Creative artists are gifted with the skills and talents to create a myriad of fine artistic works that include paintings, drawings, sculpting and even musical compositions. They have great imagination and their inspiration is derived from their personal experiences, emotions, environment surroundings or objects found in daily life. Their amazing artworks are a great inspiration to others and some of them even help to spread awareness on issues like the importance of preserving Malaysia’s local heritage and environment for the future generation. Here, Top 10 of Malaysia shares its list of the country’s top ten creative talents, presented in random order, who have showcased and expressed their creativity through their works.

Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail
Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail is an award-winning contemporary ceramic sculptor who is well-known for her playful artistic sculptures inspired by Malaysian traditions and pop culture. In addition, she is also the co-founder of Patisatu Studio, an initiative that promotes ceramic art creations and also introduce Malaysian ceramic art abroad. These are accomplished through exchange art workshops, art residency and exhibitions programmes. Umibaizurah represented Malaysia in the Jakarta Biennale 2000, Cheongju Craft Biennale 2011 and Asia Ceramics Network 2009 in South Korea. In 2016, she organized a solo exhibition of her ceramic sculptures, paintings and mixed media collage at The Edge Gallerie Kuala Lumpur.

Jamil Zakaria
Jamil Zakaria is a fine art artist who uses steel wires to weave his installations and sculptures. The first step taken by this creative artist would be to create moulds and later weaving the wires based on the moulds and creating textures. Thus, the final result is the solid form of his artwork. One of his well-known artwork is the “Mat Bunga”, a large scale primate wearing a pair of sunglasses and holding a flower. The primate is oversized and it is placed on a white sofa. Jamil linked his artwork to the famous Malay idiom “like an ape getting flowers”, which means someone who takes things for granted.

Esther Yap
Esther Yap is Malaysia’s talented sand animation artist and she has been performing her craft for ten years. She is a Malaysia Book of Records’ holder for “the first 2D/3D sand art animation for ten drawings in five minutes”. Esther drew ten iconic landmarks which includes the Sydney Theatre by using sand. As a famous sand animation artist, she was invited by well-known corporate organizations to showcase her talents at their annual dinners.

Chong Siew Ying
Well-known for her dynamic expressive oil paintings of faces and figures painted with bold brush strokes, award-winning artist, Chong Siew Ying uses art as a form of visual poetry and she is described as a lyrical and elegant painter. Her artworks embrace themes such as nature, human sentiments, literary themes and concepts. Her series of works “The Home and the World” were painted by using large-scaled charcoal and acrylic emulsion on paper mounted canvases portraying landscapes and signifying herself being in a familiar yet distant world. Another well-known painting is the “Crying with Trees” series that describes the pain she feels from noticing the destruction of our environment.

Sharon Kow
Award-winning Sharon Kow is a well-known colour pencil artist cum contemporary realism artist who is recognised for her beautiful and realistic colour pencil artworks, focusing on details, values and nuances. Her artworks have been published in various magazines and websites. Besides, Sharon also contributed to a number of step-by-step instruction or guide book for colour pencil art and participated in the Art Biennale 2016 organized by Malaysia and also the Taiwan International Art Exchange Exhibition 2017. She is the first colour pencil artist in South East Asia to earn the “Signature Status” with the Colored Pencil Society of America in 2016.

Ajim Juxta
Architectural designer turned artist, Raja Azeem Idzham or better known as Ajim Juxta is a visual artist known for his works of pen and ink painting, found-object sculptures and canvas painting. His artworks mainly focus on architecture and conceptual, abstract art and dystopian realities. Besides, he is also the founder of of Titikmerah, a collective which hosts art shows and programmes in Publika. Ajim has won various awards and received residencies as a full time artist.
Haffendi Anuar
Haffendi Anuar is a contemporary artist who focuses on sculptures, objects, installations, drawings, paintings and photographs which are inspired by vernacular urban architecture, sheens and surfaces of the environment and nature. The creative artist is famous for his sculptures which are form, material and object-based. The talented sculptor also creates sculptural forms out of fabrics, ropes and fibres and he has created an outdoor sculpture for the Battersea Power Station development in London in 2017. Haffendi’s works are also portrayed in the public collections of Khazanah Nasional, the Singapore Art Muzeum and the Cass Sculpture Foundation in the United Kingdom.

Agnes Lau
Agnes Lau is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist who focuses in drawing, printmaking and painting on different materials such as paper, canvas, ceramic and objects found in daily life. Her work has been exhibited at local galleries such as Taksu Gallery, G13 Gallery, Segaris Art Centre and TitikMerah Gallery. Well-known as a printmaking artist, her famous printmaking works were “100,000 eyebrows”, which was selected as an exhibiting piece in Kuala Lumpur Miniprint Exhibition at the National Art Gallery and the “Manuscript of Nature” series which was exhibited at the 2nd Macau Printmaking Research Centre of Macau.

Red Hong Yi
Known as the artist who paints without a paintbrush, Red Hong Yi uses everyday items such as teabags and chopsticks to produce her works. She even made a portrait of Jay Chou with coffee mug stains. Hong Yi rose to fame after uploading a video on You Tube of herself dipping a basketball in red paint and creating a portrait of Yao Ming, a retired National Basketball Association celebrity. Other famous works created by Hong Yi is the creation of actor, Jackie Chan’s portrait by using 64,000 chopsticks, assembling an image of Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei by using 20,000 sunflower seeds and using a bunch of feathers to form the silhouette of Chewbacca.

Lim Pui Wan
Lim Pui Wan is an artist who creates miniature art from food to furniture, tiny gadgets, buildings, kitchenware and even cookware based on Malaysia culture. Her food designs are created out of resin clay and the process involves mixing colours of clays followed by sculpting, texturing, painting and glossing in order to create a detailed work of art in the correct size. Among Pui Wan’s well-known artworks are a fully-stocked snack shop, scenes of Kuala Lumpur such as a kopitiam and a coffee shop that has been demolished. Her clients include big organizations such as museums and individuals who seek to immortalise family treasures and memories through miniature artworks.

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Automobile owners frequently spend their travelling time in their vehicles and so, it is important for a vehicle to smell fresh and inviting at all times. Eddie Ng, founder of Vanzo Asia Sdn Bhd shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on the car air fresheners produced by his company which emits soothing and alluring scents thus transforming a vehicle into a comfortable place with the scents of aromatherapy. The creative entrepreneur also shares on what inspired him to pursue his interest and turn it into a career that became successful with products well sought-after.  

A native from the southern metropolis of the Malaysian Peninsula, Johor Bahru, Eddie Ng grew up in a family of five. Before establishing Vanzo Asia Sdn Bhd, the enterprising entrepreneur has a plethora of job experiences before he discovered his true passion and interest in car air fresheners. “I realised that although they are many companies that manufacture and sell air fresheners for cars in Malaysia, the quality isn’t top notch as the scent being released by the products might be hazardous to our health in a long run,” shares Ng. “Malaysians are getting more health conscious and their ultimate focus is on getting a good product that would smell great and isn’t hazardous to our health.”

The company produces car air fresheners that combine two important qualities, an undeniably fresh and soothing fragrance made from ingredients which are safe for inhaling. “We collaborated with the Japanese brand Ogawa and Taiyo and formulated products which are 100% free from formaldehyde, toluene and benzene,” says Ng. Vanzo Asia’s products has also earned the Certificate of Approval and Material Safety Data Sheet. “Our products consist of aromatherapy subtle fragrances such as English Pear and Freesia. These scents and exterior designs are exclusively for ladies,” shares Ng whose company has achieved success in sales within just a short period of time.

“Being a Malaysian and having a career in producing car air fresheners, I ensure every ingredient used in creating the products is the best so people would recognize our brand as a Malaysian brand,” says the patriotic, award-winning entrepreneur.

“We are also currently working with Grab and providing their premium fleet with our products,” beams Ng as he adds on. The company’s brand, Vanzo Air Freshener, was chosen to be promoted out of another five brands. “Besides, we are also collaborating with Shine Shine Car Wash and carlist.com.my to further promote our products,” says Ng. “Vanzo Asia also has branches in Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan as we have dealers selling our products there.”

When asked on the challenges and obstacles he faces while running the business, Ng confidently replies, “The world is changing rapidly and so is the market. We have to bear that in mind and keep up with the change. In fact, we have to act fast in order to become an industry leader,” advises Ng who also credited his subordinates for the success garnered by the company. “When there is an issue, I will make sure that it is resolved. I can be the toughest boss to work with but also the friendliest pal during non-working hours,” laughs Ng as he shares on his work management style.

“I honestly don’t think I have created or done anything great but the Malaysian in me yearns to accomplish something which could make the country proud,” says Ng who is also generous in giving advice to young aspiring entrepreneurs. “I would advise the young people who are just starting out in their business careers to persevere and don’t expect quick fixes and shortcuts to success. Success only comes to those who are brave and who work h

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20dB Hearing has revolutionized the way hearing aids are made available to the Malaysian public. A firm believer of highly customised products with the individual’s needs in mind, Mok Yong Yaw, founder and CEO of 20dB Hearing, shares with Top 10 of Malaysia how his passion to help those in need of hearing aid paved his way to success.

“Almost 20 years ago audiology was still a relevantly new field and when you become an audiologist you would probably end up working in hospitals,” states Mok who hails from Sibu, Sarawak. “After gaining my Bachelor of Audiology (Hons) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, I worked as an audiologist at Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd for 3 years and then I started this business.”

