Latest posts by Martin Moodie (see all)
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Meet the Ngs – mother May (left) and daughter Melody.
Melody Ng is known to many in the trade as The Moodie Report’s Asia Bureau Chief, based here in Singapore. Since taking up the role around six years ago she has become a critical member of the Moodie team, much respected by her colleagues and the industry for her accuracy, passion, professionalism, trojan-like work ethic, friendliness and flair.
The Moodie Report was (and we hope will be for a long time to come), Melody’s first job. I was helped in the recuritment process way back then by Singapore-based Jonathan Holland, who helped identify a short-list of three.
Melody was duly chosen. I told her that I would fly her to London the following week to meet the team and to see how we work.
Melody was understandably excited about the prospect. Not so Mrs Ng. Who was this stranger who was flying her daugher off to London after just one meeting, she asked?
And so, for the first (and thus far only) time, I was interviewed by a parent of a prospective employee, to see if I would be suitable for the role. Fortunately, we hit it off very well and the rest is history.
Well, not quite. Over the last year or so May Ng has been through a tough time, battling a condition with which I am well acquainted. During that time we have sent her numerous good wishes and done our best to look after the human treasure that is her daughter.
Today, precisely one year on from a major operation, May Ng, now recovering strongly and looking great, came to say thank you. She brought the most beautiful gift (pictured above). I won’t translate the whole thing but the Chinese word at the top of the slate ornament means ‘Blessings’. May also produced a packet of Japanese green tea, telling me (quite rightly) how good it would be for my health – “better for you than wine”.
Conversely, and showing the progress she has made during her time at The Moodie Report (and how well she knows her boss) Melody defied that verdict by bringing me a superb tipple from New Zealand, Cloudy Bay Te Wahi 2010 Central Otago Pinot Noir, to seal the moment.
We all laughed about that first meeting and May and I both expressed our thanks for having made it through some tough times. She noted how thin I was compared with back then (the impact of the operation) and (to Melody’s horror) that my hair had not grown back after treatment. “That’s because I’d already dealt with the side effects many years earlier,” I laughed.
We said our fond goodbyes as no doubt we each reflected on our respective journeys of the past few years. The mother who cared so much for her jewel of a daughter all those years ago, looked very happy as she walked away. So did Melody. But neither of them surely could have felt as much pleasure as I did.
Dear Martin, May & Melody,
All your kindness will be Blessed. Keep on the positive thinking & all will be fine.
To many more happy & fulfilling years ahead.
M AND M. look wonderful. Well done to the M and M’s Rakhita