“Most people misunderstand, buying gold is not spending; it is an exchange of currency.”
The path to success is one wrought with challenges and red tape for Dato’ Lim Khong Soon, but he is not one to give up. It took him seven years of countless meetings and funds spent, but his perseverance finally paid off when Quantum Metal Sdn Bhd achieved its first milestone of partnering with Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad in 2014. Two years later, Quantum Metal officially launched its precious metal trading system solutions. Today, Quantum Metal is one of the largest gold bullion distributors in Malaysia, providing 99.99% premium gold products to the Malaysian market, including government bodies, banks, financial institutions, merchants, and individual dealers.
The idea of setting up a gold profile management company came to Dato’ Lim after a conversation with an Indonesian friend, who told him about the inconvenience of carrying physical gold bars to exchange into US currency.
“I was looking for an alternative business to my electronics recycling business after the government implemented new regulations on the import of waste materials, so the chat with my Indonesian friend inspired me to start Quantum Metal”
Apart from the planning and requirements they have to comply with to set up the company, he said there were also a lot of competitors in the market, and there are still many people who do not understand why investing in gold is a good idea. Instead of giving up, Dato’ Lim saw this as a challenge to overcome.
“To me, business is like boxing matches; the one who stands till the end of the game is the real winner”
Now, Quantum Metal is in 13 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. The company has about 40,000 consultants and over 400,000 registered members nationwide, with thousands of new members joining daily.
Quantum Metal is introducing a Shariah-compliant gold trading initiative and economic recovery solution to help consumers improve their financial status. The company is also in the process of preparing to be uplisted in Nasdaq after being OTC-listed in the US.
“Today, Quantum Metal has achieved significant milestones over the past ten years, and we are still moving ahead”
It is Dato’ Lim’s wish to incorporate his professional knowledge and experience in gold asset management to educate, lead, and prepare the people to face the fast growing digital economy in metaverse investment. “Most people misunderstand; buying gold is not spending; it is an exchange of currency,” he said.
It is his belief that they must always help others, as per the Scout Oath of “To help other people at all times”. Dato’ Lim says he ensured both his children practises the same values. He has always taught them to be helpful and to help at least one person a day, and that will be their greatest contribution and achievement.
“The ability to use forward-looking statements and future projections in the De-SPAC prospectus allows investors to better gauge a company’s future prospects, hence justifying the higher valuation”
“Listing a company via a SPAC has many advantages: it is less costly, and is a faster and surer way to get listed compared to a traditional IPO”
“SPACs democratised the IPO process”
Datuk Seri Paul Chong is the Managing Partner of Knights Capital Partners, a regional private equity fund, and a Venture Partner at the global investment bank ARC Group. In addition to sponsoring multiple NASDAQ-listed Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) in 2020-2023, Paul and ARC Group have completed the most NASDAQ SPAC IPOs of any firm in Asia.
He co-founded TNG FinTech Group, Asia’s largest ex-China fintech company with a presence in 16 countries, which owns Tranglo, Malaysia’s largest authorised B2B payments settlement and remittance company.
Paul previously managed the Rothschild Creat Partners Fund (a US$750 million global private equity fund) and the Mitsubishi Creat Fund (a Japan-focused private equity fund worth ¥10 billion/US$130 million).
With three decades of experience in investment banking and private equity, including holding senior positions at Goldman Sachs and UBS Investment Bank, he completed numerous initial public offerings (IPOs) on major exchanges, such as New York, NASDAQ, London, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, Frankfurt, Singapore, Taiwan, and Kuala Lumpur.
Paul holds a law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) as well as an MBA from the London Business School (LBS). He is also a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Vice Chairman of the Sports Chiropractic Council Malaysia
“An illness or condition must be viewed holistically in order to provide the best possible care to patients.”
Dr. Taraz-Lee is a multilingual, multicultural graduate of the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in the United Kingdom.
His own background and interpersonal skills, combined with his diverse educational experience both regionally and abroad, make him a natural communicator who speaks English, Bahasa Melayu, and Mandarin fluently.
Currently the Vice Chairman of the Sports Chiropractic Council Malaysia, Dr. Taraz has extensive first-hand experience with both team and individual sports as an athlete as well as a coach. He strives to help athletes achieve their personal goals and pushes them to perform at their full potential. Alongside this, he dreams of one day representing the country in raising the standards of local sports through sports rehabilitation and performance. He is also a member of the Association of Chiropractic Malaysia.
