Ecosystem Warrior

In his role as managing director of PropertyGuru Finance, Paul Wee is marrying experience at Asia’s top banks with an interest in technology to help buyers navigate the process of purchasing real estate

- Jonathan Evans

Paul Wee’s career has been an unpredictable ride: the Singaporean financier progressed from stockbroking and insurance to mortgage broking and consultancy. Now, since the launch of PropertyGuru Finance in March, Wee has had to contend with professional and personal uncertainty: first, as Singapore dealt with the challenges of the 2020 global pandemic, and then as he faced an unexpected spell in the hospital for high fever.

While most in his convalescing state would likely hold off on an interview, it is testament to Wee’s professionalism that he still mustered the energy to explain the intricacies of his new role as managing director of PropertyGuru Finance.

A peek of Wee’s CV will reveal that, since the 1990s, dealing with sudden change has been a constant in his life and career. When two close friends unexpectedly passed away in 1998, Wee moved from a demanding role in stockbroking to more client-facing positions in wealth management and mortgage sales with two major foreign banks - HSBC and ANZ. Later years would see him branch out to equities research and accountancy.

Change once again figured significantly in 2014 when Wee became an independent mortgage broker. He found a refreshing difference in closer, more fulfilling interactions with his clients—many of whom had become friends. As a property dealer with a reputation for candour and honesty, free from the shackles of major financial institutions, Wee relished the greater flexibility afforded by the role, which allowed him more time with his two children.