Angel Chung Ching He is a prominent mechanical electrical engineer of the National University of Engineering (UNI). Thanks to his great dedication to his studies, he managed to work as general manager in renowned companies in Chile, Peru, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Finland and Indonesia. One of them was Kinross, the third best mining company in the world. Although the new Peruvian is now triumphing in gringo lands, his life was not always surrounded by success, since, during his childhood, he lived in extreme poverty.
The UNI engineer was born and raised in the populous neighborhood of Cerro San Cosme, in the district of La Victoria. Since there were 14 siblings, his parents, Chinese immigrants who escaped the political crisis in China, faced great economic problems as they could not cover household expenses. Thus, they chose to move to Yerbateros, an area of Lima where Ángel Chung lived part of his adolescence.
How did Ángel Chung manage to enter Electrical Mechanical Engineering at UNI?
Despite the economic difficulties his family faced, Ángel Chung was always very studious, like his brothers. His father, a former university professor in China, instilled in them a love of numbers from a young age.
“One of the virtues that our father has taught us is to study. Living in extreme poverty you have no other choice (…) My father was a professor at a university in China, so he always gave us math exercises that made you think and reason. From primary to secondary school,” the UNI engineer revealed in an interview for Modesto Montoya’s YouTube channel.
Ángel Chung held the position of general manager at Kinross, the third largest mining company in the world. Photo: YouTube capture/Modesto Montoya
Thanks to this, he and his brothers developed professionally in the best universities in Peru. Six entered the National University of Engineering (UNI), each in different areas of engineering, and one to the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM).
“One of my older brothers entered the Metallurgical Engineering program in San Marcos. From there we all entered engineering. My second brother was the first to enter UNI. I entered Electrical Mechanical Engineering, from there my other brothers followed. There are 6 of us who entered the UNI,” commented Ángel Chung.
How did Ángel Chung manage to develop as a general manager in renowned companies around the world?
Although during his university years Ángel Chung stood out as a karate fighter, it was his dedication to study that led him to obtain a scholarship at a renowned metallurgical mining company in the country: Southern Perú. By demonstrating his great abilities in the area, he was selected to carry out a project in Finland, where he managed to occupy the position of interim engineering manager.
“I joined Southern Perú as an intern. I went to work at the Toquepala mine (…) sports taught me to be disciplined (because) I was the first of the interns to be hired. I held different positions and they chose me for a project in Finland, not because I did a project before but because of my attitude. There I started as a mechanical project engineer and ended up as interim engineering manager,” he added.
To continue his development in the engineering field, he moved to the United States. There he was presented with the opportunity to work at Kinross, the third mining company to produce gold worldwide. According to the UNI graduate, his work experience in various countries such as Peru, Chile, Mexico, Canada and Indonesia has been fundamental for his professional development in highly responsible roles.
Currently, Ángel Chung continues to work on mining projects in the United States and gives international motivation, leadership and personal improvement conferences in countries such as Mexico and Peru.