Michael Wong Pakshong grew up in Durban, South Africa to the sounds of Chinese folk tunes and records played by his family members. He was introduced to Western music only when he started school. Arriving in Singapore in 1961, he was appointed chairman of The Esplanade Co. Ltd from 1997–2003, instilling a spirit of inclusiveness that would result in purpose-built spaces in the Esplanade at the suggestions of the Singapore arts community. He described his time with the Esplanade as “a labour of love”.

As a child with family members who were Chinese scholars, Wong grew up in Durban, South Africa to the sounds of Chinese folk tunes and records. These became familiar tunes to him. It was only when he started going to school that he was introduced to Western music.

Wong graduated from the University of Bristol. Many summer vacations were spent in London where he frequently attended concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. This developed his love for orchestral music. He recalled a memorable concert of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by the Philharmonia of London conducted by Otto Klemperer.

Wong arrived in Singapore in 1961 and joined Price Waterhouse as an audit assistant. He was a banker at OCBC Bank when he was appointed the first Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1971, holding this appointment until 1981. During this period, he also served as Chairman of NTUC Income, Neptune Orient Lines Ltd and a Director of SIA. Minister of Information and the Arts, George Yeo appointed Wong as chairman of The Esplanade Co. Ltd in 1997, and he held this office until 2003.

Working together with Benson Puah, who was the CEO, he had a pivotal role in laying the founding principles to Esplanade as a centre of the arts. His vision was based on a guiding philosophy of inclusiveness: the Esplanade is a space that is open to everyone in the arts community in Singapore. To this end, in order to reach out and hear the arts community’s views on the imminent new space for the arts, Wong and his team held several meetings with the diverse groups in the Singapore arts community to hear their opinions and views. Among the many he consulted with was Singapore theatre pioneer Kuo Pao Kun (1939–2002).

This outreach generated many useful suggestions from the arts community, especially how they wished to see the Esplanade as spaces for them. Their views were incorporated into Esplanade’s plans. Besides the two main large performing halls, smaller purpose-built venues were created. Not only is Esplanade a space for the performing arts, but visual arts was also considered as part of the programming. Spaces for the visual arts in the form of exhibition spaces were specially earmarked on the masterplan. One example is the Jendela, which had first been conceived as a bar for concert-goers. Jendela is now a visual arts exhibition space, and together with the Concourse, the Tunnel, and other smaller spaces in the centre, there are ample opportunities for the visual arts to make its presence felt.

Wong concurrently discharged his responsibilities in several business and finance-related organisations. Esplanade was an arts centre which was an exception among his commitments. He was so personally involved in Esplanade that he called this endeavour his “labour of love”.

With the opening of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay under the chairmanship of Michael Wong, the arts-going culture grew and there emerged greater opportunities in the arts.

On 2 Aug 2017, Wong passed away at the age of 86 in Singapore.