Important to seek different views

What traits do you look for in your talent or how do you decide who is right for a job? One is adaptability. The world is fastchanging so they must be able to take in whatever they see and observe, and also quickly formulate a plan or a strategy.

The second is openness to learning. The reason I decided to go to the US was its liberal arts education, learning different topics so that you can form a world view. I think attitude is way more important than just hiring someone with years of experience because 10 years ago, we didn’t have an iPhone.

It is mind-boggling how the world has changed in one decade, so we have to be prepared.

How do you think the industry you are in will evolve in the future? Very exciting things are happening in terms of technology. Artificial intelligence is really going to hit the medical field for certain professions like radiology. We have to keep up with all the exciting breakthroughs.

I think the authorities will also have to catch up with the various medical issues such as stem cells, in terms of the legal and ethical aspects and the moral implications.

What advice can you offer those looking to start their career/own business? It is always good to pick a position based on what you can learn. For example, when I joined Sunway, I knew I wanted exposure in healthcare so I got myself transferred. When I was there, I thought that marketing was something I had no experience in, so I asked my boss if I could go into the marketing department. After marketing, I moved from marketing into clinical services. So, being very deliberate in terms of thinking what are the key bits of knowledge that you need to succeed and then making sure that you position yourself to take up those opportunities. Because people will only give them to you if they feel confident that you can do it. Once you start building your track record, things just get easier. Secondly, networking is very important. People at very high level succeed because they network. So you need to go out and meet people. Having knowledge in different areas is helpful because it helps build your network and your relationships with people.

How has mentorship made a difference in your professional life? I think it is very important to be able to seek advice from different people with different perspectives within and outside the industry. Sometimes you just need someone to bounce your ideas off. Mentors help you look at yourself differently. I think that’s very important. Otherwise you get trapped in your own way of thinking and the people surrounding you. Often you choose your friends because they are similar to you, so there’s that (danger). I think it’s very important to make sure you’re not in an echo chamber and to listen to different points of view.

What do you want to accomplish in the next five years? In the next five years I need to make sure that the expansion of Tropicana Medical Centre is up and running, and successful. It’s really exciting to see something grow. In 10 years, it has grown from a fertility centre to a hospital. To take it to the next level is something that I think would be really exciting knowing that the healthcare industry is going to change dramatically in the next five years.

Best piece of advice you ever got on your career. When I started working, someone told me if you didn’t want to live the life your bosses were leading, it’s time to move on. Often times, we’re not deliberate enough to find out what we really want.

For example, when I decided to leave BCG to join a local company like Sunway, people thought it was a crazy move – good salary and good branding – and then again when I left Sunway, a journalist asked why I left a big hospital to work at a smaller one.

Most-admired business leader? Why? I really admire my husband. He graduated from Oxford at 16 and we met at BCG. At that time he was 20 years old. He worked in corporate line for more than 10 years.

When he left the corporate world, he was vice-president at McDonald’s. But he decided that he wanted to be a photographer. He knew exactly what he needed to do to succeed at an international level and he made it. Last year he was appointed chief of strategy for Hasselblad, a Swedish camera company and he’s based in Malaysia. In August, he launched a watch company and he also designs watches.

He’s really been my inspiration.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? I read a lot. I don’t know any successful person who doesn’t like to read. I force myself to read. Social media helps in your network, people share the latest happenings in the industry. It’s very easy to get information nowadays.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced ? What did you learn from it? I think the biggest challenge is overcoming people’s perception, how you should be, how a Muslim-Malay, young, female should be.

I feel that you should just deliver and build a track record that overcomes everything. Of course there’s never enough time in a day to do everything.

I have a two-year-old daughter, so now the biggest challenge is to keep her occupied without resorting to an iPad.

It’s very tough, I haven’t figured that one out yet.