Mind of Ming: EF’s Chief Culture Officer Ming Chen shares her vision for education as an instigator of global/world harmony

If you follow her on social media, Ming Chen celebrates life via a parade of Instagram stories, categorised as ‘fave memes’, ‘licenses’ and ‘IG wisdom’. In-person on the Friday afternoon we meet, she sits crossed-legged with her colleague and makeup artist. Later, as we adjourn to shoot in her art-clad flat in a colonial building nestling amid the greenery of Central Mid-levels, sunlight spills into the room, backlighting the floaty black sleeveless jumpsuit she’s wearing.

She slips into happy, reflective mode. “Growing up in New Jersey, every Saturday, our parents drove my siblings and me to Chinese school in New York City, whether we wanted to go or not,” says the long-time advocate of international education and educational travel, laughing out loud.

Commitment to education was a cornerstone of her upbringing, championed by her mother, Margaret Chen, who instilled in her children a sense of curiosity and a love for culture. Ming, along with her twin sister Wah and their friends, engaged in whimsical projects that sowed the seeds of creativity and entrepreneurship. They launched a tie-dye T-shirt business called Buy or Dye and staged hilarious reenactments of Shakespeare’s plays, in a way that only young dreamers could imagine.

“We only had one bathroom in our home, but we never fought over it. We learned to accommodate each other, and that spirit of collaboration extended to all aspects of our lives. We were lucky to grow up in the pre-internet, pre-social media age when play was played,” she recalls, tracing the threads of creativity that would later inform her leadership style at EF Education First.

Early Education

Her own educational path took her from high school in Millburn to Harvard University for a degree in East Asian History. Contemplating the impact of memorable classes from maths to art history, and echoing the sentiments of countless students who have been inspired by passionate educators, she says: “A great teacher is a magician who makes subjects come alive.”

*Black belt by Gerald Durel and Jewellery by Bridget King Jewelry*

After stints at Star TV and Turner in Hong Kong, she headed back to Harvard Business School, where she honed her understanding of leadership and culture. “Harvard gave me a framework to think about things like leadership as actual concepts you can learn,” she divulges. It was here that she encountered the disruptive innovation theories of professor and author Clayton Christensen. “You see this everywhere in business and life,” insists Chen, as she considers the role of innovation in the fastly evolving landscape of education.

“Yes, going to a reputable and known school can broaden and deepen your knowledge and neworks. But it’s not necessarily the single most important factor,” she says. “It’s the right personality, attitude and mindset.”

Leadership Shift

Transitioning from TV production companies and auction houses to her eventual role in education was not the most conventional route. “Working in various fields helped me eliminate what I didn’t want to do,” she states with a pragmatic air. It was a voyage of self-discovery that revealed her true passion for fostering educational opportunities. Joining EF in 1998, now the world’s largest privately held education company, marked the beginning of a remarkable 27-year journey.

EF’s culture, characterised by flat hierarchies and a “nothing is impossible” attitude, presented a fertile environment for Chen to thrive. “I believe my longevity comes from being part of a ‘force for good’,” she asserts. As Chief Culture Officer, she fosters an environment that amplifies creativity and innovation while helping individuals understand their value within the organisation.

“Working directly with a creative studio composed of talented designers and writers motivates me,” she shares. For Chen, creativity begins by identifying what people want rather than aiming to contrive demand. “We should be ‘making things people want,’” she articulates, setting a tone of alignment between individual passion and collective purpose.

Cultural Understanding

Her primary mission is to nurture EF’s unique corporate culture while supporting its global team of more than 50,000 members. “Our culture is our secret sauce – the key to our success in navigating growth while maintaining an entrepreneurial feel,” she states. Her multicultural experiences – growing up Chinese American, working in Hong Kong for three decades and having a Dutch husband – enrich her perspective. She recognises the importance of cultural understanding in an increasingly polarised world.

“Our goal isn’t just to foster a work environment but to cultivate a community that embraces diversity, creativity and curiosity, she emphasises. “We need to empower our team to take ownership of their roles. My mantra to colleagues is simple: ‘Own your job’.” This philosophy of accountability leads to high employee satisfaction, which is essential for productivity and creativity.

V-neck white top by FERA and Jewellery by Bridget King Jewelry

The ongoing evolution of education, especially with the rise of technology, is a space where Chen sees untapped potential. Emphasising the synergy between formal education and technology, she believes that technology should be viewed as an amplifier of teaching methodologies rather than a threat. “We are not replacing education; we are enhancing it,” she argues passionately, supporting the idea that immersive experiences and human interaction cannot be replaced.

As she contemplates the future of EF in a polarised world, her aspirations are clear. “In a world of filter bubbles, cultural understanding is paramount,” she asserts, underlining the fact that EF’s mission to foster communication and understanding through education and travel has never been more relevant.

Personal Fulfilment

Chen’s insights on happiness and success resonate beyond the office. “Happiness is not a fixed point; it’s a moving target,” she explains, encouraging individuals to understand the importance of trade-offs in their lives. “Embrace your journey. Celebrate your progress by measuring where you started, not solely where you want to be.”

When discussing contentment, she offers a profound maxim: “Don’t strive to be well-known; strive to be worth knowing.” It’s a philosophy that sees authentic connections and genuine interactions as pathways to both personal fulfilment and professional success.

She is an avid runner, notching up innumerable marathons since her college years. Aside from the bodily benefits of exercise, she welcomes the bump in endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, that physical activity can bring. The busy mum of three has also found joy in co-authoring children’s books – an endeavour that has kept her creatively connected with her US-based identical twin.

Chen’s Hong Kong home is beautifully ordered but, as she stresses, it is also laid back. She shows us around the spacious apartment plastered by framed photos of her family of five, particularly the dining area, strikingly illuminated by lights reminiscent of the red lampshades ubiquitous in local wet markets. As far as the bright lights are concerned, she now prefers being at home with family and friends rather than out on the town. “Homecourt”, as she calls it, is truly her sanctuary.

Era of Empathy

In Ming Chen, we find not only a leader inspiring transformative changes in the global education landscape but also a custodian of cultural values that bridge divides. With aspirations to enhance education’s role in promoting understanding and tolerance, she stands at the precipice of a new era – where education is not merely about acquiring knowledge, but about cultivating empathy and global citizenship.

Her journey is proof of the idea that our beginnings, however humble, can culminate in profound impacts on the world stage; her restless energy hints at bigger plans to come. And in EF, she continues to cultivate a culture woven with compassion, creativity and connection – all while cherishing the foundational lessons of her New Jersey childhood. Laughing as she poses for the last few frames of our photoshoot, she utters the current internet trend: “Very demure, very mindful, very cutesy… Very Miss Hong Kong? Nah, I’ll leave that to my twin!”