At SHIFT Conference 2026, more than 200 working young adults from 21 churches gathered to listen, learn and lean into different perspectives surrounding work and worship.
Geared for early career professionals and working adults aged 22-35, the 1.5-day conference in May 2026 by Accomplish Asia in collaboration with SIBKL did not shy away from hard-hitting topics including the hidden costs of career success, navigating ethical crossroads, setting healthy boundaries at work, managing money, and more.
In his opening plenary, QQ Managing Director and HR consultant Julian Foe encouraged attendees to embrace their highest calling.
“There is no pyramid to climb, there is only a world to serve. On this journey, there are four pit stops to consider. Firstly, begin with the end in mind. What you are called to is your highest calling,” he charged.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring holistic health as Christians who are seeking to thrive in the marketplace through the Life Assets.
The Life Assets are important areas of your life that need to be taken care of: spirituality, soul, body, relationships, family, and finances.
“Find mentors for each Life Asset. And when Jesus is the centre of your work, you are already living the good life,” he continued.
Knowing your life assets
David Kartono, a senior leader at Tokopedia (one of Indonesia’s largest online stores) also briefly shared his journey with stomach cancer, and how it woke him up to what truly mattered.
“If we do not consciously choose to shift, the circumstances will force you to change. Balance is not necessarily equal distribution across your life assets at all times, but about choosing the right areas to focus on at the right times,” he said.
Kartono also encouraged young professionals to build good habits by creating margins in life to breathe. Recognition, he warned, can be addictive but also destructive. An anchor is to know your priorities and stick to them, as they will define how you react, respond and manage your situations.
Later, a panel titled ‘Real Cost, Real Choices’ saw Tang Chun How, June Lian, and Aaron Patel sharing their diverse journeys in the workplace and the often unseen, painful cost of success. Moderated by Musang King Group founder and CEO Bernard Hiew, the panelists answered hard-hitting questions with authenticity and practicality.
“We work very hard, harder than most people realise,” said June, the deputy general counsel of a statutory body. “But what drives my decisions? I love Malaysia. If I don’t do it, who will? And if I’m doing it, I want to do it well.”
The three executives also discussed how to discern between a good opportunity and the right calling. Some questions to ask, they advised, include:
- Is this opportunity short-term? Does it add to my long-term plan?
- Will it make me change my character or allow me to retain the values I hold?
On worthwhile sacrifices or shifts they made, Aaron pointed out that learning to surrender certainty and control allowed him to grow in trust and faith. On the flip side, both June and Chun How cautioned against giving up one’s character or core values. “If you lose yourself, all bets are off,” Chun How said.
Other sessions discussed purpose and its significance in the workplace, with sessions by Dr. Esther Chu, Head of HELP University’s Centre for Psychology and Counselling Services; Edward Ling, CEO of education fintech company Edvance; and Joseph Koh, COO Of Orange Convenience Store.
Equipping the next generation
SHIFT is Accomplish Asia’s first conference for early career professionals, explained Adrian Lim, who stepped up as CEO earlier this year.
“We are grateful for the speakers who really tailored their sessions to ensure this conference was packed with value-add material, useful knowledge and practical tools,” he said.
Moving forward, the organisation hopes to partner with more churches to teach the next generation with skills, knowledge, and perspectives to serve their workplaces, churches and ministries better.
“As an organisation, Accomplish is in the midst of transforming its ecosystem to be more inclusive and work with partners, including churches, in our mission to build discipleship and leaders in the workplace,” Adrian concluded.
To find out more about Accomplish, join one of their Coffee Connects! Learn more at accomplish.asia.
All photos provided by Accomplish Asia.
