Hard work, great bosses and luck

how we do that is evolving. Having a young workforce means we need to change how we operate and engage our people and our customers. We are learning and adjusting, and will continue to get better.

What advice can you offer those looking to start their career/ own business? Find something you love and chase it. There will be many naysayers that will tell you that it’s not possible, it can’t be done, people have tried. Ignore them … learn from past endeavours and push on. The world has so many examples of people that pushed the boundaries, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg.

Find good people to mentor and coach you. Be open to take feedback and believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to adjust along the way … constant improvement is key to all great products and ideas. And have fun.

We all know about the industrial revolution, are we in for a technological revolution? Your thoughts. Technology has always changed businesses. Look at history, the Model T Ford, IBM, Apple, now Facebook. I think the tech revolution has accelerated for key industries with a lot of businesses disrupting existing business models. This is the new business reality we live in daily.

It’s not to be feared, rather to be embraced and we need to identify how this can benefit our customers, consumers, workforce and our communities for the better.

How has mentorship made a difference in your professional life? Without doubt, great leadership and mentoring is integral to success both professionally and personally. I’ve been blessed to have had some amazing mentors and leaders that have coached me, that I could model their behaviour and discussed ideas with.

Feedback is a gift if given from the right place, which is to help develop an individual. It’s something I seek and something I try and give to my teams. We have some amazing talent in this country and with the right support, coaching and investment, there are no limits to what they can achieve.

What do you want to accomplish in the next five years? There are so many things on the cards it’s hard to know where to start. From a professional point, I want to develop local talent in our business. We have a young organisation that is very dynamic and passionate. If I am able to develop the talent to move up in the Coca-Cola world and export talent to other markets, that for me would be the biggest achievement I could ask for. All other business results will come from that.

Best piece of advice you ever got on your career. Be bold and clear about what you want. Life is short and you need to put in more than you take out. Take a risk on talent and let your people be your legacy.

My mother once gave me this advice (especially during tough times), “What’s for you won’t pass you and what passes you wasn’t for you”. Only when the tough times pass do you realise this comment is accurate.

Most-admired business leader? Why? Steve Jobs, mainly due to his innovative and disruptive mindset. His unwillingness to follow status quo and his pure determination to make a difference.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? Stay close to your customers and consumers, it is the ultimate truth. This is really where the rubber meets the road and you will learn more from them than you ever can imagine. It’s easy to get stuck in meetings and behind a desk so in our business we are constantly out walking the streets, meeting customers and chatting to our consumers. In addition, media is a constant source of learning as well as other Coke businesses around the world are a great resource for looking around corners. I also believe by having constant dialogues and participating in roundtable discussions between industries and government agencies will give a better overview of what is happening in the marketplace.

If you could have an hour with any thought leader in the world, who would it be and why? The late Nelson Mandela would have been a real joy to spend an hour with. He overcame fear and hate. He forgave and ultimately led a country and government free from apartheid rule. He had flaws and wasn’t perfect, but he was open about them and put the greater cause before his own personal interests. A great leader and statesman of our times.

What was the biggest challenge you have faced? And what did you learn from it? The wonderful thing about the Coca-Cola Company and our people is we see the glass always half full. Challenges are really opportunities you haven’t figured out yet. When big challenges come it’s important to have your network in place to seek insights, ideas and ultimately solutions. Keeping an open mind and remaining calm when everyone around you is freaking out is a much needed skill, sometimes easier said than done.

What was the most outlandish business proposal you have ever heard of? None spring to mind. In fact I encourage my teams to come up with new ideas and new ways of thinking. The more out there the idea, the more chances there may be something you can take from it and create a new solution.

Malaysia’s greatest brand. I love the phrase “Malaysia Boleh”. Everyone says it daily and becomes a rallying call for teams up and down the country. From a business perspective Malaysia has so many, and many of them are our customers, but with global influence. AirAsia has done so much for low-cost travel in the region, Jimmy Choo for fashion and design and Grab (Malaysian founders).

A must-read for every business owner/manager is .. The Book of Leadership by Anthony Gell and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

How do you expect policies on climate change to impact businesses in the future? We work hard on our effect on the climate and have built a green manufacturing facility in Bandar Enstek. It’s something we prize our self on. Recycling is the next major area we need to work on, together with the government. We have a key role to play to ensure we leave the planet in a better place that we got it and we will place a massive emphasis on this in all our markets.

What are the top three factors you would attribute your success to? Hard work and passion; great bosses; a little bit of luck.