When asked how he got his business idea Mok adds, “Back then hearing aids were not easily available everywhere in Malaysia. The information and advice you get would be from the salespeople trained by the manufacturers or the salespeople’s own experience in selling the devices. The lack of professionalism made me realize that many of these people would benefit from getting professional advice and proper hearing aid rehabilitating process.”

“My mission is to have hearing aid services made available to the public and these services are to be provided by trained and qualified audiologists who can give professional advice and product customization services,” Mok shares. He set up his first shop, Gnosis Professional Hearing Services, in Kuala Lumpur in the year 2002. “In 2012, we rebranded our name to 20dB Hearing. Other than providing hearing aids to the public, auditory protection devices and cochlear implant consultation, our hearing care centre also provides speech therapy and clinical psychology services,” says Mok. While running and expanding his business, Mok did his Master of Business Administration from University of Melbourne on a part-time basis to enhance his business skills.

“We now have 23 outlets all over Malaysia. We believe that a local professional audiologist who knows local living lifestyle and behaviour would be in a better position to provide customised services to satisfy their requirements,” Mok explains. “One of the factors that contribute to our success is making our audiologists our business partners. Every one of them is responsible and accountable for the success of his or her outlet. Although we have a centralised management group, we give them freedom in making decisions that are ethical and beneficial to the client.”

Mok laments that one of the challenges in the business is the low public awareness and education on hearing aids. “Then there is also competition from other companies, especially online ones that offer cheaper but non-customised devices.” Nevertheless, Mok is proud of 20dB’s achievements. “We are the only hearing healthcare company that is ISO 9001:2015 certified in Malaysia, we provide nationwide support to our clients and we have a solid management structure that ensures sustainability.”

20dB Hearing offers Take Home Trial up to 20 days before the clients purchase the hearing aid. This is to let them be confident in making decisions to choose the right instrument which helps to improve their hearing experience. It also gives a better opportunity for the hearing aid wearer to experience the amplification in their environments.

Mok is looking forward to expanding his business further within the next 5 years. “We are already looking at having 30 outlets, promoting more awareness on hearing problems and solutions to the public, providing industrial audiometry services and cochlear implant,” reveals Mok. “In 10 years’ time, we would want to explore the regional markets.”

To Mok, having a good work-life balance is very important. “First thing, I never bring work home. Secondly, the weekends are for my family. I also exercise as often as I can.” When asked about his greatest achievements, Mok has this to say, “I’ve always thought of myself as a clinically trained person, not as someone managing a company, so I am very fortunate to be doing this. Also, I would like to think that I am contributing to the industry as well as the welfare of the society.”

Mok believes that people who are starting out in business should always think about adding value for the customers. “Do not just think of profit as this will hinder you from getting your business strategy right. Also, never stop learning, always talk to experienced people to learn from them, be prepared to take risks and always plan ahead

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When it comes to aesthetic treatment, people are cautious and will only go for treatment at trusted clinics. People head to aesthetic clinics not only for cosmetic enhancement but also for treatment and solutions for physical ailments such as acne and extra tummy fat. Here, Top 10 of Malaysia takes a look at its list of the nation’s top aesthetic clinics, listed in no particular order, that are providing a myriad of services for their patients with various health-related or aesthetic conditions.

Dr Ko Skin Specialist
Founded in 1997 by Dato’ Dr Ko Chung Beng, Dr. Ko Skin Specialist is one of the largest and leading dermatology and laser centre in Asia. It is also the first and largest homegrown chain of skin and aesthetic clinic certified by the Health Ministry of Malaysia and it also made it to the Malaysia Book of Records as the “Largest Skin, Laser and Aesthetic Clinic in Malaysia”. Dr. Ko Skin Specialist is the first comprehensive aesthetic centre to provide skin, slimming, hair and cosmetic surgery. It has 31 centres across Malaysia and regional offices in Indonesia. The clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and a team of doctors who are experts in laser technology, aesthetic innovation and advanced plastic surgery.

One Doc Medical
Founded by Dr Michael Ong and Dr Terrence Teoh in 2016, One Doc Medical is an award-winning, locally established laser treatment and aesthetic centre in Malaysia. It focuses on non-invasive facial treatments for skin-related problems such as acne, pores, pigmentation and aging skin. Besides, it also specialises in multiple laser facial treatments and medical facial formulas of the safest and highest quality of standards with proven results for the improvement of skin texture especially for Asian skin. One Doc has won several awards and accolades. It is also acknowledged as one of Malaysia’s fastest growing medical aesthetic centres with 12 branches all over Malaysia.

Lush Aesthetics Malaysia
Lush Aesthetics Malaysia has a total of 4 branches in Malaysia and Singapore and it is well known for its aesthetic treatments such as Almalase Laser Facial, fat freeze, LED teeth whitening treatment, super laser hair removal, fillers, thread lift and skin healer. Its treatments are catered specifically for face, body, teeth, hair removal and hair growth. It also works closely with aesthetic manufacturers and suppliers in order to create the latest top notch aesthetic technologies and products. Besides, it has won several awards for its effective aesthetic treatments, pleasant customer experience and satisfaction with outstanding performance in the aesthetic field.

M.A.C. Clinic
M.A.C. Clinic was formerly known as Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic and it was established by Dr Hew Yin Keat in 1996. Located at Bangsar, the award-winning clinic offers non-invasive and minimally invasive aesthetic procedures introducing the art of aging gracefully with its state-of-the-art aesthetic equipment and premium quality products for face, body and skin care. Among its services are skin health consultation, acne treatment, botox, Lipomassage, Liposonix Custom Contouring and Lypolysis injections. M.A.C. Clinic provides the latest, safest and effective treatment. Besides, it also provides health services and wellness programs.

Crown Clinic
Established in 2013 and co-founded by Dr Lim Wan Chyi, Crown Clinic is one of Malaysia’s registered medical healthcare and aesthetic clinics providing quality medical health care and aesthetic services. The clinic focuses on non-invasive aesthetic procedures for facial enhancement and rejuvenation. Besides providing aesthetic services, this award-winning clinic also provides other services such as for general healthcare, vaccination, general health screening and anti-aging services. Crown Clinic is also famous for its advanced medical and cutting age medical aesthetic technology which includes Q-Switched Laser, CO2 Laser, Silkpeel Dermainfusion and Plexr Soft Surgery.

GEM Clinic
Established by Dr Lenzo Ling and Phoebe Chan in 2008, GEM Clinic is an award- winning aesthetic clinic that provides services in holistic treatments by using high quality products for regenerative and aesthetic medicine to ensure long lasting and effective aesthetic results. Among its services include laser hair removal, sclerotherapy, crafted IV infusions, photodynamic therapy, mesotherapy and surgical procedures. Besides, it also uses professional medical aesthetic grade skin care products founded by its doctors for cutting-edge facial and body beauty treatments. It focuses to enhance one’s beauty and reverse signs of aging. It also formulated MediGlow, a range of dermatology skin care products which helps to prolong results of aesthetic procedures and also post-aesthetic procedures by soothing and reducing redness and swelling.

Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre
Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre is an award-winning aesthetic clinic providing services for a combination of medical aesthetic treatments, cosmetic surgery, dental aesthetics, hair restoration and it also provides anti-ageing medicine. Besides, the clinic also provides non-invasive treatment procedures such as Botox injection, chemical therapies and laser treatments. Founded in 2012, the clinic is managed by a group of highly skilled specialist doctors, certified plastic surgeons and it is also equipped by world-class facilities with modern equipment and technology thus delivering the best aesthetic results for its international clienteles and also local clients.

Premier Clinic
Founded by Dr Chen Tai Ho, Premier Clinic is one of Malaysia’s leading aesthetic clinics and it has a total of 6 outlets, having served over a thousand satisfied customers locally and abroad. The clinic also won several awards and is equipped with modern technology and equipment in aesthetic medicine with skilled medical aesthetic licensed specialist doctors to ensure effective and safe aesthetic treatment for customers such as cosmetic and plastic surgery, cosmetic non-surgical on skin by using injectables, dermal fillers and also thread lifting, hair removal, hair transplant and non-surgical weight loss or fat removal.

Idealyst Clinic & Medispa
Founded in 2015 by Dr Aidil Azry Dato’ Mokhtar, the award-winning Idealyst Clinic & Medispa is well known by promoting aesthetic treatment via social media thus has gained the interests and visits of many local celebrities enabling Idealyst to be featured in various television programmes. The clinic provides services to cure and remove hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines, hair baldness, skin imperfections, permanent hair removal, acne treatment, anti-aging treatment, hydrafacial, oxygen facial therapy and body contouring. It aims to provide clients with effective treatments and affordable price range. The clinic has well equipped facilities paired with modern technology and highly trained staff in aesthetic medicine. Besides, it also sells aesthetic beauty products such as Royal Glow, Bee Venom Serum and Eye-Deal by Idealyst.

IDO’s Clinic
IDO’s Clinic is an award-winning aesthetic clinic with a total of 8 branches that provides state-of-the-art technology and aesthetic innovations by skilled aesthetic doctors and medical professionals who specialize in anti-aging therapy, acne and scar management, laser pigmentation and scar removal to provide its customers revitalising treatments. It provides treatments for scars, acne, wrinkles, lines, skin tags, and also anti-aging and facial treatments such as brow shaping, face slimming and lips whitening. Besides, the clinic also invests in research and development of skin care to ensure the best aesthetic procedures are carried out for its patients.

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Appointed as Chairman of Bank Rakyat in December 2018, Datuk Noripah Kamso shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on her inspiration and focus in transforming and leading the co-operative bank to a new chapter which positions the organisation as a sustainable bank in Islamic financial services and beyond.

