From NGOs to the Singaporean art scene

A 2007 graduate from the Sciences Po Doctoral School, Jonathan Gonzalez is today a content consultant at Gonzo Media, the press group he created in 2013 in Singapore, and an active member of the Singaporean art and underground scene.

In an interview for Sciences Po, Jonathan explains how the skills he acquired while doing research at Sciences Po have served him throughout his unique career working in a combination of NGOs, international organizations, consulting firms, and more recently the press and art scene.

• Let’s start by discussing your career. What were your ambitions once you graduated from Sciences Po? Which path did you take?

My main career plan was to work in international organizations. I grew up in many different countries due to my parents’ diplomatic careers, so I always felt that my knowledge of languages and my passion for international affairs would be an asset to multilateral entities. I was also attracted by the fact that organizations of such monumental sizes and responsibilities could channel the many passions and interests I had (communications, journalism, research, policy analysis, advocacy, photography, videography, etc.).

As soon as I graduated I started a 6-month internship as a policy analyst at the OECD. That internship turned into a 2-year contract as I progressively started working on more and more projects that were closer to my areas of expertise. When my contract at the OECD ended I was faced with a choice: go back to school to complete a PhD in order to further my career within the organization, or move back to Southeast Asia and try my luck in the private sector. As luck would have it, my wife got offered the job opportunity of a lifetime in Singapore just when I had to make a choice, so we packed up and left for new beginnings.

• You have worked in several types of organizations: NGOs, international organizations, consulting firms, press... Among the skills you acquired during your studies, which ones have been precious to you during your career? 

If it had been up to me I would have completed various different Masters at Sciences Po, as I was always interested in many different areas (journalism, development, business, oriental languages, etc.). In the end I chose the Research Master in Political Science at the Doctoral School because it had a program specialized on Asia that required students to go there for their field work. I loved the fact that we were given a thorough glimpse into the real world of research, not just the theoretical side of it. We had to prepare our field work, contact people, manage limited budgets, and keep records of interviews and interactions.

Such project management skills have been very useful to me in all of the jobs I have ever had, as I am able to not only be very thorough in each and every step of a given project, I can also give it direction within a larger framework with the most adapted methods and approaches.

The other main skill that research gave me was the ability to very quickly learn and find things out; if I am not familiar with a specific topic, person, or procedure, I can very efficiently look for relevant information. Even better, I can connect pieces of information together or even find useful patterns that would not necessarily be detected by someone who is only focused on completing the project.

There is also the fact that research requires a lot of patience as a lot of time and effort are put into finding the exact information that will allow a breakthrough that may or may not pay off eventually. Resilience is also required, as the end goal itself is always changing and evolving based on new information, other people’s input, and external factors.

Lastly, I think that being able to stay informed on new research, industry debates, and upcoming trends by reading specialized literature is an important aspect that not many professionals have patience for.

• You are involved in Singapore’s art and even underground scene. We are not familiar with this side of Singapore. What is it like to be an artist in Singapore? 

One of the many ways that I express my creativity is by having a multitude of hobbies that keep me busy when I am not at work. Two of those main activities are organizing events and DJing with a group of friends under the banner of Kilowatt Soundsystem, and launching Quaint Quarterly, an art book/magazine with a group of graphic designer friends.

Both those activities have had their share of obstacles and difficulties, but I find it relatively easy to navigate them as I have been in Singapore for a long time and I have built a reliable network of friends and colleagues who all have their own areas of expertise. Whether it is overcoming an administrative procedure or simply being introduced to the right person at the right time, I have been very lucky to be able to count on people that know what they are doing.

Generally speaking, I think Singapore is changing a lot and very quickly; a lot of Singaporeans who have lived and studied abroad are coming back with new ideas, new values, and new ways of doing things, so I see the concept of “success” being progressively redefined to mean much more than being materially comfortable. This change is allowing more and more creative people (chefs, photographers, painters, poets, writers, publishers, etc.) to take risks and to make a living from their passions.

Of course there have always been creative people in Singapore, it is just that I think now is when they are able to turn their passions into financially viable careers in the specific areas that interest them, whereas before they may have had to have backup plans and side-jobs to meet their needs.

• A question for students who are considering studying or working in Singapore. Why would you recommend Singapore? What does one learn while living there? 

Singapore is a place of many opportunities that allows people of all backgrounds to find their calling. If you are comfortable in a multinational corporation and you want to grow in roles with many responsibilities, there is a lot of that available. If you want to take a different path and try and grow a personal project, there is also a lot of room for that.

More broadly, I would say that it is a matter of people knowing what they want to do here and finding the right avenue for it.

Singapore is safe, clean, efficient, and affluent, which is something that many people look for when they choose a place to raise a family, for instance. Others may not find such an environment stimulating, as the day-to-day predictability and lack of uncertainty tend to make one very satisfied with the status quo.

So I guess it is ultimately a matter of giving the place a chance and seeing how it goes beyond the Singapore of postcards and international rankings.

• One last question. What do you like about this city?

I personally like the fact that it is a place full of interesting people; whether they are Singaporean or foreigners, I feel like I am constantly meeting new people who do incredibly inspiring things and who always end up becoming good friends.