Jobs in Singapore: “I joined as employee number four — and helped grow my company’s Southeast Asia business from Singapore”

Richmond Neo is a Sales Application Engineer at Bronkhorst, the global low‑flow specialist founded in the Netherlands in 1981. The company established its APAC headquarters and opened its first overseas production site outside the Netherlands in Singapore in 2024 to strengthen regional customer support.

1) Tell us more about what you do at Bronkhorst Singapore.

Bronkhorst specialises in manufacturing precision flow control solutions. Our instruments regulate the amount of gas or liquid used in production processes. This ranges from food and beverage applications —such as controlling flavouring in candies or dosing gas into cream for ice cream — to advanced industries like semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals and oil and gas.

As a Sales Application Engineer at Bronkhorst Singapore, my role sits at the intersection of engineering and business development. On the commercial side, I work directly with customers and sales partners across Southeast Asia to develop solutions for their manufacturing processes. On the technical side, I support the development of complex applications, especially when projects require deeper engineering analysis or customisation. Since Singapore serves as Bronkhorst’s APAC headquarters and first assembly site in Asia, our team works closely with our global headquarters to support regional customers.
 

2) You embarked on a year-long training programme to the Netherlands shortly after joining the company. How did that shape your career?

I joined Bronkhorst in 2020 as my first full-time job after graduating from NTU with a degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Within a month, I was sent to the Netherlands for a year-long training programme at our headquarters.

It was an unusual time — my training coincided with the height of COVID-19 but it was an incredibly formative experience. Being embedded in our headquarters allowed me to develop a deep technical understanding of our products and processes, while building relationships with colleagues across different functions.

The training I received overseas strengthened my confidence early on in my career. It gave me a global perspective of how different markets approach engineering challenges through our technology.

3) Your role involves working across different markets in the region. How has that experience been like?

It’s a very international role. I work closely with colleagues in Europe and across Asia, and I travel frequently within Southeast Asia to support customers on-site.

Visiting our customers’ facilities gives me insights into how everyday products from consumables to industrial materials are manufactured. These are places that most people don’t get to see, as they are often located in industrial areas rather than city centres.

Beyond the technical exposure, I’ve also gained a deeper appreciation for the diversity of business cultures across the region. Working cross-culturally has shown me how different teams communicate, collaborate and approach problem-solving and accelerated my professional growth.
 

4) What has motivated you to continue building your career at Bronkhorst?

When I first joined the Singapore office, I was the fourth employee. There were no established sales processes for Southeast Asia at the time, so I had the opportunity to help build the regional sales operations from scratch.

That level of responsibility early in my career was both challenging and rewarding. Over the years, we’ve seen the Singapore office grow significantly — now, our team is three times the size than when we first started! We have also expanded into assembly operations, making us the first site outside the Netherlands to carry out such activities.

Being part of Bronkhorst’s growth and contributing to Singapore’s role as a regional hub for the company have been extremely meaningful to me. The work we do here helps customers across Southeast Asia to manufacture goods from candies to detergents.

5) What advice would you give to fresh graduates considering a career in engineering at global companies?

My advice is to be open to opportunities that stretch you early in your career.

For me, taking on the overseas training opportunity during an uncertain time accelerated my learning significantly. Being alone and far away from home during the pandemic was intimidating, but it was also an incredible opportunity for personal and professional growth. As an early member of the Bronkhorst team in Singapore, I took ownership and helped to build something meaningful from the ground up.

Engineering roles today are not limited to technical work alone. They increasingly require communication, adaptability and cross-border collaboration. If you’re willing to continuously learn and step outside of your comfort zone, there are many opportunities to build an international career while being based in Singapore.