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Therese Neo, Singapore: I postponed my wedding for the Relay

Therese Neo

22 Jan 2019

From 17 February eight of our staff will embark on a challenge never attempted before. They will make history by taking part in a 90-day Belt & Road Relay across 44 markets where we have a presence along the Belt & Road. Therese is representing our ‘ASEAN and South Asia’ region.

I am excited to connect with friends along the Belt and Road

During my time with Standard Chartered, I’ve worked with colleagues across many of our markets, and since the Relay was announced I’ve had people sending me messages from all over the world, asking when I’ll be visiting their city.

Working for Standard Chartered has opened new doors

I joined the Bank as a graduate, and afterwards chose to apply for a job in our Vietnam office. Getting the opportunity to live and work abroad was life-changing. As a young professional, I thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant energy of the city and even picked up the language. There is so much to do outside of work on the weekends and nearby places to travel to.

The Relay will be a real challenge

To prepare, I’ve been running every other day and cycling in metabolic conditioning workouts at least three times a week. My focus is on staying healthy and injury free. A single 10km run is relatively straightforward, but repeating it every two to three days over three months will be a real challenge. I’m not the fastest runner, but I hope to make up for it with my energy and can-do attitude.

I have an amazing husband

We even agreed to postpone our wedding celebrations so I could participate in the Relay. He recognises this is an incredible opportunity for me, and has been very supportive!

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