“I love my job. Even in some circumstances when I did not enjoy the work, I would reinvent myself in order to love it. And whenever I face resistance, I take that as a challenge to overcome it. Therefore, I always see the glasses as half full rather than half empty,” says Datuk Noripah Kamso.

Indeed, there were many challenges that Datuk Noripah had to overcome ever since she took the helm as Chairman of Bank Rakyat in December 2018. Among the challenges that she had faced were strong resistance to changes introduced within the organisation – changes that were necessary to improve the bank’s image and profile, and to future-proof the bank especially in this digital era.

But Datuk Noripah is no stranger to change and to the banking industry. Armed with thirty-three years of experience in commercial and investment banking including futures broking, Datuk Noripah was the former chief executive of CIMB-Principal Asset Management Sdn Bhd and CIMB-Principal Islamic Asset Management Sdn Bhd. She had also assumed an academician role by lecturing at Drake University in Iowa, United States, and pioneered to establish and build an Islamic finance unit at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, an independent centre at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

“I have covered the full range of banking services throughout my career. But during the last ten years in Islamic asset management, I gained global experience, exposure and leadership,” says the dynamic and visionary Chairman.

With global experience and exposure under her belt, the Chairman of Bank Rakyat is spearheading BR25, a five-year transformation plan to drive a cooperative bank to be digitally-ready as a sustainable bank in Islamic financial services and beyond.

“We had a five-year business plan before, but it was to put our house in order, so to speak. However, BR25 is different as it has a ‘defined destination’. BR25 is our aspirational evolution to transform Bank Rakyat as a globally-recognised catalyst for national development through a range of financial services rooted in Islamic values, community spirit and sustainability. Our ‘defined destination’ is to be a digitally-savvy sustainable bank by 2025,” explains Datuk Noripah.

“BR25 is supported by five strategic pillars, namely, to improve economic and social development of our customers and members; to deliver great customer experience leveraging on digitalisation and analytics; to collaborate with partners to innovate and accelerate common goals; to get the buy-in of the vision and Aspirational Evolution by the employees; and to be a sustainable Islamic financial service and beyond,” explains Datuk Noripah.

This ambitious turnaround initiative requires Datuk Noripah as Chairman of Bank Rakyat to provide vision and direction for the organisation, to manage the bank’s stakeholders from the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development, Bank Negara Malaysia, the co-operatives to shareholders, and, most importantly, to articulate that vision with clarity in strategic direction and aspiration to the employees.

The Chairman shares, “This new mission of ours to be a globally-recognised catalyst for national development through Islamic financial services required us to implement changes. Some of the changes implemented include revamping our Board of Directors which now comprises professionals and no longer politicians and boosting our brand profile and identity.”

“One of the first steps in rebuilding the bank’s identity is collaborating with United Nations under its Sustainable Development Goal, by integrating sustainability in the bank’s business strategies and activities. We launched a ‘zero-plastic thrash’ campaign which removes all mineral water plastic bottles and installed water dispensers in the office and branches. All staff including the Board of Directors are encouraged to drink water from glasses or tumblers,” says Datuk Noripah.

“To be a Sustainable Bank by 2025 is an identity that I believe has never been championed by other banks. We integrate sustainability in everything that we do,” says the visionary Chairman.

“We have recruited a new Head of Sustainability, who will be responsible for drawing up sustainability policies and procedures in the bank and partnering with NGOs on several projects. In addition, we organise sustainability talks on a monthly basis. We invite international speakers to talk about the impact of sustainability in various areas such as arts, revenue growth, technology, women and empowerment, and so on,” shares Datuk Noripah.

Apart from driving sustainability programmes that have positive impact on our planet, Bank Rakyat is working on a deliberate strategy from the succession planning perspective as well whereby the bank hopes to source the next Managing Director from their talent pool in five years’ time.

Leading change is not always easy, but Datuk Noripah continuously reinvents herself to stay ahead and remain relevant in the industry. In recognition for her advocacy, professionalism and influence in creating alternative possibilities for Islamic financial services globally, Datuk Noripah was honoured as The Most Influential Woman in Islamic Business and Finance at the WOMANi Awards 2019.

“I felt accomplished when I received the award. I was given the award as a Chairman of Bank Rakyat, plus to reward the leadership that I had demonstrated when I developed new options of financial instruments for international investors. Apart from being a co-founder of a global asset management company, I had reinvented myself as an academician and I have written a book called Investing in Islamic Funds: A Practitioner’s Perspective,” says the multi-talented Datuk Noripah with a smile.

Reinventing oneself seems to be the philosophy that Datuk Noripah strongly believes in. “When we launched BR25, our employees were very supportive in taking steps towards making those changes in order to stay relevant in the industry. They saw this as a survival plan because digitalization is confronting them,” she says.

“It’s no longer fintech but techfin that is bringing technology to finance. That’s the millennial lifestyle, and that is why part of our BR25 plan is to ensure that 60% of our staff are tech-savvy and 30% of our workforce are millennials. However, with globalization, everything is global, diversified, virtual, complex and uncertain. Therefore, our employees have to continuously reinvent themselves particularly in this Industrial Revolution 4.0,” asserts Datuk Noripah.

“That said, the millennials should learn to differentiate themselves from the machines. Start embracing values such as integrity, credibility, respect and passion for their work. They should also read books, magazines and articles to increase the level of knowledge and expertise. Be in touch with the news – the real news, not WhatsApp and Facebook – or else, they will be left behind. And they must have a mentor to guide them in making the right decisions in life,” Datuk Noripah advises.

In spite of her long career in the banking industry, Datuk Noripah is still hungry for new knowledge and experiences. With her desire to continuously reinvent herself, she feels inspired to lead Bank Rakyat to remain relevant as the bank of the future.

“Taking this role for the sake of purely nation building will be an understatement. I want to do nation-building and beyond. I don’t make changes for the sake of making changes. I make changes, so that people are happy with the changes. And that inspires me to lead the bank forward,” says the Chairman emphatically.

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The beauty and wellness industry have been expanding worldwide to cater to the modern demands and standards of the beauty market. Evelyn Chan, founder of 27 Marketing Sdn Bhd shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on how she established her company to help with her self-esteem and also her aim to provide opportunities and aid women with similar experience to earn an income through online marketing and sales.

Evelyn Chan grew up in a loving family with an elder and younger brother. “Our family chose not to overindulge us with materials things so we learned how to be sensible and practical in life,” says Chan. “However, I experienced a major drawback in life as I was someone who was unsure of myself. I suffered from low self-esteem. Somehow, the idea of establishing 27 Marketing Sdn Bhd came to me as I needed something to help with my low self-esteem.”

27Group is the brainchild of Chan who selected the number “2” and “7” for her company’s name for a reason. “The numbers are symbols of transformation. The number “2” means there is still a second chance for success in life while the number “7” resembles an arrow. Besides, the number “7” also indicates that hard work and intuition will always direct a person to success,” shares Chan enthusiastically. The year 2019 marks the second year the company has been in operation and Chan is excited about the prospects of the company. “I started the company due to two principal reasons. The first reason is because I needed to gain a breakthrough for my low self-esteem problem and the second is that I have a desire to assist others who are also suffering from low self-esteem. When they join the company, we will provide training in online marketing and sales so that they could be financially independent, confident and happy.”

“Professionalism is the key that opens the door to success,” says Chan. “Our clients are attended by qualified dietitian team who provides professional advice. We have an iconic product, the LaschéX, a slimming product which focuses in achieving the body that a woman dreams of. On the other hand, we also provide the “Shine Programme”, which is a comprehensive diet and health program. In addition, 27Group is also a coaching service that enables any women to achieve success, especially in terms of online marketing and sales,” says the humble and kind, young entrepreneur who is happy and proud to be able to lend a helping hand to others who are bound by low self-esteem overcome the issue and be successful in life.

Despite the success she achieved, the road Chan journeyed on to get to where she is now wasn’t always a bed of roses. “In order to maintain a certain standard, it is extremely important for me to be able to get and train individuals to meet the standard. This has been my biggest challenge at most times,” says Chan. “I believe that an entrepreneur boss has to forge a good relationship with his or her employees in order to understand their needs and wants. This would enable them to perform their best at work. Simultaneously, the boss would also need to know where to draw the line and maintain a professional distance as an employer. In this way, a culture of good work ethics will be cultivated in a company. As for me, setting a good example is the most vital aspect of my working management style,” says Chan with a smile. “Another challenge I encounter is to get the market out there to accept e-commerce marketing as a valid and potent force of retail. To date, Malaysians still believe that marketing jobs held on the internet is something unsafe and only provides one with a temporary income.”

Chan’s aim is to bring 27Group up to a higher level and make it a household name all over Asia. “It is my plan to achieve this target within the next five to ten years,” shares Chan.

Chan also believes that obstacles in life should not prevent one from achieving success. “For the young people who are looking to establish a career in the beauty and online retail industry, I would advise them to never let themselves or anyone get in the way of their success. They would need to work hard and learn as much as they could and garner knowledge which could aid them in their career growth.”

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The Top Asia Corporate Ball 2019 organized by Top 10 of Malaysia and Top 10 of Asia Initiative (a Kuala Lumpur based research and media organization) played host to some 900 distinguished CEOs, business owners and personalities from across Malaysia and Asia.