In terms of work as service, Dr. Taraz finds meaning and purpose in giving back to the community. Having taken part in several service events, one of the most memorable was a trip to India, where a group of chiropractors treated 40,000 people over the course of five days. Dr. Taraz’s perspective on the impact he can have on people’s lives has been shaped by this heart-warming experience.
Dr. Taraz practises integrative medicine and greatly believes that an illness or disease must be viewed in its entirety in order to provide the best possible care to patients.
President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Affin Bank Berhad
Affin Bank Berhad (AFFIN BANK) caught attention in 2020 when it revamped the company’s logo – projecting a more progressive, vibrant and modern image. The transformation at AFFIN BANK during the past two years, go beyond its corporate rebranding. The personnel of the Bank are feeling energised and have a fresh sense of belief in the direction of the organisation.
These changes are being spearheaded by none other than 51-year-old Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah, who assumed the Bank’s top job as its President & Group Chief Executive Officer in April 2020 – right at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Born and raised in Petaling Jaya, Wan Razly has notched up more than 24 years’ experience in corporate strategy, investment banking, consumer banking, accounting and audit services. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in London in 1995 and joined Aseambankers Malaysia (now known as Maybank Investment Bank Bhd) in 2002 before joining CIMB Investment Bank in 2004.
Remarkably, Wan Razly was the Chief Financial Officer at CIMB Group Holdings Bhd’s Indonesian bank – PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk – for a decade before returning to Malaysia in 2019 and assuming the position of Regional Head of Consumer Strategic Business Management at CIMB.
Driving transformation is no easy task – it is even more difficult when you are faced with unprecedented economic challenges due to COVID-19. Wan Razly took it in stride and got on with the task immediately. He kick-started the first phase of AFFIN BANK’s metamorphosis journey through Affinity in Motion (AIM22) and these efforts are showing the desired results.
“As the Bank focuses more towards promoting innovation technological advancement, its financial products and services continue to be improved to cater to the ever-changing market demands.”
“Sharing a renewed sense of belief in the organisation’s direction.”
Receiving the CHT Excellence Award for Asset Security AI at the CHT International Awards 2022 from Guest of Honour, Y.A.M. Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Tengku Laksamana of Selangor (2nd from right) and Dato’ Chng Huck Theng (far right).
In 2021, the Group’s profit before tax jumped 82% year on year to almost RM704 million, while net profit grew by 129% close to RM527 million – its highest in five years. The performance puts it on course to reaching a key AIM22 target of RM1 billion in PBT in financial year 2022, when the three-year plan concludes.
The rapid rise of AFFIN BANK certainly did not go unnoticed with its products and solutions receiving various accolades over the years. Additionally, Brand Finance which is the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy has named the Bank as one the top three fastest growing Malaysian brands for 2022.
With the conclusion of AIM22 this year, AFFIN BANK’S transformation journey will continue with its second phase, under the A25 strategic plan, that aims to position the Bank as the most creative financial industry in Malaysia. Wan Razly is committed to further improve the Bank’s profitability and growth, provide value-based banking for its customers and leapfrog the Bank towards providing unrivalled customer service by 2025.
“My aim is to share my knowledge on corporate compliance, sustainability strategies, cases and solutions on ESG to as many as possible.”
“Corporate compliance issues are becoming increasingly important to regulatory authorities.”
After obtaining a PhD in Finance from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Dr. Ch’ng devoted himself to the financial and capital industry and has been working in this field for the last 30 years. In addition to establishing his own corporate consulting company, he has also been invited by five public listed companies to serve as an independent director, and he has held important positions such as the Chairman of the Board, Chairman of Audit Committee and Risk Management Committee.
He often publishes current issues and financial-related topics in major newspapers and magazines, invited to speak on radio and television shows, and online media. He is also the author of the book “How to Select a Winning Stock”.
“He has been invited to conduct more than 1,000 seminars including public listed company director training to more than 20,000 local and foreign financial and capital services professionals in the last 20 years.”
Dr. Ch’ng also provides consulting services to large corporations. He has extensive expertise in corporate compliance, especially in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Anti-Corruption, Money Laundering and Digital Economy issues that are becoming a grave concern for regulatory authorities and corporations in our country.
