Greg Ohan is one of those genuinely happy people, who’s passionate about where he lives and what he does. “My home is where my heart is – and that’s Ho Chi Minh City,” he begins, explaining he first visited as a backpacker in 1998 before starting his Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) at Macquarie University.

“I fell in love with the humbleness of the city and its people,” he remembers, and fortuitously, following a work transfer to Hong Kong with CBRE, Mr Ohan was offered a position in Vietnam with the global real estate company. “Everyone thought I was crazy – 15 years ago it was a hardship posting!”

Back then there was just one high-rise apartment block, where the mostly single expats lived. But the city quickly boomed after a change in government. The people changed too. “When I arrived, the Vietnamese found English difficult, but this generation has been raised by the internet and is very worldly.

“The energy in Ho Chi Minh City is electric,” he adds. “The Chinese say it’s like Shanghai twenty years ago, and American interns tell me it feels like New York – there’s this hustle, and the young, dynamic workforce makes it an exciting place to live and do business.

“Why would I want to move?” he grins, and he’s not alone. Ten years ago, Vietnamese people went overseas to study and didn't want to come back. Now they’re returning for a better life. Then there’s the Vietnamese who fled the war and can’t believe their children, who’ve grown up in Australia and America, are returning to Vietnam.

“It’s only recent, but graduates are driving this change, and Australia is at the forefront. This connection will only get stronger,” predicts Mr Ohan, who recently hosted our Vietnam alumni event. As he explains, “even though studying at Club Mac was the best time of my life, fostering a strong alumni community is about more than Macquarie pride.

“It’s about shaping the future. We’re creating invaluable opportunities for alumni at the heart of one of the world's most dynamic economies, and allowing Vietnamese students to experience what I’ve been fortunate to.”

Mr Ohan loves where he lives, however it took returning to Sydney to start a business to make him appreciate what he had. “It was a turning point,” he reflects, explaining the opportunities paled in comparison to those in Ho Chi Minh City.

And so, in late 2020, he returned to Vietnam as a consultant and entrepreneur. “I came back with no fear and went all in – my mindset had changed; I was driven by the desire to do something meaningful.”

Workwise, Mr Ohan co-founded a social real estate/prop-tech firm, and now operates Vietnam’s number-one co-working platform, The Sentry. “With 65 per cent of the workforce under 35, many young professionals live in multi-generational households, which makes working from home difficult.

“This is where The Sentry steps in as a hub for collaboration, learning and inspiration. We have five developments across the city, catering to the country’s booming creative and innovative industries.”

The Sentry also has links with Australian government and industry bodies, as well as expats, and includes an incubator to encourage entrepreneurship. “A yearning to make an impact has propelled us to evolve,” adds Mr Ohan. “We’re now pioneering flexible living solutions, shaping the future of work-life integration in Vietnam.”

But he’s not about to stop there. In his search for meaning, last year Mr Ohan joined friends on a philanthropic visit to Bhutan. “I’ve always been intrigued by this carbon-negative, world’s happiest country and its unique culture and social values.

“On my second visit, I was privileged to live alongside the monks for a week, and their dedication to happiness, mindfulness and preserving centuries-old traditions resonated deeply. It was life changing.”

Realising many monks lacked basic resources and faced their own struggles, however, ignited a spark within him, and so the Shangrila Foundation was born to empower Bhutanese monks with essentials, education and technology.

Mr Ohan is currently organising a device drive for Bhutanese monastic schools, but says the highlight is the upcoming Happiness Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, where Bhutanese monks will share insights on mindfulness and social ecology with the Vietnamese business community.

Talking about all the different threads in his life, Mr Ohan begins to realise that travelling and building community are in his DNA. “The last five generations of my family have each lived in a different country. My grandparents were from Armenia, but the 1915 genocide made them orphans, forcing them to move to the Middle East.

“It was very cosmopolitan until it changed politically, making both families refugees. My dad left war-torn Beirut, and following the regime change my mum left Egypt for Switzerland, where she worked at the UN before coming to Australia.”

These parallel journeys eventually led to Sydney, where Mr Ohan’s parents met at the Armenian Church in Willoughby, which his uncle Sarkis Der Bedrossian AO had established with other migrants, along with a cultural centre to build community in their new home.

“A true community leader, he was pivotal in shaping our identity,” acknowledges Mr Ohan, who recently became the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, literally bridging the gap between his ancestral and his adopted homes.

Straddling different cultures wasn’t always easy, especially as an adolescent, but he now appreciates the gift of his heritage. “It broadened my perspective and made me resilient. My family is the source of my fire, especially my mum. A pillar of our Ryde community, she advocated tirelessly for those in need and her strength in the face of adversity still drives me forward.”

And so, as all the strands of Mr Ohan’s journey come together, his connection with the monks in Bhutan is not so surprising after all – it taps into those qualities of service, compassion and purpose that burned deep within him all along. Makes for happy days, and a happy life, indeed.

Greg Ohan’s Bio

Greg Ohan (Ohannessian) recalls the nervous flutter in his stomach late one night in 1998 as he grabbed the newspaper from the counter at the Epping Road Shell service station – the one that used to be called the Space Station (IYKYK). Flipping through the pages under the harsh fluorescent lights, he finally saw his name – he’d been accepted into a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) at Macquarie University. A dream realised, he went on to graduate in 2004.

Now a seasoned entrepreneur with more than 20 years in Asia-Pacific real estate, Mr Ohan is a force for positive change. Currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he co-founded Vietnam’s leading co-working platform The Sentry. Disrupting the market while specialising in the social real estate sector, The Sentry naturally also has a strong connection with Australian expats, government organisations and businesses, and facilitates Australian investment into Vietnam.

Beyond business, Mr Ohan’s passion for service and community continues to evolve. As the Honorary Consul of Armenia in Ho Chi Minh City, he represents the Vietnamese and Vietnamese–Armenian communities domestically and internationally.

His philanthropic endeavours include co-founding Asia Auction House, which has raised over US$1 million for select Vietnamese charities. Recently, he co-founded and leads the Shangrila Foundation of Bhutan, a charity that empowers monks with essential needs, education and technology.

As part of the Macquarie University Alumni Network in Vietnam, he welcomes alumni to join and be part of this growing network, or as an intern at his business, The Sentry, in Ho Chi Minh City.

Connect with Macquarie Alumni community

Are you living or working in Vietnam and want to connect with Macquarie University? Join our growing Macquarie Alumni Network – Vietnam and build your network, attend events and share your industry knowledge. Wherever you are in the world, you’ll be welcomed by our talented and diverse alumni community and enjoy a shared experience.