The Corporate Ball was a culmination of the Initiative’s celebration of the achievements of towering personalities, corporations and even countries in Asia. The event saw the presentation of recognitions to outstanding and inspiring achievers from diverse cultures, industries and personalities. Top 10 unveiled the best of the best which showcased inspiring stories of achievements that help to spur many others on to strive for success in their own field of endeavor.

During the Corporate Ball, ten countries were given recognitions based on the results of recent Top 10 surveys for the categories of : Singapore – Asia’s Best First Impression Country, Japan – Asia’s Best Nation for Youth Development, Uzbekistan – Asia’s Best Nation for Historical Treasures, Thailand – Asia’s Top Nation for Medical Tourism, Maldives – Asia’s Best Nation for Scenic Adventures, Philippines – Asia’s Nation with Best Holiday Beaches, Cambodia – Asia’s Best Nation for Archeology Tours, Nepal – Asia’s Best Nation for Mountaineering Adventures and Sri Lanka – Asia’s Best Nation for Wildlife Tourism.

Penang, Malaysia bagged the Asia’s Most Liveable City Award for affordability, quality of living, climate, health services, leisure facilities, social network, culture and friendliness. The award was received by Penang State Exco Chairman for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage YB Yeoh Soon Hin.

The above awards were given out based on the result of a research survey conducted by Top 10 media.

Among the entertainers who received recognitions during the Ball were Anuar Zain – Asia Music Legend, Amy Search – Asia Music Legend, Datuk Wah Idris – Legendary Music Composer, Datuk Ramli Sarip – Asia Music Legend and Rozita Che Wan – Malaysia’s Top Legendary Actress.

There were also four individuals who bagged the highest recognitions and they are: Datuk Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan – Mida Chairman, Datuk Noripah Kamso – Bank Rakyat Chairman, YM Tan Sri Dato’ Paduka Tengku Noor Zakiah Tengku Ismail – Kenanga Founder and Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai – Top Glove Corporation Founder.

Present at the star-studded dinner event were YB Tuan Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, YBhg Dato R Rajendran, CEO of RHA Media Group and Mr Lee Seng Chee, Managing Editor of RHA Media.

In addition to the 900 guests, some 100 Who’s Who personalities from Asia together with 30 dignitaries (Ambassadors and High Commissioners) attended the dinner. While the event provided a meaningful platform for business and social networking opportunities, creating substantial and significant potential benefits for all guests, the Ball made a contribution to various charity organizations and causes namely CSR Malaysia and Pertubuhan Amal Tanggungjawab Kemapanan Dan Korporat Malaysia.

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Jackson Kee, founder of Supreme Integrated Services Sdn Bhd is an inspiring leader who aims to raise Malaysians’ awareness about the importance of financial and estate planning. In a recent interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, Jackson Kee shares his insightful story on how he started his company in providing integrated financial services through estate planning for a person’s family after his or her demise.

Jackson Kee has been working in the insurance industry for around twenty five years when he decided to venture into the field of financial and estate planning. After realizing the hassle families go through due to improper planning after their loved ones pass away, Jackson Kee and his co-founder, Chee Mei Nee decided to establish their own company to assist families in Will-Writing and estate planning.

“Many parents believe that it is vital to provide a huge amount of money to their children to ensure that they will have a good life and will not be lacked of the daily necessities in life. However, the younger generation these days isn’t wise when it comes to spending money. Some may lead a lavish lifestyle as they lack of the knowledge in money management,” says Jackson Kee.

Jackson Kee and Chee Mei Nee had the golden opportunity to travel to the United States (U.S.). “The trip to the U.S. was life-transforming as we realised that estate planning was so common in their country as compared to Malaysia. Thus, we decided to promote it here in Malaysia,” reminisces Jackson Kee. Inspired by the trip to U.S., Jackson Kee and Chee Mei Nee started Supreme Integrated Services Sdn Bhd with the thought of helping clients have the peace of mind that their family members will receive their estate after their demise by providing financial and estate planning services equipped with a Will and Trust.

“Our customers are placed into two categories. Those who have family problems or disabled kids fall into the first category while the second category comprises families who don’t have any family issues. We don’t encourage using the hard selling method to promote our services as we are more focused in catering to their needs,” explains Jackson Kee as he shares about the services provided by Supreme with excitement.
Jackson Kee says that Will-Writing was a taboo ten years ago. “Back then many people wouldn’t want to mention or prepare a Will as it would signify that they won’t be staying long or that family members are eyeing on their assets,” shares Jackson Kee. “However, recently people are starting to accept the idea of writing a Will and engaging Family Trust services for future planning in order to enable their loved ones to have a better planning in the future.”

Jackson Kee explains that there are four estate planning segments which are Will-Writing, Family or Living Trust Creation, Business Trust Creation, Estate Creation and funding. “A Will only comes into effect after the passing of the Testator. This document allows the Testator to select the preferred Beneficiary who will receive his or her benefits through the demise’s estate. On the other hand, a Trust set up by the Settlor is effective even when the Settlor is alive and the Settlor can make himself or herself as one of the Beneficiaries. The three parties involved in a Trust are the Settlor, Trustee and Beneficiary. A Protector assigned for the Trust would act as ‘watch dog’ to advise and guard the Trustee in the distribution of funds to the Beneficiary. We will advise clients in the best way and act according to their wishes.”

A Will can be rewritten many times as long as the person is in a sound mind. “I would advise that the public do not wait to prepare a Will only when succumbing to illness as it would be more challenging to make a wise decision,” says Jackson Kee.

When asked about his advice to the young generation who are interested in joining the industry, Jackson Kee says, “Estate Planning is a “sunrise” industry as many people are starting to be concerned about estate distribution and to make sure that the estate will benefit the beneficiaries according to their wishes and instructions. It would be great if they could passionately garner more knowledge about the industry as this career would enable them to help our society in creating awareness of the importance of Will & Trust Planning as well as proper financial planning.”

The post LEADING THE WAY IN ESTATE PLANNING appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

The insurance industry has always played an important part when it comes to protection against losses caused by accidents and illnesses. Rachel Neo, founder of Neo Team under Great Eastern Life Assurance shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on what inspired her to venture into the insurance industry and her journey of going through challenges that eventually led to success.

Rachel Neo grew up in a loving and healthy family in the historical town of Melaka. “I studied and obtained a diploma in graphic design. This led me to me to begin my career in advertising before I went into sales and services,” shares Neo. Neo worked 6 years in Kalbe Farma where she had to handle lots of fast-moving consumer goods. However, after the loss of a friend, Neo decided to change her career. “I was fortunate to have met my Group Agency Manager, KC Yau who guided me through 11 years in the insurance industry,” says Neo who believes that the insurance industry is a vital and dynamic industry.

Within the second year in the insurance industry, Neo rose to become a member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Such membership is for those who have made it to be in the 2% of agents who have achieved their global targets for personal sales under the Premier Association of Financial Professionals. Neo was a member of the MDRT for nine consecutive years and she is planning to make it into the lifetime MDRT this year. The Neo Team chalked up a sales volume in excess of RM1.5 million. Under Neo’s guidance and leadership, the Neo Team has achieved impressive results. In 2015, it was the insurance industry’s fifth best performer in the country and a year later, it took the second spot. “My hope for the future is to focus on grooming my team members to achieve success. Many people have great ideas and concepts but these ideas and concepts must be nurtured by a great system and structure,” shares Neo. “In addition to converting abstract ideas into tangible results, a salesperson would need to have a sunny disposition, an ability to compliment someone and the knack for telling a story,” says Neo.

Insurance, by definition, is a contract that protects an individual or a lawful entity with a guarantee of a certain monetary amount. Neo Team focuses on specialized policies for its clients and every customer is attended to by 2 members of the team. “A junior and a senior team member attend to every client and in addition to that, a professional team handles the claims,” Neo explains.

Despite the accolades and progresses made, Neo also acknowledges that there are challenges that need to be addressed on a daily basis. “The first 3 years were a rather difficult period for us but I persevered as I was so determined to succeed. You see, I would be convinced by my success that I have made the right choice and I would be able to encourage others to join the insurance field,” says Neo enthusiastically. Being a talented and hardworking person, Neo is also a good example for her team mates.

Neo believes that the future is promising for her as she diligently works out her plan. She has set her eyes on being the group agency’s manager 3 years down the road. “I also have plans to retire early but it doesn’t mean that I would stop working,” laughs Neo who will then focus her attention to other activities. Neo is level headed when it comes to balancing her professional and personal life. “Sunday is the day for my family,” she says. Well, what advice has Neo got to share with young people who are looking to be a part of the insurance industry? “For one to succeed in this industry, a thirst for knowledge is necessary. In addition, it is important to establish networks. You definitely need to have perseverance to overcome the challenges, especially the initial ones, so that you would not give up.” Neo also expresses her gratitude to her family, husband, team mates and also clients who have played a role in her journey of attaining success.

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An unforgettable tour guide experience with an unexpected reward, accompanied by a strong passion for adventure has led Suki Chong, Founder of MYS Travel Sdn Bhd to set up her own travel and tour company. As her company became well known in the tourism industry, Suki has been featured in a few media channels. In a recent interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, Suki talks about her background, her journey in establishing MYS Travel Sdn Bhd and the plans she has for her company.

Suki Chong grew up in an upper middle class happy and loving family but after her father passed away when she was 10 years old, her family had to strive to earn a living. “Everyone, including me, contributed to supporting the family. I worked as a part time waitress at a young age,” says Suki as she recalls her childhood moment.

