Stepping out of her comfort zone at 19 has paid off for Alicia Thian in a big way

Alicia, executive director of Wealth Management at the Bank of Singapore, describes herself as a “chronically shy” freshman studying in the US when she was 19. “But I got involved in international clubs, business fraternities and theatre groups, all in the name of challenging and reinventing myself.” Making the effort to step out of her comfort zone has paid off for Alicia in a big way. Today, she more than holds her own in the male-dominated banking industry.

What was the most memorable incident when you were 19?
My friend let me ride her favourite stallion – but not before making me clean its hooves. It was my first time riding, and I didn’t even have lessons before that! It was terrifying yet adrenaline-pumping.

Favourite song/band/singer that year?

R&B was my favourite genre in the mid-’90s and I was a huge fan of TLC. The lyrics of their hit, Waterfalls, really resonated with me. To this day, I still think it’s a fun song to sing in the shower!

What was your life plan back then?

Be the best student I could be. I was addicted to getting straight As. More than that though, I had an insatiable appetite for knowledge. During summer and winter breaks, I enrolled for extra classes to enrich myself – I was interested in everything from psychology to coding and political science.

Advice for your teenage self?

I would tell myself to ease up on the quest for perfection and just enjoy the ride.

Art direction: Audrey Chan 

Photography: Joel Low 

Hair: Christvian Goh & Zoel Tee, using Revlon Professional 

Make-up: Dily Wang & TG Goh, using Chanel Beauty; Keith Bryant Lee, using Dior Beauty; Greg-O, using Keune; Ann Lim 

Photography assistance: Alfie Pan