Ekachai Uekrongtham

Chief Content Officer & Managing Director, GMM Studios International

BBA, Class of 1983

Growing up in Bangkok, Ekachai Uekrongtham’s passion for film was sparked by his father, who once worked at a cinema in the city’s Chinatown. Weekly movie outings with his parents inspired him and fuelled his love for storytelling. 

Pursuing his childhood dream, however, was not straightforward. As Ekachai grew up and his parents started a family business, he felt a duty to gain business knowledge. When it came time to choose what to study, he faced a crossroads: the responsible path of studying business versus his passion for the arts. He chose business, graduated from NUS Business School, and joined American Express in Singapore, subsequently becoming the youngest marketing manager there. 

Despite his corporate success, Ekachai felt a strong calling to the arts. In the early 1990s, he pivoted his career to pursue his real passion, leading to a life-changing opportunity to work with Sir Cameron Mackintosh, producer of Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, and his organisations in Singapore, Sydney, and London. He then founded ACTION Theatre, establishing it as a professional company in Singapore. 

Although his career took a dramatic turn, his family remained his greatest supporters. They encouraged him to follow his passions, enabling him to take artistic risks and achieve many milestones. 

The success of Chang & Eng – The Musical marked another pivotal moment. This landmark show became Singapore’s longest-running homegrown musical and the first English-language musical staged in China, blending creative vision with strategic acumen and solidifying Ekachai’s reputation locally and regionally. 

Building on his theatre career, Ekachai ventured into film and television in the early 2000s. His first film, Beautiful Boxer, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, won 15 international awards, and was screened at over 100 film festivals worldwide. Following this, Pleasure Factory was selected for the Cannes Film Festival affirming his ability to create stories with global resonance. A personal highlight was winning Best Screenplay at the Asian Television Awards. More than accolades, what brings him fulfillment is seeing the pride and joy in his teams. “When they’re happy, I’m happier,” says Ekachai. 

Throughout his life, Ekachai has been grateful for his family and all those who believed in him. He treasures the experiences that shaped him, including his time at NUS Business School under the ASEAN Merit Scholarship, where inspiring marketing classes laid a foundation for his creative thinking. This solid underpinning has influenced his work with diverse audiences and collaborators, particularly in recent acclaimed projects such as Doctor Climax for Netflix and Previously Saved Version, an Amazon Original Japanese film that became the No. 1 film in Japan for weeks and topped charts across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Oceania. 

“I love ending every day by reflecting on the mistakes I’ve made. They’re our greatest teachers. It thrills me to know that you can always remain a student, learning new things day after day,” Ekachai muses.