“As soon as I stepped into the working world, I was keen to build a successful career. I took up the challenge to work as a tour guide and during that time, it was a good experience as I had a lot to learn,” shares Suki. “I remembered an incident when I was guiding a tour, a talkative tourist was constantly communicating with me throughout the entire trip. It was a tiring but unique experience. At the end of the trip, the gentleman gave me a red envelope with lots of money to reward me for my dedication to my job during the whole journey. This truly motivated me so I decided to start my own travel and tour company in 2009,” laughs Suki. The name MYS was taken after the initials of her three children and the company is now her focus and it propels her to work with passion and dedication.

A few years ago, local travels were popular, but the demand for overseas travel started to arise too. “At MYS, we specialize in catering every single tour journey based on the personal needs and wants of our customers. For instance, a family of four would love a little adventure during their travels but not too much to the point of the parents having to worry about their children’s safety. However, a young couple wouldn’t mind experiencing a great adventure as they won’t be bringing along any little ones during the tour,” says Suki enthusiastically.

At MYS Travel, everyone is a professional at their jobs. “I strongly believe that a good leader is also an understanding and firm teacher. Someday, I hope to leave the leadership role to my subordinates, but they would need to learn and master the required skills for the job first,” explains Suki as she shares the secret of her company’s success.

In every business, challenge are inevitable. “As we are a service-oriented industry, the greatest challenge I face is recruiting talents who understand the importance of having the spirit of service to customers,” says Suki. “I would advise young people who are interested in obtaining a lifelong career in the tourism industry to learn and garner as much knowledge about the industry as possible, remain humble and never give up.”

Suki is happy and grateful for the success acquired and she attributes it to her mother and sister who have given her support and help when she needed it most. “It’s not easy for me to balance my time with work and family but I am thankful to my mother and sister, as they were always there for me when I needed a helping hand,” shares Suki with a sense of gratitude.

In spite of her success, Suki never forgets to give back to society and she is planning to establish a service center for charity purposes. She is also considering exploring her artistic side for further business expansions.

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Cayson Goh, the Director of SVO Group Berhad is an inspiring entrepreneur who enjoys helping and teaching others on how to be successful in setting up their own preferred business. The dynamic entrepreneur shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on his journey towards building a successful career and the joy it brings when his clients too, achieve success in their businesses.

The entrepreneurial spirit has been deeply rooted in Cayson Goh during his teenage years. “I am a firm believer that education is important,” shares Goh, who is well experienced in the world of business. “Even during my secondary school years, I took up part-time jobs in order to explore different career options and also earn some pocket money,” says Goh.

It was his deep passion for cars that led him to work as a car salesperson. “I worked diligently and in just a year, I was promoted to be a manager,” Goh reminisces. “However, the thought came to me that working for someone else wasn’t something I would look forward to in the long run. Although I have a deep interest in cars and I enjoyed my job, I finally decided to venture out and start my own business in training.”

Thus, Goh established SVO Group Berhad. “I noticed that young people these days are not really satisfied to work for others as they would prefer to have a career which they could be proud of, like me for example!” says Goh with a smile. “SVO Group was established to create opportunities for the younger generation to be aspiring entrepreneurs. It is a training academy for those who would like to set up their own career in business. We provide sufficient training programmes that will empower everyone to succeed in the field of business they are interested in. Our training academy welcomes anyone who has no experience in starting or running a business. Besides, we also have clients who came to join us just to refine their business operations so that they could take success to another level,” shares Goh happily.

SVO Group Berhad is also a revolutionary online marketing platform that provides digital marketing knowledge for its members. It possess a co-working space that fosters a friendly working environment and uses an all-in-one mobile app system. SVO’s business module enables people to master and build their online business effectively.

Despite his young age, Goh achieved sales that exceeded RM1 million and also recruited numerous young talents to join the company. These young talents have emerged as the members of SVO Group Berhad Elite Club, a prestige club whereby achievers of high sales volumes on an annual basis are being rewarded with an array of benefits and privileges. “Despite the success we attained, the one thing that motivates me to wake up every morning and head to work would be the fact that I am assisting others to make their dreams turn to reality.”

Goh has always reminded himself to be people-oriented, as he thinks that with the right talents, the business will flourish and a great company culture helps organisations stand out to attract and retain top talents. “The company is currently taking baby steps towards the international market and with the right talents, I am more confident to explore bigger markets.” Goh also believes that spending time with family is vital but he also cherishes the time spent with his staff. “No matter how big or small their role, they are the real contributors to the success of the company, so instead of treating them as staff, I treat them as my valued partners, friends and family,” says Goh.

“SVO not only aims to be a local champion. My ultimate goal is to make SVO the innovative leading online business platform among Asian countries,” says Goh.

SVO has progressed to become a dynamic organisation with an ecosystem of online global business. With the platform which consists of comprehensive multiple resources and a broad focus of growth space for members, it enables people to achieve financial and time freedom in their career. In order to continuously carry forward SVO’s philosophy, Goh has set his eyes on the larger international markets such as Indonesia, China and Taiwan. Goh says his aim is to build and lead a goal-oriented team in order to steer SVO to become the international leader in online marketing.

The post EXPANDING THE REALM OF SUCCESS appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

Purchasing a home may be a daunting and complicated experience for beginner and seasoned home buyers. Thankfully, the roles of trusted professional estate agents from real estate companies are to assist and ensure that the process of purchasing a property goes smoothly. Here, Top 10 of Malaysia shares its list of the top ten award-winning real estate companies (presented in random order) which have been recognised as the best in the country.

Hartamas Real Estate (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

Founded by Eric Lim in 1996, multi-award winning company, Hartamas Real Estate (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has a total of 7 offices in Malaysia, Shanghai and Taipei. It provides services such as agency services, project marketing, corporate real estate, international properties, valuation consultancy services, asset management, academy and training services and even corporate & expatriate accommodation. It offers quality real estate services and has a workforce of over 400 staff. Hartamas has also won several awards such as the Top Real Estate Firm at the National Real Estate Awards.

Polygon Properties Sdn Bhd

Founded by Derek Soh and CJ Hah, Polygon Properties Sdn Bhd provides institutional and individual investors with in-depth and comprehensive market research consultancy and business platform to access exceptional investment opportunities from developers. Its clients include institutional investors, retail investors plus foreign and local high net worth individuals. Besides, Polygon also works with reputable developers in order to ensure that clients will receive the best property deals. It also assists clients in recommending properties, organizing tours around development property sites until the stages of the signing of Sales and Purchase Agreement and loan arrangements with banks. Polygon won the Residential Real Estate Firm (Medium Size Firm) of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

Esprit Estate Agent Sdn Bhd

Founded by Aldrin Tan, Esprit Estate Agent Sdn Bhd is an award-winning real estate company that focuses on primary housing projects with divisions such as corporate client services and consultancy cum advisory division. Among its services include consultancy on packaging of real estate properties, consultancy on investment in real estate properties, sales and marketing of developers’ projects in primary market and sale and rental of real estate properties in secondary market. Esprit has clients locally and internationally. Esprit was the winner of the Specialised Project of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

CBD Properties Sdn Bhd

Founded by Dato’ Adrian Wang, CBD Properties Sdn Bhd is one of Malaysia’s leading multi-award winning real estate companies since 2007. It is a licensed Real Estate Agency registered with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents, and Property Managers in Malaysia and a member of The Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents. Its scope of services includes project consultancy, corporate services, secondary sales, project marketing, retail consultancy, valuation and property management and Malaysia My Second Home Programme. CBD Properties was also awarded the Residential Real Estate Negotiator of the Year 2019 award during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

DeOne Properties Sdn Bhd

Established by Lee Jun Liang & Amanda Loh Soh Fun in 2012, DeOne Properties Sdn Bhd provides services in real estate and property management. Its main focus is on property marketing. In 2015, DeOne started to venture into property management and was one of the early local valuation firms to provide property management services in Ipoh. Some of its services range from leasing services, tenant or landlord’s representation, property valuation services to building management. DeOne has total staff strength of 28 and also handles 8 strata properties in Ipoh. It was the winner of the Perak Real Estate Firm of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards.

Kozin Real Estate Sdn Bhd

Award-winning real estate company, Kozin Real Estate Sdn Bhd was established in 1999 and founded by Dato Alex Ting. It has 60 real estate negotiators and 12 supporting staff. The firm sells around 600 to 700 units of properties a year. Among its services include assisting purchasers with loan applications, co-ordinating with lawyers for the signing of Sales and Purchase Agreements, assisting civil servants with loan applications from government departments, marketing for property development projects and designing sales brochures and advertisements. Kozin won the Sarawak Real Estate Firm of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

Property Hub Sdn Bhd

Founded by Christopher Lim and Benjamin Tee, Property Hub Sdn Bhd is an award-winning agency since 2012. Property Hub won several awards such as the the MIEA NREA Awards for 8 consecutive years and the Federal Territory Real Estate Firm of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019. It specialises in the sale and rental of up-market properties and is now one of the most successful real estate companies in Malaysia. Property Hub also has a network of well-trained real estate professionals who work with international developers to market their properties in South East Asia.

Richinprop Realtors

Richinprop Realtors, formerly known as Marina Agencies, was established by Thinaharakumar Nagalingam,. The company specialises in sub-sale of properties which mainly included residential and commercial buildings and occasionally sales of land. Richinprop also handles sales and rentals of properties in the Klang Valley. Richinprop was the award winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

Knight Frank Malaysia

Led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sarkunan Subramaniam, Knight Frank Malaysia provides property services including property consultancy, estate agency and property management. It has a strong presence in Malaysia with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur as well as branches in Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu. Besides, it also offers high quality professional advice and solutions. Knight Franks’s CEO won the MIEA CEO of the Year 2019 during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

JLL Property Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

JLL Property Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is an award-winning company that provides services that include market and retail leasing, sale or acquisition of land, sale of industrial and office properties, retail malls and hotels, sales of international residential projects and research and consultancy for real estate intelligence services and consultancy. JLL received the Commercial Real Estate Firm of the Year 2019 award during the National Real Estate Awards 2019.