As he foresees the increasing importance of ESG, Anti-Corruption and Anti-Money Laundering procedures, he will be conducting more public seminars in these areas, sharing sustainability strategies, cases and solutions.
Senior General Manager, Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels
“Sunway Resort underwent a US$60 million transformation recently, further entrenching the resort as a Kuala Lumpur icon and raising the bar for international hospitality”
“Alex Castaldi, the Senior General Manager of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels shares with EZ the vision behind the transformation”
A multimillion-dollar transformation of Sunway Resort has created a unique destination in Kuala Lumpur with a focus on gastronomy. The resort took the lead to introduce a new signature dining destination, the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, as the Michelin-starred chef’s debut in Malaysia. According to Alex, this brings the style and sophistication of London to Sunway City. If that was not enough, in the pipeline is yet another famous restaurant chain, this time a New York-based chain. The Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes will be introducing its craft burgers and world-famous CrazyShake® milkshakes to Sunway Resort by the end of 2022.
“Sunway Resort’s transformation is a bold drive to seal Sunway City Kuala Lumpur’s position as Asia’s leading fully-integrated premier hospitality and entertainment destination.”
He said the next phases of Sunway Resort’s dramatic transformation will be progressively revealed next year, including the launch of more themed suites, dedicated family spaces and leisure facilities. “We will also be launching more exciting new world-class dining outlets soon,” he adds.
At the CHT International Awards 2022: Striking a pose with Y.A.M. Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Tengku Laksamana of Selangor (centre) and Dato’ Chng Huck Theng (right). Alex was honoured with the CHT Excellence Award: Expatriate for his outstanding achievements and contributions to Malaysian society.
The resort has also adopted technological solutions so that it stays on trend in the face of digitalisation. “Gen Z, millennials, and digital natives make up an ever-greater proportion of travellers; as they’ve grown up with modern technology,” Alex notes. Therefore, the resort has a selection of themed suites enhanced by state-of-the-art solutions such as keyless room entry, motion sensor night lights, IPTV and “iButlers”, who are on hand to deliver gadgets and set up devices.
Alex is optimistic that the hospitality industry in Malaysia will bounce back. “The future seems upbeat,” he says. He believes Malaysia could be a quality tourism destination that offers unique and diverse experiences to the discerning traveller of this post-pandemic era.
Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz is currently the chief executive officer of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation or known to many as MATRADE. He is a man with a mission who successfully leads MATRADE to a new height by transforming the national trade promotion agency into a thinking organisation under all circumstances through boom or bust.
The visionary leader began his 32-year career in the civil service starting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by the Economic Planning Unit, and Prime Minister’s Department, before joining MATRADE in June 1994. Despite having a wealth of experience, Datuk Mohd Mustafa has always been striving for the best and passionate about leading change to produce extraordinary outcomes be it for the organisation itself, business community or the country as a whole.
Staying firm to the phrase “rain or shine, the show must go on”, he leads his comrades by making the impossible possible. The reputable CEO keeps echoing the undertaken transformation initiatives that are aligned with MATRADE’s three main agendas: Digitalisation, Sustainability and the National Trade Blueprints (NTBp). He strongly believes that solid and powerful storytelling about MATRADErs hard work should be conveyed accurately. “Make no more mistakes!” – The compassionate leader advises fellow MATRADErs to encourage them to deliver excellent jobs always.
“It is not easy to put where we are now, all aspects must be well-thought-out in championing MATRADE’s ongoing duty to be an organisation of excellence which is achievable through having the right attitude, good values, distinctive cultures and work ethics (AVC) in our organisation. I am hopeful that the new characteristics of MATRADE will have a spillover effect on our relationship with Malaysian companies as well as our counterparts in other Ministries and Agencies. It has been our aspiration to place Malaysia as a major trading nation and the centre of reference when it comes to international trade”, the Kaizen believer reiterated.
Furthermore, the foresighted leader has always been contributing massively to Malaysian export activities. Among major responsibilities he was held accountable, proving his remarkable leadership quality were:
1. Established the Malaysia Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE in 2001;
2. Reopened the MATRADE office in Osaka, Japan in 2005 after being closed due to economic crisis that hit Asia in 1998; and
3. Established the Malaysia Trade Centre in Doha, Qatar in 2013.
Inculcating the spirit of working together as a team, he was also involved in the nation’s capacity building component together with the consulting team of the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements as follows:
1. Malaysia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement;
2. Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement; and
3. ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement.
