Abacus Worldwide, LLC is pleased to announce that Tiat Jin “TJ” Ooi has joined the progressive international association of independent accounting, consulting and legal firms as a regional director.
Based in Singapore, Ooi will lead member engagement across Abacus Worldwide’s Asia Pacific region and provide support to member firms in the Middle East and Africa. In this role, he will focus on strengthening relationships, supporting collaboration, and ensuring member firms receive timely, regionally informed support. He will also oversee the association’s four technical interest groups, which convene quarterly to address specialized topics in tax, law, M&A and audit.
“TJ joins us at an important point in Abacus Worldwide’s development, as recent growth has been strongest in the regions he will oversee,” said Julio Gabay, President and CEO of Abacus Worldwide®. “His background working within membership-based organizations, combined with his hands-on approach to relationship building, makes him well suited to support firms seeking a connected, peer-driven international association.”
“Joining Abacus Worldwide represents an exciting new chapter for me,” Ooi said. “I’ve spent much of my career supporting associations and their members, and I’m looking forward to bringing that experience into the accounting and legal space. I’m eager to learn from our members, collaborate with the global team, and ensure firms feel supported, connected, and well served.”
Through his consultancy, Curated Connectors, Ooi has collaborated with international organizations including the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), the Asian Development Bank, and the Mekong Institute. His work with ERIA brought together thousands of regional stakeholders from the entrepreneurial, startup, and innovation community and led to the launch of the E-S-I Knowledge Lab in 2022, a regional ecosystem initiative designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Ooi brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across association management, international trade, and business operations. As Director of the ASEAN MSME Trade Coalition at the Asian Trade Centre, he expanded association membership by more than 20 percent and led initiatives connecting small and medium-sized enterprises with regional policymakers and industry leaders. Earlier in his career, as General Manager of Absotech Pte Ltd, he strengthened operational performance and established a company-wide safety culture, contributing to the firm receiving the Responsible Care Award for Employee Health and Safety for five consecutive years.
In 2023, Ooi graduated top of his class with a Master of Global Trade from RMIT University and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. He is a certified Adult Learning and Performance Professional, recognized by Singapore’s Institute of Adult Learning, and a Certified Professional Mentor, recognized by the Asia Institute of Mentoring.