MBA EDGE Postgraduate Studies October 2013

OCTOBER 2013

Bi-monthly Magazine | Issue 18 by

A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP Dr. Chong Aik Lee, Dean of Faculty of Business and Law/ Arts and Humanities, International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW)

MORE IN THIS ISSUE: ISSN 2232-0342

Dr Brian Clarke, IUMW Vice President (Student Affairs and Alumni)

VUMBA: Australia’s 6th top MBA by Dr Hendry Ng, Head of VUMBA programme, Sunway College KL.

Education & Corporate Tours The PKT Way Dato’ Michael Tio, PKT Logistics Group Sdn. Bhd.

BUSINESS SEGMENT: An Eye For Talent Talent scouts Hazel Loke and Cefyone Tan from top Malaysia-based agency Lovea International

PP17103/18/2013 (030736) 2013 Issue 18/ 2013 October RM7.00 9772232034009

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by

IUMW: A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP Dr Brian Clarke,

IUMW Vice President (Student Affairs and Alumni)

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Getting rich begins with the right mindset, the right attitude and the right plan.

BILLIONAIRE ESPRESSO: a recharge for entrepreneurs

Available in all major bookstores.

ISBN 978-967-5945-28-1

CORPORATE Managing Director: Steven Shim Office Manager: Vicky Shim Key Accounts Manager: Wong Finance Manager: Bonnie

EDITOR’S

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor: Alexandra Wong Writers: Lee, Michael Contributors: Yap Thai Meng, Leong Pei Lee, Sr Azita Mohamed Tahir, Chua Yu Kiat, Cheang Wai Leong, Tay Kae Yi, Ooi Yeng Khoon Photographer: Mccain Photography Contributing Photographer : Alan-Lim photography Graphic Designer: Nazir Tay PUBLISHER Penerbit Wawasan Nusa (M) Sdn Bhd (866716-P), Wisma Wawasan, 19-2 Jalan PJS 8/12, Dataran Mentari, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Tel: 603-56301802, Fax: 603-6301803, Email: info@pwn.com.my, penerbitwawasan@gmail.com Website: www.pwn.com.my PRINTER BS Print (M) Sdn Bhd No 10 Jalan Indrahana 1, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 KL, Malaysia Distribute by MPH Distributors Sdn Bhd All rights reserved by MBA Edge™ and its publisher.

While every care has been taken, the publisher, writers, and editors will not be held liable for errors, inaccuracies or commissions. Unsolicited material is submitted at sender’s risk. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of copyright owner. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this magazine via the internet or any other means without the permission of publisher is illegal by law.

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Doing this issue, I learnt a new buzzword making its rounds within the MBA community.

For years, I thought people took up the MBA to boost their employability.

It’s still true, but there’s another more compelling reason to pursue a post-graduate in business - it’s called employer-ability. Institutions offering the MBA today are in the business of creating future CEOs, industry captains, and bosses.

This paradigm shift within the MBA context reflects the bigger changes sweeping across the academia.

Institutions are no longer merely reacting to industry needs, but innovating their syllabuses to leap ahead of the curve. They are actively soliciting input from future employers to ensure that their offerings match real-world concerns.

EDITOR’S NOTE

NOTE What does this mean? For one, that academia is a pretty darn exciting sector to be in right now.

In a development that has the local industry abuzz, University Malaya and University of Wales, Trinity St David - two of the world’s oldest and most revered universities - came together to establish a private academic institution. Dr Brian Clarke, Vice President (Student Affairs and Alumni) of the newlyminted International University of MalayaWales, speaks about the potential impact of this landmark partnership on both countries.

Dr. Chong Aik Lee, IUMW’s Dean of Faculty of Business and Law/ Arts and Humanities, explains how graduate schools can play powerful roles as competency centres to produce better business leaders.

Still on business, our regular segment features an interview with Hazel Loke and Cefyone Tan, the two steel magnolias running Malaysia-based talent agency, Lovea International. By turns thought-provoking, horrific and funny, their stories prove that the talent industry demands exceptional levels of intelligence, soft skills and nerves of steel.

We’ve got some tasty food for thought between these pages. Happy reading.

