Mind Over Matter
The CEO Magazine - ANZ|October 2019
From Vietnamese Refugee To Silicon Valley Ceo, Tan Le Shares Her Inspirational Journey.
Jodie Darlington 
Mind Over Matter

One of Tan Le’s earliest memories is huddling close to her mother, sister and grandmother on an overcrowded tugboat. It was 1981 and four-year-old Tan and her family were fleeing postwar Vietnam in search of a better life. Throughout the perilous journey, Tan’s mother clutched a small vial of poison. The two women had agreed that if they were captured by pirates, they would first give some poison to the girls before drinking the rest themselves.

Five days later, when they had run out of food and water, they were rescued by a British oil tanker. They spent three months in a Malaysian refugee camp before boarding another boat – this time bound for Melbourne, Australia. Although Tan’s memories of this time are faint, she often thinks about how different her life would have been if she hadn’t boarded that boat. “I can see that I wouldn’t be the person I am today, because the opportunities would have been very different for us,” the 42-year-old says.

After the family settled in Melbourne, Tan’s mother juggled multiple jobs to put her daughters through school. Quiet and studious, Tan was a high achiever from a young age and started her law degree when she was just 16. “If I were given an opportunity to do it again, I probably wouldn’t choose to be accelerated,” she reflects. “There were definitely some advantages and I was able to accomplish a lot of things early, but life is marathon, not a sprint. It would have been nice to have had more time to enjoy my youth.”

This story is from the October 2019 edition of The CEO Magazine - ANZ.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of The CEO Magazine - ANZ.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE CEO MAGAZINE - ANZView All
There Were No Unknowns For Us
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

There Were No Unknowns For Us

Putting discipline at the core of figurehead construction helped it survive both the global financial crisis and the covid-19 pandemic, says managing director Joe Grasso.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2021
The Future Is Digital
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

The Future Is Digital

We are watching a lot more television as a result of the pandemic, but as the senior vice president, head of streaming for 10 viacomcbs Liz Baldwin explains, the way we view it has totally changed.

time-read
10 mins  |
September 2021
The Ultimate Investments
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

The Ultimate Investments

With the global economic recovery from the pandemic underway, many analysts are suggesting now is the time to invest – but will whisky, soybeans or bitcoin find a way into your portfolio?

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2021
Once in a LIFETIME
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

Once in a LIFETIME

CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF INTEGRITI PROJECTS ANDREW STENOS IS BUILDING MORE THAN BESPOKE HOMES. HE’S ALSO BUILDING DREAMS FOR CLIENTS WHO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021
PUTTING FAMILY FIRST
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

PUTTING FAMILY FIRST

COUNTRY LIVING HOMES MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK RAVENSCROFT HAS OVERSEEN IMPRESSIVE GROWTH, BUT NEVER LOST SIGHT OF WHAT MAKES THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS SUCH A SUCCESS.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021
“A SAFER COMMUNITY IS MY MAIN PRIORITY”
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

“A SAFER COMMUNITY IS MY MAIN PRIORITY”

ULTIMATE SECURITY CEO NASSIM SAID HAS BUILT A HIGH-TECH SECURITY ORGANISATION FROM THE GROUND UP, ALWAYS WITH COMMUNITY SAFETY IN MIND AND AN INSISTENCE ON FAMILY VALUES.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2021
We Did It Our Way.
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

We Did It Our Way.

WHEN STEVEN SIMEONI FOUNDED TAS CITY BUILDING, HE KNEW HE WANTED TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2021
FROM PRECISION TO PREZZEE
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

FROM PRECISION TO PREZZEE

A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY BARON AT 24, PRECISION GROUP BILLIONAIRE SHAUN BONÉTT HAS BUILT HIS CAREER ON UNDERSTANDING THE RETAIL MARKET. NOW HE’S INTRODUCING PREZZEE, THE DIGITAL GIFT CARD PLATFORM THAT’S CHANGING THE WAY WE GIVE.

time-read
10+ mins  |
September 2021
HIGHWAY STAR
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

HIGHWAY STAR

IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA, WHERE TRUCKS ROUTINELY NAVIGATE VAST STRETCHES OF HIGHWAY, THE ROAD BETWEEN AGRIBUSINESS AND COMMUNITY IS SHORT. DENILIQUIN FREIGHTERS IS AN OLD HAND AT THAT ROUTE, WHICH CEO VICKI MEYER SAYS IS ITS MOST IMPORTANT ONE.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021
BENEATH THE SHEETS
The CEO Magazine - ANZ

BENEATH THE SHEETS

A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS MENTAL WELLNESS, AND AH BEARD CEO TONY PEARSON BELIEVES THE OFT OVERLOOKED MATTRESS IS THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021