Success: The Insight Story – Honesty, hard work and going the extra mile

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

Raised in a middle-class family by parents who are honest and hardworking, they did their very best to provide me the education necessary to lay the foundation for my personal development. The emphasis on important values in life in my upbringing also helped ground me in many ways. Personally, my curiosity spurred my passion in entrepreneurship and never giving up in the face of adversity helped build my character.

What traits do you look for in your talent or how do you decide who is right for a job?

It is not easy to find the right talents these days due to the increasingly competitive jobs market. But my emphasis is always to recruit individuals who are responsible and proactive. The willingness to take the extra step and go the extra mile is important to me. Additionally, someone who is honest and hardworking will always take precedence over individual who are academically accomplished but lacks such qualities.

How do you think the industry you are in will evolve in the future?

Capital markets are extremely volatile and susceptible to change. Every day, the fund flow, news flow and economic policies globally triggers movement in the markets. Coupled with the ascent of technology, there are many disruptions to the way the fund management sector operates.

We all know about the industrial revolution, are we in for a technological revolution? Your thoughts.

The past three decades have seen the rise of technology and the reshaping of our daily lives since the invention of the internet. But in the past decades, technological innovation in tandem with the development of the semiconductor sector has led to rapid growth of 5G, AI, EV, and disruption of all traditional industries. This will continue to be the case as our civilisation continues to progress provided the era of peace and prosperity can continue to endure a growing tribal nature of governments around the world.

What do you want to accomplish in the next five years?

To grow my businesses to a level where all my employees and partners can have a comfortable life while having the financial freedom to pursue the quality of life for themselves and their families. Additionally, I hope to continue to build the brand name of Tradview Capital to become one that is trusted by clients and the public as a fund management company that help them build wealth and preserve their legacy.

Most admired business leader? Why?

Robert Kuok. He is not only a great businessman but the most brilliant one Malaysia has ever produced. He has global footprints for his companies and build international branding for many of his businesses becoming leaders in the respective sector such as Shangri-La, Wilmar, Kerry Group etc. Above all else, he is one of the most humble and honourable businessmen of our time. Unlike many entrepreneurs who probably make it big and disappear, Robert Kuok has been consistently successful for a very long duration of time spanning decades. This shows the longevity of his companies and business stems from a strong foundation and values.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry?

Running a fund management company requires me to be on top global economic, political, and social news as all these affects the capital markets. Apart from mainstream and social media, I read widely to obtain insights from industry pioneers and market leaders. These insights serve as a guide but mostly I would formulate my own understanding and take on matters in order to form my own outlook on the market and sectors.

If you could have an hour with any thought leader in the world, who would it be and why?

I would probably want to meet Li Ka-Shing, the self-made billionaire who has long been Hong Kong richest man and whose life is synonymous with coming from rags to riches. There are many successful business leaders and entrepreneurs in the world but what I like about him apart from his humility and honour is the business philosophy which he espouses. He appreciates talents and named his company Cheung Kong to represent the Yangtze River. This is because he believes great rivers are built from a culmination of many little streams. Same goes for talents. Additionally, the way he overcome adversity in life and managing build a global business despite having little formal education is inspirational.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced and what did you learn from it?

Much of life I have been an underdog be it in education or in life. The inequality of society does accords the privilege an advantage over the others. But my life goal and ambition became my drive to succeed in life. I believe if someone like me can make something of myself, then everyone has a chance. So in order to rise to the occasion and overcome adversity, I learned to persevere and hustle.

How do you expect policies on climate change to impact businesses in the future?

There is no way we can avoid the talk on climate change or sustainability. This is not a trend or a fad. We are seeing the impacts of floods, changing weather patterns and drastic natural disasters which are results of years of carbon emissions and development of society. While the physical infrastructure has modernised, it has set back the world in terms of preservation of environment and habitat. Business needs to step up the game to not only be a vehicle of profit but to be a force for good for society. Therefore, my firm was the first boutique fund management company in Malaysia to launch a Sustainable & Responsible Investment qualified fund, Tradeview Sustainability Fund.

What are the top three factors you would attribute your success to?

Perseverance, optimism, and unconditional love from friends & family.