead and others don’t. For me, life has always been about learning and continuous self-improvement, both as a person and business builder. Speaking of which, many Trumpian books will soon be published. It’ll be entertaining, reading about the many theories of how Donald Trump once again turned things around.
What are you listening to right now?
I always have music playing in the background while at work and I enjoy the sounds of Compay Segundo as it energises me. However, I am also happy to turn up the volume when I hear Blackpink or Bruno Mars as they are perfect mood boosters and keep me in touch with the contemporary.
Describe your idea of a perfect weekend.
I travel often for business and work long hours so when I am back in town, I really cherish downtime and family time. For me, it starts with a morning walk with my wife, followed by visiting the local wet market to buy fresh ingredients and taking brunch together. By the afternoon, I should be able to relax with a cigar and Chinese tea while my wife prepares the evening meal. We always eat as an extended family over the weekend, which means my parents come over to my place and my children and their partners join us. My wife is an excellent cook and the meals are predominantly local in flavour. We enjoy family banter and this really recharges me for when I start the work week anew.
This article first appeared on Nov 18, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