According to the MATRADE’s CEO, all sorts of careers need a good self-leadership trait to be at the top in order to run any operations effectively. The chief acknowledges good talents and steers MATRADE’s transformation and restructures exercise by doing the needful to put the right people at the right place. The perfectionist leader often emphasises on personal brand image among his colleagues, in empowering MATRADE’s brand reputation. Moreover, he fosters spring-cleaning practices among MATRADErs to maintain a clean and decent working environment which leads to better productivity. Datuk Mohd Mustafa has made this very clear to all MATRADErs in understanding that their roles as civil servants inter alia, are also about labouring love for the country, passion, discipline, and right mindset.
As the business trends keep evolving, the zealous MATRADEr regards that it is pertinent for both the public and private sectors to join forces in promoting trade enhancement between Malaysia and other trading countries. The TPO needs to be fast and versatile to deliver the best in serving the business community. Good synchronisation be it trade strategy or smart networking can possibly overcome export challenges.
Alongside Malaysia’s stellar trade performance, MATRADE bagged the “Best Use of Information Technology” award at the 13th World Trade Promotion Organizations (WTPO) Conference and Awards organised by the International Trade Centre on 17 May 2022.
The TPO was recognised for its initiative in organising the first fully virtual edition of the 17th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) in 2021. Adding another feather to its cap, MIHAS 2021 was also recognised at the Malaysia Public Relations Awards (MPRA) 2021, clinching the Gold Award in the Best “Pandemic Pivot” or “COVID-19 Communications” campaign category. This shows that under Datuk Mohd Mustafa’s leadership, impactful working culture is adapted and MATRADErs give their best with enthusiasm, ensuring that the TPO excels on the global stage and making it known as one of distinguished Malaysian’s Government Agencies.
MIHAS 2022 which will take place from 7 to 10 September 2022 in a hybrid format will be bigger and better! The MATRADE’s flagship event will showcase a total of 1,196 booths in 13 leading clusters. “Apart from the exhibition, we will also organise the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) which anticipated 400 foreign buyers; from over 50 countries including from the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, ASEAN, Oceania and African region, who will engage in business meetings either virtually or physically with Malaysian exporters. Besides that, the prestigious MIHAS Awards is back again. It seeks to celebrate outstanding exhibitors in booth design creativity, innovation in products and services as well as inventions that are making lasting impacts in the global Halal industry”, he revealed.
The recent slew of cost-cutting measures by the government due to the pressure of global inflation and the rising cost of goods have moved MATRADE to embrace sustainable avenues such as the public private partnership (PPP) and private finance initiative (PFI) in forging collaborations with strategic partners in carrying its mandate. This includes the recently launched MATRADE Digital Trade Platform, powered by Fusionex Group – a business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) trade platform aimed to reduce trade complexities, foster business interconnectivity and promote Malaysia-made products and services to buyers and partners across the globe.
An addition to his endless efforts, the top-notch MATRADE’s Iron Man, strives to transform MATRADE into a self-sustaining organisation. Datuk Mohd Mustafa is determined in finding solution for the organisation’s operating and development budget at all cost. For instance, one of the revenue streams include Menara MATRADE, a conducive building strategically located next to MITEC – the Malaysia’s largest trade exhibition and conference centre, which is also within the proximity of Solaris Mont Kiara, and Publika – well known residential and shopping addresses for foreign expatriates. The inclusivity building offers world-class facilities along with high-speed internet. For viewing and further details kindly contact Revenue Generation Unit at 03 – 6207 7901 / 7903 or email halim@matrade.gov.my / snazreen@matrade.gov.my.
Dato’ Lee Tiong Li is no exception as he has attained exemplary achievements over the course of almost five decades, but it all began when he was only a teenager. After finishing his Fifth Form in Penang Free School in the late 70s, Lee worked as a plumber and then a production operator.
Little did he know that his first modest job would be the catalyst in paving the way to his stellar career spanning more than four decades in Design, Engineering and Operations in the Electronics and Electrical industries.
After obtaining his computer certification and university degree, Lee left Malaysia for the Philippines in the mid-90s. Definitely not one to be confined to familiar settings, Lee was one of the pioneers to start up a Japanese MNC outside of Japan and later moved to the US.
