TikTok CEO’s advice to young people

Standing here today reminds me of my childhood in Singapore and the uncertain journey that brought me to this stage in front of you. Looking back, I realise that education is a passport with no expiration date. It is education that continually redraws the boundaries of your world.

I was born in Singapore in the 1980s, in Yio Chu Kang. Even when I was in primary school, I could not imagine much beyond my immediate neighbourhood. My neighbourhood, my daily routine and the familiar surroundings were the boundaries of my world.

But at one point, I had a wonderful opportunity to study in another part of the country. Yio Chu Kang and Bukit Timah may not have been very far apart geographically, but for that little boy, it felt like a long way. That distance pushed me out of my comfort zone.

In many ways, this is Singapore’s story too. Geographically, we may be a very small island nation. But because of our curiosity and our ability to overcome adversity, we have been able to make an enormous impact globally.

Now it is your turn to make an impact. The passport that allows you to go beyond the boundaries of your institution and take your work to the world stage is now in your hands. You have graduated equipped with deep and specialised academic knowledge, an unwavering passion and the preparation to challenge conventional thinking.

I may not have followed the same path as you, but throughout my career I have followed my curiosity. Since childhood, I believed that real impact comes from doing something different from what everyone expects. When I was young, my father bought a ‘286’—a popular personal computer in the 1980s. I would spend hours in front of it.

It would be nice to say that I wrote code and created some amazing software. But the reality is that I played a lot of games. Still, those hours spent in front of the keyboard deepened my love for technology.

At one point, I went to University College London to study economics. Later, I worked at Goldman Sachs, the multinational financial institution. I then enrolled at Harvard Business School for an MBA. I chose this path out of a strong desire to understand where global trade and investment were heading.

At the time, huge investments were beginning to flow into innovative ideas and technology startups. I was witnessing a massive transformation right before my eyes. Seeing how rapidly the world around me was changing was truly eye-opening.

Over time, that childhood attraction to technology began to awaken again. That is the most beautiful thing about genuine curiosity—it has incredibly strong foundations. Ultimately, curiosity brings you back to the place where your passion lies.

I wanted to be part of technology that would transform the world, technology that would reshape the way people see the world. I no longer wanted to sit on the sidelines as a spectator.

I quickly realised that my experience in finance could serve as a powerful bridge for building connections with technology entrepreneurs. From growing up in the analogue era to building a career during the digital transformation, and now leading TikTok in the age of AI, I have learned one thing: technology is not just about hardware or coding.

Technology is about unlocking people’s untapped potential; taking an idea to billions of people; and giving someone with a story worth telling a global stage.
Now it is your turn to lead. You are entering the workforce in a new and unfamiliar age of AI. We are standing at a pivotal and exciting moment in history, when change is happening not merely at a steady pace, but at an accelerating, almost unimaginable rate.

How will you embrace this moment? What would I have done if I had been given this opportunity when I was young? I would say: embrace the unknown with eagerness. Get involved in places where you are the least experienced person in the room. Make uncertainty your friend. Rely on the network of talented classmates around you. Because they are your community, and in difficult times, that community is what will sustain us.

Wherever the passport of education takes you, carry your curiosity with you. Curiosity will open up a map of new worlds before you. Finally, preserve your creativity and your inner joy. Because you are the generation that will build a new era of positive innovation.