Alexandra Wong 7

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

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RETHINKING THE MBA

Dr. Chong Aik Lee, Dean of Faculty of Business and Law/ Arts and Humanities, International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW)

16 IUMW: A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP Dr Brian Clarke, IUMW Vice President (Student Affairs and Alumni)

Snapshots IUMW CAMPUS & SURROUNDING

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STNETNOC

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BUSINESS SEGMENT

An Eye For Talent

Talent scouts Hazel Loke and Cefyone Tan from top Malaysia-based agency Lovea International

Highlights VUMBA: Australia’s 6th top MBA

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Dr Hendry Ng Head of VUMBA programme, Sunway College KL. hendryng@sunway.edu.my

UTAR - World-class graduates first step to Malaysia achieving high-income economy

Interviews

Features

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Starbucks Special: Launch of Ristretto Bianco Espresso and Comeback of Salted Caramel Mocha

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Education & Corporate Tours The Pkt Way

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Dato’ Michael Tio, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of PKT Logistics Sdn Bhd & One Logistics Hub TM

Yap Thai Meng

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Leong Pei Lee

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Sr Azita Mohamed Tahir

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Chua Yu Kiat

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Cheang Wai Leong

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Tay Kae Yi

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Ooi Yeng Khoon

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COVER STORY

RETHINKING THE MBA

If historically, the primary reason to get an MBA was to increase your salary or move up the career ladder, today it’s a different story – employer-ability is a much more valued virtue than mere employability. We speak to Dr. Chong Aik Lee, Dean of Faculty of Business and Law/ Arts and Humanities, International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW), on how graduate schools can play a powerful role in producing better business leaders.

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COVER STORY

Dr. Chong completed his Doctorate of Philosophy in Management Accounting with Universiti Utara Malaysia. He obtained his Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Macquarie University and Deakin University (Australia) respectively. Dr. Chong is professionally qualified as Chartered Accountant in Malaysia, Certified Practising Accountant in Australia and a member of Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia. He is the former divisional council member of CPA (Australia), adjudicator for Annual Corporate Report Awards by Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry and assessor to Malaysia Qualification Agency (MQA).

Dr. Chong has more than 16 years of working experience in Auditing, Accounting, Company Secretary, Taxation and Management Consultancy, including starting his own accounting and consultancy firm in Kuala Lumpur.

His book Auditing Principles and Assurance Services, Malaysia is widely referred to by practitioners. Dr Chong is actively involved in area of Strategic University Industry Collaboration (“UIC”), Higher Education Management and was once appointed a member of working committee with the Department of Industrial Linkage under Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, in formulating Strategic UIC policy in Malaysia.

Q1. Prior to joining the academia, you had extensive experience working and running your own business in the corporate world.

Can you share your foundational experiences?

I’ve always wanted to run my own business.

Growing up in Alor Setar, I had an early exposure to the family business. It always amazed me how my late father would bounce back after a failure, how he would come back even more spirited, more zestful, with more ideas on how to improve the business.

Over the years I concluded that businessmen not only have an unusual resilience that enable them to treat failures as mere

obstacles, they also have the knowhow, skills and ability to develop the ultimate product or success story.

I chose accounting because it was a crucial technical and professional skill in starting my own business.

After completing my bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting, I also gained professional qualification as a CPA Australia and Chartered Accountant (Malaysia). For nearly ten years, I built my track record in auditing. I was attached to an international accounting firm for four years and moved on to another accounting firm before venturing to start my own business.

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COVER STORY Q2. It’s common knowledge that life as an auditor can be grinding.

Can you share some of your character-building experiences? And is it true that auditors don’t see the sun?

It’s normal for an auditor to work from 8am to late at night.

So yes, for nearly 8-9 years of my life, I virtually never saw the sun. But I always encourage my accounting students to join auditing because one year in the field is equivalent to two or three years in another; you just learn so much.

I learnt one of my most memorable lessons when I was about 1.5 years in the field. I was going out for a routine audit exercise with my boss. When

for the first time I conducted an audit without a checklist. It taught me that audit was about sense of business.

I told him that I’d forgotten to take my audit checklist, he kept on driving and asked, “Why do you need a physical checklist?