The post REAL ESTATE COMPANIES IN MALAYSIA – THE TOP 10 appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

Skincare in Malaysia is a multi-million dollar business, with profits set to rise in the future, as more and more users experience new brands and new products introduced into the market. In a recent interview, Jennifer Liew, founder of éPure Skin, shares with Top 10 of Malaysia her inspiring story on how she developed her skincare line backed by comprehensive R&D and grew her business into a phenomenal success.

“I’ve wanted to start my own business since I was eighteen,” says Jennifer Liew. “But my mother was sick. As the eldest daughter, I felt it was my responsibility to take care of her and my four younger siblings.”

Despite bearing these heavy responsibilities at a young age, she completed her tertiary education and obtained an Australian bachelor’s degree majoring in marketing and also an American bachelor’s degree in holistic nutrition. She had an interest in nutrition and wellness because of her mother’s disease.

“Being in the hospital all the time meant I was around doctors a lot. This was how I met a doctor specialising in aesthetics who later became my business partner. She helped me to conduct the R&D to develop our bestselling skincare products,” Liew explains. “In the seven years since we launched our popular jelly mask, we have sold 3 million pieces!”

How Liew made her first million is a fascinating story. She noticed that her young 18-year-old sister liked to follow bloggers online. Liew did some research on those bloggers and sent samples of her newly launched jelly mask to some of them to try. To her delight, the bloggers loved the product.

“A blogger posted the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos in her Instagram account. Suddenly, we received 1,000 orders overnight. We took three days to process these orders and deliver the jelly masks to the customers,” reveals Liew.

“The impact of social media was so powerful. During that time, bloggers shared what they experienced and “liked” as a form of personal sharing. Back then, there was no such thing as influencers being paid money by companies to promote their products. So, bloggers were genuine, and their followers trusted their reviews,” she adds.

“When we launched our first product, Facebook usage for business was still free of charge. Once we shared something, all our friends in our friend list would see it and it was easy to attract customers. Two months after we launched our products on Facebook, we made RM1 million,” says Liew.

From 2016 onwards, Liew’s company, Swiselle International developed other skincare products, including cleanser, toner, moisturiser and essence. In 2019, the company launched a paper sheet mask.

Liew’s determination and perseverance paid off beyond her wildest dreams. Swiselle currently has a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. In the next five to ten years, Liew hopes to enter new markets such as Australia, New Zealand, United States of America and Europe.

“It is essential to build a solid foundation for your business. Personally, I prefer a series of achievable short-term targets instead of large grand goals,” she shares.

“Every business faces challenges. In our company, the challenges include sustaining the business, and figuring out what is the right method to use at the right time. Because the digital landscape is changing so fast, we always have to keep track of new trends and new developments,” says Liew.

In terms of management style, Liew prefers to give her employees direction, then allows them the freedom to brainstorm to come up with new ideas. She does not want to be a controlling boss. In fact, she would like to be a mentor and develop more talents, which includes millennials.

Liew’s advice for the younger generation is to dare to fail and always remain positive. She cautioned them against staying in their comfort zone. She believes in working hard when one is young, healthy and energetic. “76% of old people regret they didn’t do their best in their youth. Don’t be in that 76%. Be the best that you can be. Embrace every experience, no matter good or bad, and learn from it,” says Liew.

The post EXUDING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL GLOW appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

Born into a family who isn’t financially well off, Apple Low, founder of 331 Team established under Return Legacy Sdn Bhd was motivated at a young age to start taking up part-time jobs in order to make ends meet. The inspiring entrepreneur shares with Top 10 of Malaysia her journey in starting her own business inspired by motherhood and also her involvement with Return Legacy that led to her successful career in the direct selling and online retail business.

Apple Low wasn’t born with a silver spoon and she started working part-time at the tender age of fourteen. “After secondary school, I proceeded to study for an Advanced Diploma in Information Technology and Accounting,” says Low who studied diligently and was awarded a scholarship of RM13,000 for her hard work. “Despite getting a scholarship, I still needed to take up 3 part-time jobs in order to sustain the cost of living.”

After the birth of her child in 2009, Low understood the kind of baby products a mother would require for her newborn. Being a creative entrepreneur, she decided to sell baby products that are suitable for infants. “The idea of starting a business selling baby products flashed across my mind so I set up shop to do that. The business was really good and I took up 2 more units at the shop lots to sell the products,” reveals Low.

Soon after, Low decided to build a career of her own. “A friend of mine is the CEO of a nutraceutical GMP factory of the group and I decided to join the company as I saw a great opportunity of the company’s proprietary technology – Micro-Mineralised Nutrient Technology (MMNT). MMNT was developed by Legacy Science and it is an advanced technique used to stabilize a substantial quantity of negative hydrogen ions which help to fight free radicals, reduce the adverse effects on the human body and delay skin aging process due to harmful contaminants and radiation. With the products infused with MMNT, there are visible benefits in protecting and maintaining our health and physical appearance. The development of MMNT has provided Return Legacy the opportunity to formulate a greater range of skincare products. The products are able to seamlessly rejuvenate even individuals who are living a hectic urban lifestyle.”

Low then went on to establish her 331 Team and within just 5 months in the business, the determined Low had her achievements recognized and she was given the title of “Royal Ambassador”. After 9 months of hard work, Low was again recognized with the title, “Royal Prime”. However, the humble Low credited the high quality products as the reason for her success and she imparts her knowledge and guides her subordinates so that they could also achieve success in their career.

The products managed by Low’s 331 Team are catered specifically to the needs of women and children. “Our well known skin products are the 2ᴼ Cleansing Water, 2ᴼ Activator Fresh and 2ᴼActivator Hydro. These products enable our skin to stay soft, youthful and supple and they will allow women to have a very good opportunity to achieve a pristine appearance,” shares Low.

“For our health, the Nureox de’Cleanse is a fiber beverage formulated with natural botanical ingredients that helps our body detox and maintain gastrointestinal health while the Nureox Grain with its variety of ancient grains aids in replenishing the nutrients we require for one whole day,” explains Low. In addition, we also have products for oral health and body care. “Our products are made from the best ingredients and we collaborate with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, SIRIM Berhad and Bogor Agriculture University in producing these products,” says Low with an unmistakable sense of pride.

Although Return Legacy has already expanded its presence in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, Low is aiming to make the company’s products well known internationally through her 331 Team.

Just like everyone else, Low also encountered challenges throughout her career. “The main challenge I encountered is in dealing with people. However, I love working with people and I view people as potential talents, not problems or challenges,” Low says confidently.

When asked on her management and leadership style, Low humbly replies, “A leader or boss should always lead by example. Subordinates will only respect and listen to their superiors if they are able to set a good example at the workplace. Good bosses who are exemplary role models will inevitably pave the way for their employees to be leaders themselves.”
“Lots of hard work and dedication is also vital when starting a business. With these qualities, your business will flourish and you will attain success,” adds Low.

The post TAKING HOLD OF SUCCESS UNLIMITED appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

Kenanga Investors Berhad held its listing ceremony to announce the listing of OneETF by Kenanga on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad, which signals the company’s foray into exchange-traded funds by means of leveraged and inverse ETFs. Among the distinguished guests who attended the event were Datuk Chay Wai Leon, Group Managing Director of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, Datuk Muhammad Umar Swift, Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia Berhad and Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors.

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Justin Ling and his wife, Grace Wong are the founders of Easy Rooms Management Sdn Bhd. In a recent interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, the aspiring entrepreneurs share about their journey in venturing into the property investment business and also the various services provided by the company.

Justin Ling ventured into the construction renovation and steel business when he was nineteen. After many years of experience, he realized that there are many property investors who did not know how to monetize their property spaces despite paying a hefty amount of bank installments and would end up selling their property. Ling adds, “I know that no agency would manage both renovation makeover and rental management. Property owners definitely will be frustrated as they have to deal with multiple parties just for the sake of getting the return on investment (ROI).”

Easy Rooms Management Sdn Bhd was established in 2016 and it has become a property interior makeover and tenancy management solution provider for property owners. Its aim is to help distressed owners monetise their property space from practical and budget suited renovation solutions to managing rental collections, inspection and cleaning services. Over the course of three years, the company has been managing over 900 tenants living in more than 500 rooms across several properties.

Ling shares, “We run background checks on our tenants first. We ensure that there’s a proper tenancy agreement in place, and we establish a standard operating procedure for the rental collection and reminder process. We also mention about CTOS score when issuing warning to tenants.”

“We also adhere to local regulations and have in-depth knowledge about the property market. As such, we are able to make sound judgments and decisions about our business,” adds Wong.

“When a new condo building is ready, we want to be the property investment solution provider to investors and home owners, to ensure that their money spent for the entire process is well-documented, well-managed and well-monetised, if possible, within three months. This is to get the unit ready for rental soonest possible,” says Ling.

