Author Q&A: Ivan Yong

Author/ Bookish Everybody
3 May 2026

Ivan Yong is one of those people who have myriad interests. When he’s not writing, he’s reading; that is, while balancing his roles as a PhD candidate and working. Inspired by history and applying the lessons of the past to the present, he is a truly interesting character.

How did you become a writer?

I became a writer almost serendipitously. In 2017, I watched Oscar Munoz, the CEO of United Airlines, have his reputation dragged through the mud, followed by United Airlines’ share value falling catastrophically the next day to the tune of more than US$1 billion.

The cause was a viral video of a bizarre passenger removal incident whereby the passenger, David Dao was dragged through the aisle with a bloodied nose and his delusional words of “Just kill me”.

It was a PR disaster. What surprised me even more was that PRWeek had just awarded Munoz the “Communicator of the Year” a month earlier.

I asked myself what went wrong. Almost like a light bulb, I came up with a solution. Large corporations should adopt a startup culture so that they can be more nimble in responding to crisis.

Without knowing how to get it published, I began writing the manuscript. And like all things in life, once you take the first step, a path will open up for you with God’s grace.

Today, that book, Department of Startup. Why Every Fortune 500 Should Have One is available in over 300 university libraries with six of the top 10 QS World Ranking (2026) universities holding a copy in their repository.

What would you be doing otherwise?

Writing at the moment is not a full-time endeavour. It’s something I wish to change in the foreseeable future.

I am an engineer, organisational psychologist, coach and an experienced sales professional growing businesses for foreign companies in Asia.

At the moment, I am also a PhD candidate with the University of Nottingham where I aim to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Executive Coaching.

Of the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

Although my books are non-fiction in nature, I make them accessible through the telling of history. The Pandora’s Pivot. A Primer for Leading in an AI-Driven World is an exploration of AI through the lens of Greek mythology. My other book, The Pharaoh’s Pitch: Unearthing Ancient Egyptian Wisdom for Sales Success harnesses the legendary figures of Egypt’s past to impart powerful sales strategies.

Of all the people that I have written about, my favourite historical figure is Napoleon Bonaparte. I am fascinated by his legendary leadership, his ability to move hearts and minds with just words. He is also in the first place, an engineer with a strong background in mathematics (which allowed him to launch his career with the French artillery). During his time, the artillery unit decided the fate of not just an army but also empires.

How did you come to be a writer?

I have always been a keen reader and am still collecting physical books even in my space-hungry Hong Kong apartment. I try to read widely in different languages such as in Malay, English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.

I believe reading has profoundly shaped my writing abilities, allowing ideas for books to flow effortlessly. Despite not having a formal writing education, the structure and flow naturally come when I write.

Tell us about your writing method. Is there a secret?

The secret is grit. When I have a dateline for a manuscript, I write a minimum of 500 words a day. The magic is to stop when I have reached 500 even though I could continue to write some more.

Somehow, this practice motivates me to come back again the next day to clock another 500 words. This goes on and on until I have completed a 30,000 to 50,000 word book.

I also make sure that I have 1 day of rest from that schedule and to allow myself to read books or journals related to the topic of my book. Almost always, this additional information from reading will inform my writing in one way or another.

Which author, alive or dead, would you most like to meet?

François-Marie Arouet, the French philosopher and writer known by his pen name ‘Voltaire’. The man who allegedly said the words, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Tell us about your favourite bookshop in the world.

I have not been to many bookshops in the world yet, so my current favourite is Kinokuniya in KLCC Suria, Malaysia.

What advice would you give your younger, writer self?

Have faith. You are good enough as you are. The road ahead is exciting and filled with treasures for us to discover.

Pandora’s Pivot by Ivan Yong is available at Bookazine.

About the Author

Bookish Everybody

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