It should be in your head.” So,

So from then onwards, I cultivated the discipline to fully understand and make sense of something before executing a task. I guess my boss was trying to tell me to think on my own feet. This has given me confidence in everything I do, particularly in my auditing experience, which accelerated my learning process.

Q3. In your opinion, how is the MBA different from other kinds of postgraduate subjects? What is the purpose of an MBA? MBA is a bridge linking those with years of invaluable experience to a more structured performance and mind set in their pursuit of better performance in their profession. The core subjects encompass all the basic aspects 12

of each business organization like human resource, finance, etc. You are exposed to a wide and global spectrum of real life cases and experiences drawn from real-world examples, which you then adapt to suit your own company. But at the

end of the day, the student has to know that there is only one core subject, which is business!

A business leader or manager is an all-rounder who is able to grasp all these individual subjects and treat them like one.

An MBA course helps create that all-rounder.

COVER STORY

I became very confident because of my auditing experience, which accelerated my learning process.

Q4. How do you design a programme that is targeted yet broad-based enough to have industrial relevancy?

First, we analysed the common needs of the industry. We talk to employers and obtain industrial feedback in designing our syllabus. Interestingly, most of the industrial responses focus on communication skills. A student with good technical knowledge may not be able to articulate certain topic well, or lack the business sense to execute it. That’s why our program comprises 70% coursework and 30%

examination while presentations make up a major component.

A business leader or manager also needs to be able to relate to all the other business components together effectively. Why would we teach an MBA student about financial management, for example? Accountants have a certain way of thinking. How they interpret revenue, how they design budget – there is a

certain logic behind it. In effect, we are building a bridge; we are inculcating within these future business leaders or managers the skills and ability to communicate and collaborate with other business units. To crystallize his ideas, a business leader or manager needs the technical expertise of an accountant. That’s the hallmark of a true business leader or manager.

The MBA is a bridge for those who would like to know business in a more structured manner.

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COVER STORY

Q5. It sounds to me that this programme is about teaching students business leadership.

Traditionally, MBA was regarded as the passport to move up the salary scale and professional advancement; that’s employability. But I think, as forward-thinking academicians, we should go beyond that. Can our students be entrepreneurs and look beyond local market? That’s why we also look at employer-ability and global exposure.

When I say employer-ability, I’m not saying it is only limited to starting your own business.

You can work in an organization and create your own niche.

You should be thinking of introducing innovative ideas to continuously improve business. So even though you may not be the business owner, your entrepreneurship and innovativeness put you

Q6. How does IUMW’s MBA programme compare to its peers in the country?

While we don’t deviate from the core components that make up a basic graduate degree programme, we have a more holistic and global approach towards MBA. Building a quality business takes time. Likewise, a good business programme should place emphasis on long-term strategic planning, rather than the next quarter or next year.

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on equal standing. If your idea is good enough to expand the business beyond local market for example, what’s stopping your boss from making you a partner? This kind of spirit is what we want to cultivate in a business graduate. We aim to groom MBA students into global CEOs or business owners.

COVER STORY

Q7. How do you prepare the next generation of business leaders to face future business challenges?

First, we focus on skills that are invaluable to large companies and start-ups. We teach the importance of cultural differences because, in all likelihood, you will be working with multinational companies.

We focus a lot on global trends and issues.

For example, it’s compulsory for every student to take up at least one foreign language.

We offer Japanese, Arabic, or Mandarin languages. At the end of it, you should be proficient enough to communicate in the business language of your choosing. We choose these languages based on businessworld requirements. If you look at the world economy,

these are most prominent languages in the business world.

Everybody wants to do business with China. Islamic finance is a leading force. Japan is an economic powerhouse. In order to keep the MBA relevant, the curriculum must respond to the global economy.

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COVER STORY Q8. What are the traits of an ideal IUMW alumnus?

Given that we’ve just enrolled our first batch of students, this is a favourite topic of my colleagues and I. You can have top scorers, but how do you sniff out an IUMW graduate three years from now? If I create the mould right, if sometime in the future I meet a burger entrepreneur who

Building a quality company takes time displays innovative traits and aspires to be bigger and more successful than Ramly Burger, then there’s an IUMW student!

