Cambodia & Confluences : A One-Way Ticket to Adventure: Chris Varin's Journey in Cambodia

Arriving in Cambodia in 2014 for a simple vacation, Christopher Varin never left. Twelve years later, this Franco-British native of Fontainebleau is driving the commercial development of Confluences as well as the immersive museum in Siem Reap, while representing several European brands on a market in full maturation. Portrait of a networker, accustomed to challenges, who has learned from Cambodia the art of prudence married to energy.

Chris Varin @Confluences

A One-Way Ticket to Adventure

Chris's story with Cambodia begins like many expat stories: by chance. In July 2014, he lands in Siem Reap with a Cambodian friend, for a month of vacation. “I liked it.” Three simple words that sum it all up. Back in Paris, the gloom and lack of prospects convince him to try his luck.

The young man, bilingual in French-English, son of a French father and British mother, grew up in Fontainebleau—twin city of Siem Reap, irony of fate. After a Bac STI Electronics and higher studies in international business in alternation, he honed his skills in a Parisian start-up specialized in multimedia compression, traveling the world's major tech trade shows: CES in Las Vegas, MWC in Barcelona. “We were trying to convince Samsung, Nokia, Comcast,” he recounts with the smile of someone who learned early to sell to the big players.

When the start-up loses speed and the Paris market offers him nothing worthwhile, Chris makes a radical decision: send CVs from Paris to Siem Reap. No response via Skype, he buys a plane ticket and lands in person. Result: employed in one week.

From Web Marketing to Project Management: A Techno-Commercial Path

His first job in Siem Reap catapults him into digital marketing, alongside an American creating websites. “I knew nothing about digital marketing. He recruited me and I started the next day.” For years, Chris built his local and international network from this position, developing expertise in client relationship management, social media, and content strategy.

The Covid crisis hits hard. “I lost 99% of my clients. We were the first to go.” Marketing service providers are often the first victims of budget cuts. He survives thanks to clients in Europe and uses this period to coach kids in football, mixing Cambodian children and expats, teaching them colors in three languages between two dribbles. “I loved it.”

The post-crisis recovery opens a new door: he joins Confluences, the group of Soreasmey Ke Bin. His role? Develop the commercial branch in Siem Reap, representing European brands like Malongo, Sodex Sport, or Gerflor to hotels, developers, and players in tourism and restauration. “The Siem Reap market is almost ripe for long-term investments, so you have to be present now.”

Project Manager for an Immersive Museum: “It's the Same Logic as a Website”

In parallel, Chris oversees the project that mobilizes most of his energy today: the construction of an immersive museum in Siem Reap, Immersive Angkor, developed by the Legendary group in partnership with Confluences. The foundations are almost complete, and a soft opening is planned for November 2026.

“I had never managed a construction project of this scale. But deep down, it's not so different from a website: it's the same logic, just more providers.”

Supervising two parallel sites—the digital content and the physical building—while reporting to investors doesn't seem to intimidate him. “The main difficulty in Cambodia is sourcing the right products and ensuring their quality. For the rest, it's progressing.” He pragmatically observes the hazards of the hot season on workers' pace: “I don't know how they do it in this heat. But we know that here, finishing can go very fast.”

Immersive Angkor Under Construction

The Philosophy of a Salesman Who Doesn't Sell Catalogs

What distinguishes Chris in his commercial approach is a conviction rooted since his international trade show years: never “pull out the catalogs.” “My approach is to understand the client's problems before the meeting, then present tailored solutions. If we don't have them in our catalog, we find them with our teams in Phnom Penh or via our partners.”

This search for “win-win,” he internalized it from a professor marked by his time at Thomson, and applies it as much in his professional life as in his personal relationships. His local network, he largely built it on sports fields where he evolved for years. “Sport creates bonds that business alone doesn't create.”

Siem Reap, a City That Grounds People

Asked what keeps him here, the answer comes quick: “I love it.” Siem Reap offers him what Paris no longer gave: proximity, fluidity, unexpected encounters.

“Everything is 15 minutes away, no traffic jams. I haven't seen my 12 years in this city pass.”

He also notes that the city has a rare quality: it opens people up. “The temples allow a ‘reset.’ Here, people arrive more relaxed, more available.” It's often in Siem Reap that his Phnom Penh contacts talk to him about their projects—a restaurant, a hotel, a buyout—thus generating commercial opportunities that the colder capital wouldn't have produced.

Expat life also has its downside. “Distance from family in Europe and especially what I struggle to get used to: friends you see every day who suddenly have to leave. You lose routines. That's the side of expat life I like the least.” He mentions in passing difficulties at the start of the year, with a modesty that says it all. But his conclusion is firm: “If you only take the negative, you're sure not to move forward. You have to count the small positive points in life.”

A New Commitment: The France-Cambodia Chamber of Commerce

A further turning point in Chris Varin's journey: he officially joins the team of the France-Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFC) in Siem Reap, following the recent elections. “It's official, I'm pleased to join the CCIFC team in Siem Reap. Thank you for your support.”

This volunteer commitment fits logically for someone who, settled here for twelve years, witnesses daily—through his missions at Confluences—the challenges as well as the considerable potential of local entrepreneurs. Representing the Franco-Cambodian business community in the temple capital is not just a title: it's the natural extension of a man who has always considered that the best business is built on solid human relationships.

The Cambodian Lesson: Don't Project Too Far

Twelve years in Cambodia have taught him a philosophy of life he probably would never have adopted in Paris: don't project too far.

“I learned here that things happen naturally. If you project too much, you start to stress and some opportunities close.”

The future? He looks at it without anxiety. Once the museum is open, his role might evolve, taking him perhaps to the provinces, abroad, or a different mission within Confluences. His stepdaughter will enter university next year, which will inevitably raise the question of their geographical anchoring. But for now, Chris Varin watches Siem Reap grow around him—the museum foundations, the maturing market—and he is fully satisfied. “I'm still here. And it's working.”