After 12 years of working in China, Daniel Ang is now back in Malaysia, settled down with his family as the Associate Director of Visual Design at WeChat with the help of MyHeart’s Returning Expert Programme (REP). Daniel’s career spanned two countries and two very different skill sets: design and programming. His years in China helped him grow in his career, but inevitably, his heart belonged back home.
Daniel’s younger days were spent completing a degree in programming. Though computer science was a prominent interest of his, he had a second love: designing. Eventually, Daniel’s curiosity and heart to explore made way for him to switch lanes and pursue a career in design. With a programming degree and a knack for design in various mediums, he began a successful career in Malaysia doing in-house designing and branding for many notable brands such as L’Oreal, AirAsia, KFC and more.
The journey of one’s career is always full of twists and turns
In those times when you are exploring different avenues, you gather unique skills along the way and never know when you’ll need them. However, when an opportunity arises to use your new skills, it’s all worth it in the end.
After many years as a designer in agencies across Malaysia, Daniel found himself at another crossroads. Daniel was offered an opportunity to uproot and set off to China to explore his career further as a designer in the technology industry. Having done a degree in programming in his youth, it was easier for him to transition to a career in the technology industry.
Possessing the skills of a programmer as well as the creativity of a designer, Daniel also believes in integrating creativity into technological innovation such as working alongside artificial intelligence as tools to create. He believes machines do not possess the emotions and imagination needed to create unique art so there is no need to believe they pose a threat in the creative-technology field.
His years of hard work as both a designer and a programmer led him to a career in WeChat – one of China’s most successful super-apps. Though work in China was rewarding and filled with exciting new experiences, Daniel still felt he didn’t belong.
Living as a Malaysian in China, Daniel found it difficult to find a community that felt like home to him. Until one day, as he walked through a supermarket conversing with his family, a fellow Malaysian picked up on his accent and asked if he was from Malaysia. From there, Daniel was exposed to group chats for Malaysians living in his area. Without that chance encounter, he might not have been able to find a crowd of people he could relate to. MyHeart’s Network and Connect Portal aims to bridge that gap by allowing Malaysians to connect with each other abroad.
In his pursuit of coming home, he found MyHeart
Daniel is now back in Malaysia as the Associate Director of Visual Design at WeChat Malaysia. Though he had been overseas for many years, he felt good to be home, stating that Malaysia would always be his ‘kampung’. He also remarked that his children were hesitant to stay in China and felt reluctant to continue living abroad as they belonged more to the environment and multiculturalism of Malaysia. Though raised in China, his children still felt their hearts belonged here.
A piece of advice he leaves to new members of the career force is to never stop learning.
Daniel expresses how his curiosity about various industries has led him to have such an all-rounded career. Without the drive to be curious and fluid in his career path, Daniel would have never ended up in this position, doing designs for a multinational company such as WeChat. Moving to China has allowed him to gain a new perspective and nurture new skills that he now uses to benefit the Malaysian economy as he innovates in his position in WeChat.
Your career and passions can take you all across the world with opportunities to hone your skills available in so many places. For Malaysians abroad who are planning your return home, consider looking into MyHeart’s Returning Expert Programme (REP). Looking to find Malaysian professionals living abroad in your area? You can also check out MyHeart’s Network and Connect feature and find Malaysian contacts near you!
Come home to your dream career with many benefits and find out more about what MyHeart can offer you.