Doing business is not about size; it’s about innovation and ambition. Without innovation, a business is not sustainable.

A businessman must convert all he knows and has learnt into business success – that’s innovation. How do we develop this at IUMW? We let the students explore their ideas in entrepreneurship programmes, encourage them to take risks, push them to venture out even while they are completing the programme. We want them to experience the natural life cycle of a business because that’s the best way to learn.

Q9. In your opinion, why is an MBA degree still a good investment in a fast-moving economy?

It opens up whole new ways of making intelligent and informed decisions. You learn the successes, opportunities, mistakes and failures of companies from all over the world in 18 months rather than 18

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years. You learn critical thinking and how to use data to analyze complex problems, and you project more confidence in your relations with others. An MBA is not a sure ticket to business success, but it provides the

skills, experiences and networks to pursue new opportunities as they appear. The rest is up to you. Adaptability will be critical in maximizing your MBA experience.

COVER STORY

IUMW: A Landmark Partnership

The establishment of International University of Malaya-Wales, a joint venture between two highly revered public universities in Malaysia and the United Kingdom, is a bold historical move into the private sector - and one that has taken the public by surprise. Dr Brian Clarke, IUMW Vice President (Student Affairs and Alumni), speaks about the potential impact of this landmark partnership.

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Dr Brian Clarke was educated at Gowerton Boys’ Grammar School and the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Following a period of research in industry with INCO Europe, he moved into education as a lecturer in chemistry, eventually shifting to academic administration as Vice Principal in 1990. Prior to IUMW, he also held the following positions: head of applied science with the Vocational Training Council in Hong Kong; developer of educational resources for digital television; Director of Development, then Director of Operations and Resources and eventually as Registrar at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Outside academic life, Brian is a keen professional musician; he has played with many orchestras including the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and retains his post as principal cello with the Chamber Orchestra of Wales. When time allows, Brian skis and sails.

COVER STORY Q1. What was the original rationale behind this academic partnership?

The rationale has been developed over a period of years and is based on a number of factors: • The concept of globalization of higher education – where major Universities want to develop provision outside traditional boundaries • IUMW wanting its students to be more international in their outlook and not be limited by national boundaries • The opportunity to share resources – human and physical, transfer good practice and seek further opportunities for student progression • Increasing the viability and influence of the respective institutions

Q2. How do you see this partnership contributing to the higher education sector in both countries?

It is fair to reflect that mutual understanding between some nations is far from being mature. There needs to be more mutual understanding and acceptance of different cultural attitudes, customs and mores. Universities can provide the environment to enhance knowledge and understanding in more than an academic sense. As an international University, IUMW has a key rôle to play by developing the sense of cultural awareness, mutual respect and the values associated with being a world citizen. Students from Wales also have much to gain from the links with IUMW by being able to experience the high level of mutual respect achieved between communities in Malaysia.

MQA Certification

Of further mutual benefit to Malaysia and Wales are the economic ties that can develop.

Cardiff City Football Club is owned by the entrepreneur Tan Sri Vincent Tan. His influence has already benefitted the community in Cardiff. A 2014 trade mission is being planned to further the economic links between the countries. IUMW will play a leading role in these developments.

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COVER STORY

Q3. Students may, subject to approval, also be awarded with a dual award conferred by IUMW and the transformed University of Wales/Trinity Saint David. Why does the university feel there is a need for such a certification?

There are two points to emphasise here : The founding Universities of IUMW, – the University of Malaya (UM) and the University of Wales (UW), offer programmes of the highest calibre and award degrees of impeccable standards. These standards have been adopted

by IUMW. However, in a global environment, one has to deal with all sorts of different perceptions. A proportion of students aspire to study in the UK, but sometimes that opportunity does not present itself. By operating the dual-

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award IUMW students can spend a period of time studying in the UK, but without incurring the full economic costs of three years of study away from home.

Globally, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of Universities offering degree programmes. A small minority of these Universities offer programmes of dubious quality and degrees that have little value. The combined credentials of UM and UW absolutely assure the quality of delivery of programmes and the standards of the degrees awarded.

