Eric Teng began his career in advertising. As a copywriter and later, marketing executive, he had a hand in the design of the Singapore Pools logo in 1987, and was involved in producing a TV ad for a fast-food chain that featured a model riding a horse down Robinson Road.

After 20 years in advertising and marketing, he joined the family office of the Tecity Group and became CEO of the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, and subsequently CEO of the property and hospitality divisions of the Straits Trading Company. Since January this year, he has been the executive director and CEO of mainboard-listed property developer Heeton Holdings. Throughout his years in these diverse sectors, Eric has retained a sartorial link to his creative past in the form of his penchant for bow ties.

“In the mid-1980s, the advertising agency I was working for wanted everyone to get bow ties to welcome a new colleague who was known for wearing bow ties,” he recalls with a laugh. “So I went to buy one and it was quite expensive. I started wearing it sometimes to get more use out of it, and people told me it suited me.”

He started receiving bow ties as birthday and Christmas gifts, and the habit stuck. But this stylistic flourish is hardly the only way his former industry has shaped him. “Advertising is a very good training ground for doing business,” Eric believes. “You’re dealing with the adrenaline of deadlines and the client is worrying about bottom line and operations, so you also learn to be very thorough about anticipating problems.”

This affable father of two also believes that in a career that has spanned the philanthropy, hospitality and property sectors, creativity has been the unifying factor. “Creativity is not something superficial,” Eric cautions. “It’s not about sitting under a tree thinking of a great idea. You have to be clear about the strategy, about whether the customer would buy your idea, and you need to pay attention to details and be consistent in delivering the idea.” 

When its comes to design, Heeton values practicality as much as the wow factor. “Aesthetics may appeal to those who are more affluent, discerning, and who are buying homes to live in rather than as investments,” says Eric. “But good design must also be practical. We target the product to fit the customer. For instance, while my parents’ generation would find compact kitchens unsuitable, they actually make sense for today’s young families. Nowadays, most people eat out, so compact kitchens are easier to manage and allow more space for the living area where they spend more of their time.”
The allotted spaces for kitchens and living spaces in Heeton’s upcoming launch, 121 Collection On Whitley, reflect this reality. The eight semi-detached houses and one bungalow each boast a different design, while still looking cohesive, and cater to buyers who would like to live near their extended families while still retaining their own personal spaces. “It’s a design that encourages family bonding,” says Eric (who is pictured here in one of the houses). 

As an ad man, he used to advise clients to distil their briefs into just one word, in order to facilitate strong and focused creative ideas. Ask him to describe himself in one word, and Eric picks “motivated”. “I never hang any awards on my wall,” he says. “It’s a reminder that I am only as good as my last project, and it’s important to never rest on your laurels and to keep proving yourself.”

When it comes to his goals as a business leader, Eric’s one-word brief is “positive”. The current president of YMCA of Singapore started volunteering for the organisation as a teenager, and still spends time mentoring early school-leavers. “I tell them that everyone is a late bloomer in some way. As long as you are positive, anything is possible.”

Photography: Jeff Chang
Grooming: Vinna Er