Ling focuses their business portfolios on high-rise condominiums with interior makeover upgrade, especially those in the secondary property market as it is easier to rent them out to tenants and rental collection won’t be delayed. As the demographic population of the area where the condominiums were located are predominantly college and universities students, he partitioned the home units and made them similar to a hostel and rented out rooms to increase his rental yields. “It sounds easy but managing above 5 tenants in one unit is a disaster, if it’s ungeared. We have our own customized management system to govern the whole process of rental collection and penalty enactment for non-payment.”

“We were able to do that because the condo units are commercial-titled properties. Initially, a number of property owners asked for our help to manage their tenants and rental collections. This gave us the idea to set up a rental collection service for property owners,” says Ling.

Ling and Wong decided to offer not just rental collection service and renovation services, but minor repair and maintenance works since they have their own workers. “We are able to give our clients a reasonably competitive pricing with efficient and proper advice based on the condition of the respective property and the step which could be taken next,” says Ling.

“We survey and assess the property to determine if it’s suitable for long term rentals, student hostel, homestay etc. We quote reasonable prices for renovation because the interior decoration and furniture have to be practical and durable especially if the unit is to be rented out to students,” adds Wong.

Ling adds, “We aim to complete all renovation works within a month and once it’s completed, we would already have the prospective tenants available for the unit. The property owners would not miss out on rental yields.”

The entrepreneurs’ future plan is to help more property owners monetize their spaces effectively within a reasonable budget and with quality interior. They also plan to continue investing in more properties, expand more condos, advise and also assist more clients to achieve their ROIs.

The post TAKING A QUANTUM LEAP TO GREATER HEIGHTS appeared first on Top 10 of Malaysia.

Millennials are currently dominating the modern business world and startup businesses are ubiquitous. In this issue, Top 10 of Malaysia shares its list of top 10 new generation Malaysian businessmen to watch in the year 2020. These award-winning young and innovative entrepreneurs from various industries have introduced modern services and products that are greatly favoured by customers. Their services have also brought convenience to customers, benefitted society and also the environment.        

Aaron Patel

Aaron Patel is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of iHandal Energy Solutions Sdn Bhd. The company is a turn-key thermal engineering solutions provider that processes and recovers waste energy from a client and returns it as a useful output that is more efficient and effective. To date, the iHandal system counts established multinational corporations from the hospitality, healthcare and industrial sectors as trusted and long-term partners. Patel and his team have completed over 120 projects across 7 countries in ASEAN. Over 70% of hospitality chains in Malaysia are adopting iHandal’s energy system.

Jin Xi Cheong

Jin Xi Cheong is the founder of Poladrone Solutions Sdn Bhd. Poladrone aims to expand the use of drone technology in commercial industries. It uses drones to boost efficiency on Malaysian palm oil plantations and crop farms. Established in 2016, Poladrone provides solutions for businesses by using innovative and progressive technology for complicated operations. The drones are specialised in aerial mapping, precision mapping and infrastructure inspection. Among the company’s services are 2D/3D mapping, aerial spraying, crop health detection, visual inspection, thermal inspection and surveillance. Poladrone also has an overseas branch in Thailand.

Tan Yong Meng

Founder of Build Easy Sdn Bhd, Tan Yong Meng reshapes the future of property ownership by providing an online platform offering trustworthy and affordable choices via machine learning. Build Easy’s O2O (online to offline) covers the entire value chain for property buyers who wish to invest in South East Asia. The company currently has operations in Malaysia and Vietnam, serving clients from over 10 different countries. Besides, it also uses state-of-the-art technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality plus projection mapping and hologram, providing an immersive and interactive experience to clients.

Vinesh Sinha

Vinesh Sinha is the founder of FatHopes Energy Sdn Bhd, an award-winning company with the primary focus of developing sustainable fats, oils and grease solutions for advanced biofuel production. The company is known to be a reliable supplier of ready-to-use biofuels and also biofuels feedstock to markets globally. The company makes large deployments of timely and efficient waste oil collection services throughout areas with waste oil. FatHopes is also a regular supplier to many oil and gas companies locally and internationally.

Ammar Roslizar & Ammar Shahrin

ARBA Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd was founded by Ammar Roslizar and Ammar Shahrin in 2014. The company has branches in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Korea. ARBA Travel focuses in Halal Tourism and it provides a wonderful travel experience to 13 countries overseas and also locally at places such as Sabah, Sarawak, Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang and Pulau Langkawi. Every package is customised specially for each of its clients. ARBA Travel is one of the fastest growing travel companies with over 50 full-time staff.

Terence Lee

Terence Lee established Chance Holding Sdn Bhd in 2017 and the company specialises in food and beverages. It produces various food and beverage brands to be sold in Malaysia. One of its famous brands is Chatto, a handcrafted tea bar with 40 outlets nationwide. The brand will open its first international outlet this year in Brunei and Australia. Chatto serves a variety of tea base beverages that are brewed by using premium quality and organic tea leaves which are imported from Japan, Taiwan and China.

Andy Lim

Andy Lim founded IBPO Group Sdn Bhd in 2013 and the company is now an award-winning financial advisory service provider that offers strategic business consultancy services. Its services include loans, general insurance and investment consultancy in stocks and properties. IBPO has 4 branches locally and a branch overseas at Hong Kong with a staff force of over 60. The company has also established subsidiaries which are IBPO Capital Limited in Hong Kong, IBPO Property Sdn Bhd, IBPO Insurance and IBPO Academy.

Eric Cheng

Eric Cheng founded Carsome Sdn Bhd and it is currently one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing online car sales platforms that connects customers to used car dealers nationwide. Carsome facilitates the process of car selling from the stage of inspection, valuation, bidding, payment and logistics. This enables its customers to sell their cars within 24 hours. The company has around 14 branches locally and also branches overseas at countries such as Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. It has around 1,700 dealers in Malaysia.

Jeffri Cheong & Choong Fui-Yu

Jeffri Cheong and Choong Fui-Yu established Kaodim Sdn Bhd in 2014. Through their web and mobile platforms, Kaodim helps users hire the right service providers. Users would only need to answer a few simple questions and the company would match them with qualified service providers who are capable of doing a professional job. Besides, users can also compare prices, view profiles and go through reviews to search for their preferable service provider. The company also provides the Kaodim User App that helps users connect with service providers and the Kaodim Pro App that helps service providers connect with users. Kaodim has branches overseas in countries such as Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.

Jan Wong

Jan Wong established OM Connect Sdn Bhd and the company specialises in digital marketing, training and consultancy, data analytics and tech development. Also known as OpenMinds, the company tailors programmes to aid clients to discover their digital strategies through data analytics and customises tech solutions such as getting solutions from websites, mobile applications, machine learning, blockchain technologies, chatbots and even virtual reality. The company has worked with various brands from different industries and has been featured on BFM (The Business Station), TEDx, Techstars, National University of Singapore and Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre.

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Bringing about positive changes in the lives of underprivileged children is the vision of Anne Rajaisakaran, the CEO of Budimas Charitable Foundation, a leading local charity foundation under the MAA group. In a conversation with Top 10 of Malaysia, Anne spoke at length on her passion for helping the needy, goals achieved and future initiatives in tapping into other demographics requiring assistance.

Having been involved for more than a decade in ensuring underprivileged children live in a secure and happy environment, Anne Rajaisakaran has successfully executed ongoing projects within the areas of home support, food charity fund and rural libraries for small communities. The passion and dedication combined with the support from an equally committed team have kept the momentum going despite the challenging work and numerous stakeholders at all levels, locations and demographics.

The passion to help others is a lifelong ambition of Anne. Trained in law and communications combined with commercial experience, Anne symbolises the right talent for championing the marginalised and underprivileged.  “Although my initial interests were in the oil and gas industry, having worked for Chevron, I have come to realise that my true calling lies in helping the marginalised especially children,” quips Anne. A Malacca girl from an army family, the experiences in connecting with people within the country and externally in the United States, has provided a deeper and wider perspective on societal needs. “It has helped me empathise socially,” says Anne, “The continuous relocations have sharpened my adaptability skills to fitting in quickly and understanding others.” Although petite in stature, the abounding dynamism for achieving results through a people-oriented organisation was quite apparent.

Subsequent to working for various industries including the oil and gas and hospitality industry after college, Anne took on the leadership of Budimas Charitable Foundation in 2007. “My vision of self-sustainability that is to be independent financially and in our work, have been successful,” explains Anne, “And my plans to help more and more underprivileged children is being realised as it is the main reason for our existence.”

The three core projects of Budimas consists of financial support for 100 children’s homes, a food charity fund for 6,000 schoolgoing children and managing libraries for Orang Asli communities under the Budimas education charity fund. The foundation also manages a children’s home in Negeri Sembilan. “We work closely with the homes and the local welfare services,” says Anne, “We ensure that the homes are legally compliant and audited in financial and service execution. As for results, school attendances and students’ health have improved and most importantly there is an increased focus on their studies,” says Anne happily, “Actually, half of our battle is won when they show up at school and start reading books.”

“The growth and success of Budimas is attributed to my staff,” beams Anne proudly. The 30 staff team, expanded from the original two, include newcomers who are extremely committed and passionate in ensuring children are suitably fed, clothed and at least achieve the bare minimum of a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia certification.

“The numbers we have achieved from home support and the food plan have exceeded our target milestones having covered most states in Malaysia,” says Anne, “And as for libraries, the target of 12 libraries is in progress with four completed and two in the pipeline.”

“Undoubtedly there are challenges, the main one being re-educating the Malaysian mindset and perception towards charitable causes,” says Anne, ‘‘In most cases, honest communications helps in clearing anxieties.” The future plans of Budimas include extending help to refugee communities.