As an international University, IUMW has a key rĂ´le to play by developing the sense of cultural awareness, mutual respect and the values associated with being a world citizen.

COVER STORY Q4. As the caretaker of student affairs and alumni in IUMW, what are your immediate leadership priorities?

The initial priority is to ensure that our new cohort of students settle and participate in University life. The second is to ensure that they take full advantage of the activities and opportunities available to them through sport, cultural activities, entrepreneurship training and developing life skills that are so important in a working environment. The third to support them in their studies by identifying and resolving issues for them and ensuring that the learning experience is first class.

Dr Brian Clarke with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Wales and the world famous composer Karl Jenkins, receiving an honorary fellowship from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Q5. How would a learning experience in IUMW be different from comparable programmes offered by other academic institutions?

IUMW will provide a ‘unique’ learning experience. The quality assurance mechanisms in place ensure learning and teaching as well as research of impeccable quality. The links between Malaysia and the UK will be exploited to the full to ensure that our students have the opportunity to enjoy a truly international experience through exchange programmes, shared teaching, cultural programmes, and innovative learning and

teaching technologies. IUMW features a high level of student engagement across all its activities.

Starting a new University provides the perfect opportunity of providing bespoke degree programmes that are tailored to the expressed needs of business, industry, commerce and the community. There are no pre-conceived ideas and the management engages widely

with partners outside the University sector to ensure that the programmes are designed to be relevant at their outset.

Progression of students into relevant employment is a strategic priority and will be a key performance indicator of IUMW’s success.

We have high expectations of our students and envisage them to be future leaders of industry and commerce globally.

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COVER STORY Q6. IUMW’s first enrolment has already taken place in August (for the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy’s programmes). What was the most memorable conversation you’ve had with a student of the university so far?

Our first group of students naturally became the representatives of the Student Council, accepting all the associated responsibilities and becoming effective contributors and leaders within their own right. Given that initial responsibility, it is amazing how they have responded and developed as individuals and as a team in such a short time.

They have taken over the operation of the Student Centre and have been very innovative, mature and entrepreneurial in the way they have organised themselves.

They have contributed substantially to the development of the activities provided by student affairs and are constantly seeking to develop new avenues of activity.

In terms of conversations, all have been significant, but the most memorable focuses on the concerns expressed by a senior member of the student council

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for the welfare of another student. This concern was relayed to the student services team and responded to. A true case of expressing empathy and concern for another team member!

COVER STORY Q7. Speaking from your own teaching and management experience in different educational settings across the world, how can universities reconfigure themselves to prepare the coming generations to meet global challenges?

In Wales the term ‘transformational change’ has been in vogue. In the context in Wales this has meant a significant rationalisation and resulting merger of Universities and Colleges. There has been differentiation of Universities into a group of research led and learning & teaching led institutions. Both types have a significant role to play. It is apparent that whether research or learning based, it is the ‘quality of provision’ is most important. University ratings are widely published annually and are used as the bases for informed choice by prospective students and their parents.

For me, the second priority is that our students are able

of a former colleague in our student orientation events – Carpe Diem – ‘seize the day’.

to maximize their potential – University staff have to be inspirational, innovative and top class in their field; support services must enable students to fulfill their aspirations through broadening their educational experience and assisting them to be culturally, socially and morally aware. I frequently plagiarise the words

The third priority is the relevance of the activities of a University in its particular context; this has been termed the ‘third mission’ of a University and is a quantitative measure of the direct impact it makes on the economic, social and cultural well-being of the nation which it serves.

For IUMW, the future is bright –our first cohort of students have made a great start in furthering their personal and professional development. We look forward to celebrating their success.

There has been differentiation of Universities into a group of research led and learning & teaching led institutions.

Both types have a significant role to play. It is apparent that whether research or learning based, it is the ‘quality of provision’ is most important.

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INTERVIEWS

MASTER OF ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL)

Yap Thai Meng Deputy Manager

(Layout & Piping Engineering)

Current University University Tunku Abdul Rahman

Job Description Responsible for the managerial and technical role in Piping department. Current employer is active in EPCC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Commissioning) business for client like Petronas, Shell, Titan Petrochemical, and etc.

What do you consider the best takeaway from your postgraduate programme?

