William John Castellas
Australia
Head of Private Banking, Commonwealth Private Bank
Been in Singapore for six years
Currently a Singapore Permanent Resident
William, 38, arrived in 2004 with two suitcases, his golf clubs, and a big appetite for everything Singapore has to offer - especially the food. The highlight of William’s stay in Singapore has been meeting his fiancée and enjoying her mother’s sensational Peranakan cuisine. He likes his Sunday dinners with the future in-laws very much.
He currently lives in a converted colonial-era mansion in one of Singapore’s heritage enclaves, and has thoroughly enjoyed immersing himself in the city’s diverse culture and cuisine. “I like the variety of life in Singapore and of the surrounding region,” he said. “I feel that much closer to the rest of the world and that’s kind of exciting.” Within a week of arriving in Singapore in 2004, William recounts eating food he had never heard of before, in places that he would not have thought about visiting. I’ve totally bought into Singapore’s love affair with food,” he said, rattling off a list of local favourites. “If you know anything about Singapore and Singaporeans, that alone breaks down the barriers, big time.”
But William went a step further. He enrolled in a Graduate Diploma course in Marketing at the Singapore Institute of Management – something he would encourage newly arrived professionals to do. “I was the only foreigner in the class but it was a great experience and I met some really nice people.” Besides friendships, he also picked up a lot of local and regional knowledge, which has been helpful in his work.
William also added that being exposed to the variety of businesses in Singapore has been a valuable experience that has inspired new perspectives. While work keeps him busy, he has found many ways to chill. He enjoys music and has taken more interest in the arts simply because ‘there is quite a lot going on here’, especially at the Esplanade, Singapore’s top performing arts venue. As William puts it, “I have probably seen more musicals and plays in the five years that I have been here than I had in the previous ten!”
His big passion is golf and Singapore’s centrality means he can indulge in the hobby at exotic locales all over Asia. “I’ve been to destinations that I would not have ever considered visiting from Australia.” When he first moved to Singapore, William thought that Singapore would get too ‘small’ for him, but five years on, he is still finding new things to explore.