His experience working abroad had made him an invaluable asset for multinational companies in the USA, Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Lee was eventually headhunted to return to Penang in the early 2000s to lead a frame manufacturer which was subsequently listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange main board. He soon decided to venture out to set up his own company Amphenol Corporation which was eventually acquired in 2008.
This led to Amphenol TCS Malaysia’s journey of excellence and expansion under Lee’s leadership by quadrupling the revenue of Amphenol TCS Malaysia to RM500 million per annum from its spin-off, resulting in foreign direct investments of about RM700 million being poured into Penang.
Having built and assembled some of the world’s high-speed and high-density connectors and generating over 800 employment opportunities in the newly set-up third factory facility – Amphenol DC Electronics Malaysia, in Batu Kawan, Penang under Lee’s leadership has been steadily growing and winning numerous awards and is poised to achieve many milestones over the years to come.
Dato’ Lee is also presently the Chairman of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Penang.
One to always give back to society, Dato’ Lee finds time to support and serve the community, collaborate with local associations and government departments and is passionate in matters relating to the environment, healthcare, education, sports and welfare of the seniors and youth.
A prominent name in the industry with over 20 years of experience, Adam Ham is known as ‘The Media Man’ – a title given to him by industry leaders for his astounding capabilities to turn even the toughest of public relations (PR) projects into a success. Having serviced government bodies, corporate companies, celebrities, and film producers in the past, Ham is certain that most people are unaware of how rapidly PR has evolved and changed in the span of two years; failure to recognise these changes can be detrimental.
Experts claim that humanity made its biggest leap in technological advancements when COVID-19 spread throughout the globe. In fact, the pandemic changed many things for humanity from social life to purchase methods and even PR. Ham, however, had the privilege of witnessing the evolution of PR for the past 20 years, dating back to the days when he used to work for the government.
Growing up in Japan and furthering his studies in the United States of America, Ham’s father served Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad in the government, thus, having his education sponsored; in exchange, Ham has to serve the government in a field of his choosing for a minimum of 10 years. Hence, his journey began at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) where he worked as an entertainment specialist, primarily coordinating trade missions for international festivals and exporting local content and talents to the global market.
Although his PR skills were instinctive, Ham acquired most of his knowledge in the field from the 10 years spent at MDEC. There, he came to the realisation that failures occur on many occasions when PR and marketing were not planned properly. Ham had creative ideas to bring to the table and was soon given the opportunity to plan and execute PR campaigns for various companies and producers with tremendous success.
As a matter of fact, Ham’s impact is still recognised today, 12 years after leaving the government. The Media Man was recently nominated to be an advisor for the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) for a period of two years, because of the fame he has garnered in international marketing for the creative and entertainment industry throughout his career. The Mandalorian, 6 Underground, The Summit-97, Ultraman, The Kid from the Big Apple, and The Summit-97, are among some of the projects that Ham has taken into his own hands.
“I am here to share my great experience and inspiration for the industry from the PR perspective.Currently, the landscape for trading content has evolved and changed, as TV stations no longer have a huge budget for acquisition, and Netflix is dominant. We have to share our knowledge on how people can make a living from abroad now,” Ham commented.
Currently, the master in PR owns an agency called Global Creative and Media Agency (GCMA) which is most sought after across all industries. Ham claims that GCMA quickly grew in demand after he had attended several Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) and Business Network International (BNI) gatherings.
“After I left the Government, I truly wanted to build my career in PR and help companies across all industries come to a realisation of how PR can make a difference in their businesses. Most Malaysian companies have no idea about this, and they rarely set aside any budget for this. It was a challenge, but I was all set to take the bull by the horns,” he said.
As a PR agency that makes most of its income from organising successful events, Ham’s company nearly shut down when the pandemic came about. Without any income for months on end, Ham did everything possible to survive – even as much as to offer catering services. This period made for a lot of changes in the world; some more apparent than others. People began using online platforms, e-wallets, and most companies have found a way to offer their services online, these were all common and addressed just about everywhere. But what about PR? Has it changed over the past 2 years?
Ham responds, “Yes, as the economy softened and recession happened, the media landscape wasn’t able to sustain, and gradually PR had to be much more creative and more newsworthy to attract journalists for our clients. Moreover, we also had to know how to create smart relationships with the media players to have a balance that benefits everyone, whilst providing them with great stories.”
