The Flavours Of Life

From poverty to PhD, to patriarch, to pioneer – the amazing life of Chee Hong Tan.

- Adrian Flores

When he saw his neighbours going overseas to study, Chee Hong Tan always thought about how good it would be if he could do the same. During his formative years, the dream was getting into Form Six at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, one of the most prestigious schools in Malaysia. However, like many who come from poor backgrounds, the dream felt so near and yet so far.

“I didn’t have much contact with my father and my mother was working very hard just to make ends meet,” says the Matrix Flavours and Fragrances Founder and Managing Director. “I didn’t know whether I could go because I had no money and my father didn’t have a job for the last 16 years of his life.”

Ever the aspirant, Chee Hong never let a lack of money or a less-than-ideal family situation get in the way of pursuing his dreams. His mother said she could continue supporting him through school, but Chee Hong’s two sisters would have to stop their schooling and he would have to take care of the family for the rest of his life.