“My greatest achievement in life is watching my own children aged five, four and two grow up,” says Anne. “I switch off my work mode after 7 pm daily and spend my weekends mainly outdoors with them with regards to work-life balance,” says Anne.

“My advice for newcomers who are interested to pursue a career in the similar field is to have a clear vision and mission, do in-depth research and reduce expectations. It is important to observe and keep an open mind as this is a public-centric profession,” shares Anne

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In 2012, Dato’ Lawrence Low suffered financial losses totaling RM6 million in a franchise dessert business. In the ensuing three years, Low stepped back from the business world to recover his losses, reflect upon his journey, and to think about his future. It was during those times of reflection that he observed young people were struggling to make sense of the real world. In an interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, Dato’ Lawrence, the Founding Chairman of MyPerintis talks about his journey in setting up an organisation to empower youth to rise up to the challenges, dare to explore their fullest potential, make an impact and advocate meaningful and progressive change.

Dato’ Lawrence Low was running a Taiwanese international dessert franchise called ZenQ for a year, operating a total of twelve outlets across the nation. However, due to legal disputes between Low and the Taiwanese franchisor, he ran into financial losses which caused him a lot of stress. After much consultation with his family members, Low dropped the lawsuit and sold the dessert business.

“I was 27 years old then. When I reflected on what had happened, I learnt that despite graduating from a good university, I lost a lot of money in business because I had very little knowledge about managing a business and finances,” says Low.

Low felt that little emphasis on true empowerment is given to Malaysian youths at school. As youths needed to be supported, guided and empowered, he decided to set up an organisation that enables young people to become productive and responsible individuals. Instead of instituting the organisation immediately, he pitched his idea to the Honorary President of Perdana Leadership Foundation, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Low mentions, “I met Tun Dr Mahathir in person. I shared my ideas with Tun about potential youth programmes for the organisation. He didn’t tell me what I should do, but recommended that I instill good noble values in our youth programmes. He also advised me not to call ourselves leaders as not many people are open to seeing young people as ‘leaders’ but rather as ‘pioneers’ or ‘trailblazers’.”

Inspired and motivated from his meeting with Tun Dr Mahathir, Low established MyPerintis as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in June 2015, and the NGO is now a full-fledged Foundation since June 2019. MyPerintis is short for ‘Yayasan Perintis Malaysia’ (Malaysia Trailblazers Foundation) and it promotes youth empowerment in education, employability, entrepreneurship, arts and culture and volunteerism.

“Most of our programmes are formulated based on my personal experiences as a young person. We address the many gaps of what is important in youth development by organising programmes through which experts, professionals and speakers give talks and provide outreach and services to youths in gaining the necessary knowledge and confidence,” explains the Founding Chairman.

Low endeavours for MyPerintis to be a leading organisation in providing support, guidance, training, and mentorship to Malaysian youths. One of the ways to empower them is through effective and sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Although one might assume MyPerintis similar to other organisations, this NGO stands out as its events and programmes are organised and implemented by young people, thus resulting in successful and effective outreach and inspiring more than 100,000 Futureshifters.

Low continues to explore avenues to make progressive changes for our youths. He has established a social enterprise under MyPerintis called School of Life which focuses on digitalisation.

“Young people are more engaged in the online world, as such, we have to include digitalisation in our programmes and events which are mostly offline. By going digital, we become more relevant and are able to have wider reach,” shares Low.

While Low is excited about the prospects of MyPerintis, he wants to impart an important message to the Malaysian youths. “Getting established successfully in the world is not as easy as you think. Don’t get overexcited by high motivation as real life is different from motivation. Our programmes can take on quite a serious nature, so when you come for our programmes, be sure to learn something and ask real questions because this is the real stuff that you need to know.”

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The Founder and Managing Director of Venthill Group, Simon Wong, truly believes that integrity and communication are of utmost importance in business. In a recent interview, he shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on how these core values and attributes have enabled him to develop his shipping and logistics business especially during these challenging times of climate change.

It’s uncommon for an Asian shipping company to own a bulk carrier, but Simon Wong successfully owned a DWCC-8600 MT vessel in 2012. Named as Rainbow Symphony, the cargo vessel was Wong’s greatest personal achievement in life thus far – a testament to the hard work that he had put into developing his shipping and logistics company, Venthill Group, for more than ten years.

Wong’s experience in the shipping and logistics industry began when he was nineteen years of age. After acquiring a couple of years of experience in the industry, he incorporated Venthill Sdn Bhd in 2002 when he was merely twenty-four years old. The company then was providing custom services in logistics, but eighteen years on, Wong had developed and expanded his business into six companies handling freight services, vessel chartering, bulk and project cargo, container haulage and open truck transportation, custom clearance, and warehousing storage and distribution.

Venthill Group has established itself as a one-stop solution for customers’ logistics needs, but Wong believes that his business is so much more than that.

“I strongly believe that integrity is very important in business. With integrity, comes reliability and authenticity, and that’s what customers want,” says the dynamic and enterprising Founder and Managing Director.

“Customers come and go, but we believe in long-term, sustainable business. With integrity and reliability, there’s sustainability in my business as well as in the customers’ businesses, and that creates loyalty,” says Wong.

The Managing Director also shares, “There are three things that I believe in building a strong business – acceptance and recognition, setting an example, and handling things peacefully and harmoniously.”

He emphasizes that one has to reflect upon one’s shortcomings and strive to be a better person on a daily basis in order to be accepted and recognised in business. “If staff, partners, suppliers and customers don’t accept you and recognise your work in the market, they won’t follow you.”

“Also, I don’t believe in stealing customers or quarrelling with people in order to be successful in business, unlike what you see on some TV drama series,” says Wong. “Success is not just sales – it’s the team that matters. For example, you can have a lot of sales, but if you don’t have a good team to sustain the high sales volumes, then you will not achieve success.”

Wong firmly believes in the value of teamwork and partnerships so much that he has a team of six partners whom he has invested in for the growth and expansion of his shipping and logistics business.

“By investing in your partners, your business will grow. With partnerships, everyone is able to enhance their abilities and capabilities. I provide leadership at the conceptual level, but business development and operations are further enhanced on a synergistic partnership platform,” says Wong.

“My six partners have the relevant experience in the shipping and logistics industry. Having partners in the business enables us to have a wider network and to achieve higher business volumes. Each partner is in charge of different areas of the business. This ensures that our foundation is strong and sustainable,” says Wong.

Over the past eighteen years, Venthill Group has successfully undertaken many projects covering the delivery of construction materials for mega infrastructure projects such as the Mass Rapid Transportation in Klang Valley, Kuala Terengganu Drawbridge, Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex in Johor and Pan-Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak, just to name a few. The company has also provided logistics services for manufacturing plants, fiber glass factories and windmill turbines.

Additionally, Venthill became a licensed haulage and customs broker which enables the company to provide in-house customs clearance for the logistics supply chain. Along with warehousing storage and distribution services, the company is able to maintain competitive costs as most key functions are owned and operated within the company. “We are proud to have developed the business to the level in which we are able to deliver large projects. After so many years working in projects, we are now recognised by the market for this capability. All this is possible because of our business integrity,” says the Managing Director.

Apart from integrity, Wong advises that communication is equally critical especially in the present time when climate change is impacting the shipping and logistics industry.

“The biggest challenge in the shipping industry is climate change, and the challenge is expected to increase in the near future. Environmental bodies will put more pressure on shipping and logistics companies, and there will be tighter regulations, and more policies and procedures to manage the risks that come along with these challenges. And this will increase costs across the industry,” says Wong.

He adds, “So, communication is very important. We have to communicate well with our customers about the impact of climate change in the industry. We need to ensure that the customers fully understand the issues involved, so that they are able to make the necessary adjustments to their businesses in terms of strategy, pricing and risks.”

“For example, when the sea becomes rough due to climate change, we don’t want to run the risk of having an overweight or overturned vessel at sea. Sometimes the vessel gets grounded, so safety management procedures take priority. We have to explain to customers about these situations. Another example are oil companies that supply alternative fuel to vessels to reduce gas emissions into the environment. But this means higher costs, and customers need to understand the reasons behind the increased in costs,” says Wong.

The Managing Director reiterates, “When we communicate and explain this well to our customers, they see our integrity. With integrity, they accept and recognise us.”

Today, Wong feels that Venthill Group is standing as a good-sized company with seven business partnerships running well. While he and his partners are continuing to steer their companies to greater heights, the Managing Director is planning to focus intently on human capital development. “In the next nine to ten years, I want to invest in people especially my heads of department, so that they are equipped with good leadership skills and a solution-oriented mindset. I want to inspire, motivate and develop them to be creative in solving problems especially issues on environmental change and wastage. By doing this, they are able to serve our customers well, and they can contribute positive changes in themselves, our business and the overall society,” says Wong enthusiastically.

These core values and attributes, undoubtedly, will underpin the continuous growth and success of his company, but Wong stresses that such qualities are crucial in ensuring sustainability in any business.

“To start a business is good, but to sustain the business is more important. If you can sustain long enough in a business, it means that your character and attitude are leading you in the right path,” says the visionary entrepreneur.

In spite of his busy work schedule, Wong believes in a balanced lifestyle that keeps him happy and healthy. The secret in maintaining that balanced lifestyle is discipline.

“Have discipline in your time management. With discipline, you will have time for work as well as exercise and other interests. It’s simple and yet difficult, but I’ve managed to learn swimming, diving and to play the guitar during my free time,” says Wong with a big smile and a twinkle in his eye.

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