LOUISE TAECHAUBOL
CHAIRWOMAN OF TRITON HOLDING PUBLIC CO LTD
Family, friends and business confidantes who attended the May wedding of Louise Taechaubol and Pasu Wachirapong are no doubt already aware of the bride’s daring, go-getter attitude and penchant (some might say “obsession”) for the stock market. Now, after a long and successful career in investment banking, Louise has taken a tactical turn and entered into a very different industry – construction – taking on the role of Chairwoman of Triton, a company whose most recognised project is the longest oil pipeline in Thailand.
For Louise, the famous quotation by Mark Twain – “You only have one life to live. Make sure that it is your own” – provides a perfect motto to live by. “I believe that it’s important not to waste one’s life,” she explains. “One must act, think, and behave independently, and be true to one’s own morals, judgements, and beliefs, without the influences and opinion of others.”
Her passion for investing started at the age of 10, with money her father would give her every time she got an A in school, and she got very good at what many would term “risky business” because of her fearless nature. “I believe that every good decision comes from experience, and that experience comes from making bad decisions.”
She learned about determination and grit from those closest to her, her parents. “They are my biggest role models. Since I was young I’ve witnessed their trials, errors, successes, and failures, and I am full of admiration at how they’ve achieved so much in their lifetime. My father taught me that no matter how bad the situation one must solve problems one step at a time, while my mother taught me perseverance.”
The best professional advice Louise was ever given came from the late Ajarn Prayoon Chindapradist. When she was 25, and the Chief Investment Officer of a securities company – and as the youngest board member under a lot of pressure – Ajarn Prayoon, the then Chairman of the board, handed her a book entitled Three Kingdoms, by Luo Guanzhong. “He said to me, ‘Read it and tell me next week how you think this book is going to help you overcome the situation. My answer was: ‘Make alliances, surprise the enemy, and have a clear strategy’.”
Forging alliances comes naturally to Louise, and rather than make enemies she prefers to see people happy. “My satisfaction comes from the faces I see at the office when my team has won. When we have achieved things and our successes come as a joint effort, that gives me the most satisfaction.”
As for her proudest professional achievement, she answers: “Finishing the construction of Thailand’s longest pipeline, stretching 600 kilometres from Ayutthaya to Lampang. I am not an engineer, and had never done construction before, but this was a task I was given and I had to do it to the best of my ability, as a lot of people depended on me.” She goes on to say that many people also doubted her, and a lot of people wanted her to fail, but despite all this the construction of the Northern Fuel Pipeline Transportation project finished in three years without losses to the company. Louise’s views on success are uplifting, and should give hope to those still experiencing failures. “Success does not always mean triumph. Every experience has successes and failures, so we succeed most when we learn from both.” And when it comes to maintaining a healthy work/ life balance, she encourages others to “prioritise, take time to rest, and to switch off mentally and physically when you’re tired,” adding that music and exercise also help.
Looking ahead, she muses on what the next few years have in store. “I hope that both Triton (construction) and Global Consumers Public Company (food) will achieve their 5-year goals of 10-billion-baht in revenue per year. Both are on the right path, and the timing seems to be good. My future plans also now include a lifestyle company called ‘Madame Louise’, which we launched last month.”
On the subject of men and women competing in the business, Louise feels neither are born with any special qualities that make them better suited to the corporate world. “There are no unique qualities by gender, only the qualities of each individual,” she remarks, although she acknowledges the overall struggle women face. “Encouragement is needed in a highly male dominated society, and women need to stand up for each other, without scrutiny and prejudice.”
When asked if Thailand has made significant strides to create gender equality, her honest answer is “no”. With so much more to be done, she offers this sage advice to all women: “Help each other. Guide each other. Seldom do women help each other, but when they do, great things happen.
“Make your own judgement, without prejudice, without ill intentions, without bias,” she continues. “If something does not feel right, chances are it’s not right. Believe in your own intuition as it is seldom wrong.”
Befitting a woman of power, Louise’s personal style veers towards the traditional, and is most often limited to no more than 10 brands – with Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana, Balmain and Hermès coming immediately to mind. Not one for buying online, she prefers visiting stores for a proper fitting.
“Clothing has an effect on the wearer and the observer,” she points out when asked about dressing for success. “I think it is important to give respect to the observer by wearing proper attire, as it’s part of good manners and etiquette.”
“SELDOM DO WOMEN HELP EACH OTHER, BUT WHEN THEY DO, GREAT THINGS HAPPEN”