Commenting on how the pandemic has affected PR, Ham said, “PR is more important now than before the pandemic. It brings visibility to the brand in an era where fighting for the spotlight is extremely challenging due to the social media culture that floods the internet. Right now, about 30-50% of the market is still being cautious about hosting PR events with huge crowds; though it is important to keep safe from COVID-19, we cannot shift into an endemic stage and recover from the damage caused by COVID-19 by not acting.”
“We do not know what the future holds. For all we know, there is still a possibility of a lockdown of sorts; thus, businesses must take a 360 approach by preparing for every possible outcome and playing their cards right. Another notable thing to consider is the KOLs (Key Opinion Leader) and their social media pages, which allow for high brand visibility, with easily identified target audiences. Engaging influencers is sort of a norm these days, and it has proven effective in brand visibility and marketing.”
Dato Seri Chew Weng Khak made history by creating the first “Made in Malaysia” home electrical appliances brand – Pensonic – and subsequently the first Malaysian electronics company to be listed on Bursa Malaysia in 1995.
This year, 2022, marks two very important milestones for Dato Seri Chew as he will be proudly celebrating the 40th anniversary of his brainchild – Pensonic and blowing 80 candles by November. “My headmaster from Lubok Buntar, South Kedah brought me to Penang when I was 15 and my first job was with Camel Book Store in Carnavon Street,” recalled Dato Seri Chew of the days when he first arrived in Penang. “Soon I decided to work as a wiring man as I believed that it was important for me to have skills to survive,” he added. After working for two bosses and occasionally earning some extra income by working part time in a radio shop to help fix and repair radios, Dato Seri Chew started Keat Radio & Electrical Co., a small shop selling and repairing electrical home appliances in Balik Pulau in 1965. Although he rented the whole building, he had to sub-let the first floor in order to help pay the rent.
Settling down and marrying Tan Bee Tiang in 1968, his first son Dixon, was born in 1969, followed by Vincent in 1972 and Nelson in 1976. Life was a bit better for Dato Seri Chew then, and he expanded his business to town in Perak Road in 1974. Business was smooth sailing and Keat Radio was a retailer for foreign brands; but soon, these brands decided to set up their own distribution offices and started to market their own products instead of going through local distributors. The local distribution rights were taken away by the principal beginning of 1980.
This immediately made Dato Seri Chew think of what the future lies ahead for local retailers like him as the brands he was representing belonged to the manufacturers, for which he has no control over. It was the year 1982 when he decided to start his own brand – Pensonic, a name he coined, that amalgamated ‘Penang’ and ‘Sonic’ meaning – ‘Sound of Penang’.
“Most of the friends in the same industry tried to talk me out of it, some even laughed at me but I was determined as I believed having my own brand is the only way forward,” said Chew. “We cannot just sell for other brands, open their markets for them to capitalise on this where the brand doesn’t belong to us,” he continued. The Pensonic brand was registered as a trademark in Malaysia in 1984 and in more than 10 over countries globally. Business for this proudly-Malaysian brand started to grow as it gained a reputation of manufacturing quality and affordable home electrical appliances which appealed to the mass market.
On 18 December 1995, Pensonic Holdings Bhd was successfully listed on the Second Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd. Today, Pensonic Group has more than 600 dealers countrywide, covering most offline retailers from traditional to modern trade channels. It has also multiple online stores selling all the brands under its umbrella. It also exports to countries in ASEAN, East and West Asia, and the Middle East. Over the years, besides Pensonic as the core brand, business has expanded to include more brands such as Lebensstil Kollektion, Cornell and the Toush. It holds exclusive distribution rights in Malaysia for internationally renowned home appliances brand, Morphy Richards of the United Kingdom.
Under Dato Seri Chew’s stalwart leadership, the company, as a brand, has received a myriad of industry recognitions, certifications and awards from various establishments for quality, creativity, innovation, sales and service, brand excellence and marketing, amongst others.
On a personal front, Dato Seri Chew was the first recipient of the Putra Brand Personality of the Year Award in 2015 and most recently was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri TYT Tun Dato Seri Utama Ahmad Fuzi Haji Abdul Razak, and YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang state executive councillor for tourism and creative economy (PETACE) at the INPENANG International Awards 2021.
EZ MALAYSIA.NEWS 