Ngau Boon Keat studied mechanical engineering at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. After graduating, he got his first job in 1972, working as a refinery engineer for Mobil Singapore Pte Ltd. In 1975 he moved to Petronas, working his way up from production engineer to engineering manager.

In 1984 he co-founded Dialog Group, a business providing engineering services, crude refining and storage tank terminals. They were behind the expansion of Johor’s deep water terminal – the first in Southeast Asia. He is the current chairman of the group.