When Teng Jing Khang graduated with a degree in finance and economics, like many of his peers he envisioned a career in banking. Audit and assurance wasn't initially on his radar, until a friend's recommendation for KPMG's Non-Accountancy Graduate (NAG) programme sparked his curiosity. It was a plot twist he didn't see coming, a decision that would put him onto a path of exponential growth and unexpected discovery – and one that perfectly illustrates the impact and potential of KPMG’s “Be in Front” Global Talent Model.
In just over a year, Jing Khang’s career has been anything but linear. From valuing complex financial instruments to counting cars in a warehouse, his journey illustrates how a willingness to embrace the unknown, backed by a culture of courage and empowerment, can lead to incredible opportunities. This is the KPMG ethos in action: providing the framework for KPMG’s talent to deliver measurable results, foster client success and nurture ecosystems.
“What surprised me most,” Jing Khang reflects, “is that I’m able to do things that maybe a year ago I never thought I would be able to do... such as becoming a mentor to some of the incoming associates.” It’s a testament to a year defined by diverse exposure, dedicated mentorship and a commitment to personal growth – all cornerstones of KPMG’s “Be in Front” ethos.
Exposure: The ultimate teacher in a global classroom
While the NAG program provided a solid theoretical foundation, Jing Khang quickly learned that practical experience was the real classroom. Unlike some peers who were assigned to a single large engagement, Jing Khang was rotated through several, giving him a front-row seat to vastly different industries. This diverse exposure became the cornerstone of his rapid development, building a multi-disciplinary perspective crucial for anticipating trends in the ever-evolving business landscape.
Two engagements stand out for their stark contrast. The first was with a fund manager, where the assets weren't tangible goods but investments on a balance sheet. The work was intricate, analytical and heavily focused on valuations – an assignment that some might not expect to involve junior associates. Yet KPMG’s commitment to provide opportunities for growth and exposure empowered Jing Khang to contribute by drawing on his finance background.
“From what I understand from talking to my peers, it’s a very rare thing that an associate gets to do valuations on investments,” he says. “But I think because of my finance and economics background, they were willing to let me try. My senior, who was accounting-trained, was able to guide me through valuations. It was a very good learning experience for me and I got to apply what I learned from school.”
Then came the next plot twist: an assignment with a motor vehicles firm. The world of intangible assets was swiftly replaced by a very tangible reality. “The first day, my senior said, ‘Okay, tomorrow we’re going to the headquarters to help count the cars,’” Jing Khang recalls. “I went from a nice air-conditioned office to being in a warehouse, counting the number of vehicles to make sure what they recorded on their asset sheet was accurate.”
From the complexities of asset valuation to the practical logistics of an inventory count, these experiences were more than just items on a to-do list: they were immersive lessons in adaptability. They taught him that while the principles of audit remain constant, their application requires agility, critical thinking and a hands-on approach.
Growth: Cultivating an innovative mindset
This rich exposure was a catalyst for both hard and soft skills development. While he was sharpening his technical abilities, Jing Khang also adapted his approach to work to embrace the innovative culture that is embedded in KPMG’s DNA.
Early on, he admits his focus was on replication. “I was concerned about looking at how people did it in the past year and just replicating it without really understanding what I was doing,” he explains. A pivotal moment came when a manager challenged him on a work paper, asking why he’d done it in a certain way.
“The initial answer I gave her was, ‘Oh, because last year we did it this way,’” Jing Khang says, though he quickly saw how KPMG’s culture of empowerment encourages junior team members to think critically and apply novel framing to each scenario, even if they are superficially similar. “She told me that while that might work in a perfect world, we don’t live in one. Things change,” Jing Khang recalls. “She said it was okay to deliver work a bit slower, but she wanted me to fully understand the process.”
That piece of advice changed everything, empowering him to move from merely following instructions to truly understanding the ‘why’ behind his tasks. This deeper comprehension unlocked a new level of confidence and innovation, nurturing an environment that thrives on courageous, forward-thinking ideas.
A prime example was his fund-manager engagement. Tasked with a tedious, manual process of screenshotting hundreds of pages of documents – a job that took over an hour – Jing Khang decided there had to be a better way.
“I learned how to use Python and coded an automated screenshot script,” he says. “Basically, I cut down work that would take an hour to about five minutes.” This wasn't just about efficiency; it was about adopting an innovative mindset and having the courage to challenge the status quo.
The KPMG ecosystem: A launchpad for success
Jing Khang is quick to credit his growth to the firm’s supportive ecosystem. Formal training is readily available through platforms like LinkedIn Learning, but it’s the informal, human-centric support that has made the most significant impact. This is a reflection of KPMG’s commitment to a people-centric workplace, that inspires innovation, growth and collaboration.
From managers who invest time in mentoring to the strong camaraderie among peers, the culture is one of collaboration, a central tenet of KPMG’s role as a talent-driven success story. “The peer support system is really good,” he notes. “Sometimes managers are very busy, so asking a peer who has more exposure to a certain kind of work paper really boosts productivity.”
This network extends beyond work. As an avid dragon boater and volleyball player, Jing Khang has leveraged KPMG’s emphasis on sports to build relationships across departments. “My network has grown professionally. I now know people not just from Audit, but from different parts of Advisory and Consulting,” he says – illustrating KPMG’s commitment to fostering collaboration and cross-firm networking opportunities.
This vibrant community provides a crucial sense of belonging and a platform for holistic personal growth. It also opens doors to new opportunities through a commitment to talent mobility. A case in point is his recent secondment to the Advisory team for Turnaround & Restructuring – a move that has further broadened Jing Khang’s his skill set by exposing him to the delicate, high-stakes world of client communication in sensitive situations.
Aspirations: To pay it forward and “Be in Front”
Looking ahead, Jing Khang is excited about the possibilities. An overseas secondment is high on his list, a goal that aligns with KPMG’s commitment to providing global opportunities for its talent through international mobility frameworks. But his ultimate aspiration is deeply rooted in the support he himself has received.
“In five years, I’m hoping that through all the growth I’ve had and the mentorship I’ve been given, I’ll be in a position to mentor people as well,” he says. “I want to be able to do for others what my managers did for me—nurture them and bring out their skills.”
This desire to "pay it forward" is the driving force behind his ambition. He wants to become a leader who is not only competent and knowledgeable but also empathetic and capable of empowering others. This ambition embodies the spirit of KPMG's global network, where professionals are turning insights into impact through opportunities to grow, innovate and collaborate.
Jing Khang’s journey at KPMG has been full of unexpected turns, but this plot twist—from a student of finance to a future mentor and leader—is perhaps the most rewarding one of all. His story is a powerful reminder that with courage, adaptability and the right support from a firm that invests in its people, a career path can be more fulfilling than you ever imagined. It is a powerful testament to how KPMG’s “Be in Front” Global Talent Model is not just a strategy, but a reality that empowers KPMG’s people to shape the future.
