‘ Action speaks louder than words’
I have had a rather varied career path, ranging from education, to shopping centre management, and now property development. I have also sat on the boards of various companies, as well as associations and councils. I believe that variety has put me in good stead to tackle whatever problems and hiccups that come my way.
Having been through the mill in the various disciplines, I am better able to offer my input, direction and leadership into building Andaman into a force to be reckoned with, in the rather
short span of just seven years.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at Andaman Group? It was rather difficult in the beginning as I did not then have the team I have now, and had to start from scratch; so the few of us had to take on a multitude of tasks ourselves.
The difficult start did instill strong teamwork and team spirit, a characteristic which was automatically passed on to newer members who came along.
We have had a good run so far, as we have now achieved total sales of RM3 billion which, given the size of our company, is an astounding achievement.
How do you maintain work/life balance? My family means the world to me and I can truly say that they are at the centre of my very existence. My busy schedule takes me away from them most weekdays, so I try to make up for that during the weekends. I also enjoy taking all of them on holidays whenever I can. My wife also accompanies me for various official dinners and company/ departmental trips.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal lives? I have learned so much from several mentors who have been so kind as to share their life experiences with me and they have patiently guided me when I was young and ignorant.
What they have imparted in me will stay with me forever, and in the same spirit, I hope in my humble way, to mentor my younger colleagues, as well as friends who come my way.
What do you want to accomplish in the next five years? For Andaman, we hope to achieve total sales of RM5 billion. As for CSR (me and/or Andaman), I hope to set up a foundation for the poor, to assist the needy and deserving in improving their livelihood, as well as create educational opportunities for their children.
Best piece of advice you ever got on your career? The founder of Andaman, Mr Teoh Seng Aun, told me this: “Action speaks louder than words”. This has stuck to me and I try my utmost to uphold the principle in whatever I do.
Most admired business leader? Why? Tan Sri Vincent Tan, as he possesses all the characteristics and capability of a great entrepreneur.
How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? By engaging personally with: a) customers, to obtain their feedback and
likes/dislikes as well as requirements; b) employees, treating them as individuals and people, rather than just staff, and in the process, helping them to improve – not only in their work, but in their personal capacity as well; c) stakeholders like bankers, to keep abreast of current issues. If you could have an hour with any thought leader in the world, who would it be and why? Jack Ma, as he encompasses all that I hope to achieve, as he has succeeded beyond anyone’s comprehension, and has done that through sheer passion and perseverance.
What was your biggest failure and how did you learn from it? Failure to plan for contingency when launching a new project, something I have never repeated.
What man-made innovation confounds you? Why? Burj Al Arab, right in the middle of the desert city of Dubai. Forty years ago, they were riding camels.
Malaysia’s greatest brand. Penang Island, as it is a great brand itself, a true blue “Pearl of The Orient”. Foreigners flock to this venue first, and Malaysia later.
Blue or red ocean strategy? Or neither? Why? Definitely blue ocean strategy as it is better to be a big player in a small pond, not a small player in a big pond. It is better to move away to a place where competition is relatively non-existent, rather than compete with so many players in the market.
A must-read for every business owner/ manager is... Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. A simple little book that can be read in an hour or less, but one whose message is so powerful – “change or be changed” – showing the importance of being able to change/modify adjust when doing business, as the environment changes so swiftly.