CONCIERGE / Generation T
IanAlexanderAngandAlaricChoofoundedgaming
chaircompanySecretlabin2014,fuelled,toa largeextent,
bythebackachesandstrainedneckstheyexperiencedafter
spendinglonghoursplayingcomputergames.Theyfirst
metasprofessionalgamersata tournament,beforeIan
(picturedaboveleft)reachedouttoAlaricwiththeideaof
creatinga chairthatcouldprovide“incrediblecomfortfor
longhours,is aestheticallybeautiful,usesindustrial-grade
materialsandhaslocalwarranty”.Afterthelaunch
oftheirfirstchairin2015,Ian,whoasCEOoversees
engineering,marketingandproductstrategy,andAlaric,
whois technicalandpartnershipsdirector,haveexpanded
theirproductlinewiththreemodels:Throne,Omegaand
Titan.Eachchairdeliverssupremecomfortwitha levelof
firmnessforgoodposture—theresultofextensiveR&D
andqualitytesting.Thepairhavesincealsoachievedother
milestones:theyhavesoldover100,000chairsworldwide
in 2018 alone;scoreda globalpartnershipwithRiotGames,
thedeveloperofpopularesportstitle,LeagueofLegends;
andmostrecentlygainedTemasek’sHeliconiaCapital
Managementasaninvestor.
IANANG(IA):Thewords“Secret”and“Lab”describe
ourcompany’smostimportantvalues.“Secret”suggests
somethingmysteriousandis suchanalluringword—two
qualitieswewantinourproducts.“Lab”pointstoour
pioneeringapproachtowardsR&Dandalsohowmuch
AlaricandI lovetheproductdevelopmentprocess.Take
ourlatest 2020 Series,forinstance,whichwelaunched
afterthreeyearsofR&Dandqualitytesting.Also,veryfew
peopleknowwhat’sinSecretlab’spipeline.Wepreferto
keepit a mystery. WORDS: CHONG SEOW WEI; PHOTOGRAPHY: DARREN GABRIEL LEOW
Introducing thetrailblazingyoungtalentson
Tatler Asia’sGen.TList.Thismonth,we speak
to theco-foundersof Secretlabwhoare
engineeringcomfort in theformof ergonomic
chairsforbothgamersandnon-gamers alike
ALARICCHOO(AC):Wehavetotackle tough
challengesanddecisionsconstantly. The diffi culties
scaleateachjuncturesowhilewebecome more
experienced,thechallengesevolveaswe grow... sort of in
thesamewaytheyunfoldingames.IA:Gaminghastaughtmemoreabout business than
anythingI’velearnedina classroom. I’ve learned
theconceptsofeconomics,costaccounting and even
organisationalstructuresfromplaying massively
multiplayeronlinegamessuchasWorld of Warcraft and
RuneScape.Findingthemostefficient way to complete a
missionoftenrequiresyoutothinkoutside the box, which
canalsobeappliedtorunninga business.AC:Gamingwillalwaysplaya central role in our lives.
It hasbroadenedournetworkandgiven us the chance to
forgelastingfriendships.Whilea lotof the simulations
arevirtual,youcanlearna greatdealabout a person’s
characterwhichyoumightnothavebeen able to in reality.IA:Gritis neededinachievingsuccess. This doesn’t
meanblindlygoingatsomethingendlessly, but having the
mentalfortitudetotakeonmultipleproblems all at once
withoutgivinguporsettlingforthesafe or easy solution.IAN ANG &
ALARIC CHOO
Generation T is Tatler Asia’s platform for the
leaders of tomorrow. generationt.asia48 singapore tatler. october 2019