No shortcuts, no free lunches

things happen for a good reason. If they don’t happen, it’s not time yet to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

How do you maintain work/life balance? To say that everything is in balance all the time is practically impossible. When there are pressing deadlines, my life would be out of balance but it’s only momentarily until the work is done.

I try to have a good balance between family, personal time and work. I have a schedule that I follow. In work-life balance, you must have something to develop your right brain (creativity) and I love dancing.

Best piece of advice you ever got on your career? Do your best and go with the flow, things will happen if it is meant to be.

Most-admired business leader? Why? Robert Kuok. He became successful, helped the country and is now extending to helping people in other countries.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? Attending conferences, reading, doing research, being involved in activities related to the profession.

FPAM is an affiliate member of the Financial Planning Standards Board and our certification is recognised in 26 countries. Every year we have two meetings and I do get involved as much as I can. Whatever positive things that foreign countries practise, I try to implement them here.

If you could have an hour with any thought leader in the world, who would it be and why? Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, for her ability to helm Bank Negara Malaysia and bring it world recognition among world banks while sticking to ethics and integrity.

What was your biggest failure and how did you learn from it? When I was an associate sales manager, I did a deal that turn out to be a con job. Lost money for the company and I thought my boss was going to sack me. My boss told me to stay on to earn back the money, and I did. Since then, I learnt to do due diligence whenever I deal with another party.

What was the most outlandish business proposal you have ever heard of? Investment scam that offers great returns in helping to unlock money tied in estate planning woes.