The knowledge and methodology in engineering applications, plus the project management skills from both books and case studies from real examples. Besides, the networking/ relationship with the people that you meet throughout the entire course is another valuable asset that may help you anytime in the near future.

What is your advice to prospective postgraduate students to prepare for this programme?

Most important are your time planning and commitment. Part time studying is not an easy thing for working people. Besides that, close communication with the lecturers and information sharing among classmate are also key factors.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I will continue my career in the same industry and prepare myself for a bigger task and larger responsibility.

Motto in life

Your biggest enemy is yourself, overcome it, and then you can make it.

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INTERVIEWS

What made you want to study an MBA? MBA (Corporate Governance) is a postgraduate programme combining business and a number of corporate law and compliance subjects. I always believe that law and business are a perfect match. to enter into the business world, as they go hand in hand all the time. Companies with poor corporate governance may weaken its potential and pave the way for fraud. On the other hand, companies with strong corporate governance may easily outperform other companies by attracting more investors which in turn finance their development. I studied MBA (Corporate Governance) with the hope of strengthening my knowledge in business and corporate governance. Having completed the study, I am a step closer to my dream now, either to build my own business or to develop my career to another higher level.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by a number of successful woman entrepreneurs.

They lead me to believe that if we have a dream, nothing is impossible and women can come up with great innovative business ideas too.

MBA (CORPORATE GOVERNANCE)

Leong Pei Lee Legal Assistant

Current University University Tunku Abdul Rahman

Job Description My current practice encompasses advisory work on commercial agreements a well as real estate transactions involving sale and purchase, auctions, financing, tenancy and lease.

What is your favourite quote? “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.� (Vince Lombardi)

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HIGHLIGHTS

VUMBA: Australia’s 6th top MBA

High student satisfaction and graduate employability are just two of the reasons that Victoria University MBA (VUMBA), recently ranked one of the 6th top MBA in Australia*. In Malaysia, VUMBA is offered at Sunway College, a premier offshore partner of Victoria University of more than 10 years.

The benefits of having an MBA qualification vary among students. The common benefit after all the hard work of study is better employability. Some graduates may move up the corporate ladder in the same firms, while others may make career switch to other firms or industries. Most graduates will be able to expand their career options and obtain higher remuneration, and gain greater self-confidence in their work and capacity for doing their jobs more effectively.

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HIGHLIGHTS Increasingly, the leading reason for MBA programmes being beneficial is its connection to the real world. Students want to learn how to face real business problems and make critical decisions. They desire actionoriented learning. This learning

is only possible if the MBA units are facilitated by “pracademics” – who are from the dual world of industry and academia.

Due to the workplace integration approach of the curriculum, VUMBA students acquire new skills and knowledge on the weekends that are readily applicable to them in their workplaces on Mondays. The use of industrial software in MBA units is an added advantage in work enhancement for MBA students.

For instance, SAP enterprise software is used by VUMBA students to prove the concepts

of enterprise resource planning, and supply chain & logistics management. The software enables practical application of the concepts of intra- and inter-networking to realise physical movement and storage, information systems support and relationships between internal and external partners in supply chains. VUMBA may be the only one in town which offers SAP as a teaching software.

An MBA class is a professional network. VUMBA at Sunway has over 100 active students and over 450 alumni – a substantially large community to provide abundant opportunities to network among themselves.

Collaborative learning among students from diverse cultures prepares students to work in a transnational setting. However, while having international students in class may be highly valued, it also depends on the calibre of the peer group. For instance, it may be burdensome to others in the assignment groups if some members’ first language is not English. It is equally frustrating if the students come from a culture where speaking up or expressing an opinion is not natural.

Until their last examination, MBA students are works-inprogress. They learn how best to achieve work-study balance.

At the beginning of the MBA study, some MBA students may lack oral and/or written communication skills, and lack the confidence to apply the lessons learnt in class to their workplaces. Due to the constant presentations and assignments in the programme, employers would find their charges becoming more articulate and willing to take up new job assignments. Consequentially, the journey is more enriching than the outcome.

Dr Hendry Ng

Head of VUMBA programme, Sunway College KL. hendryng@sunway.edu.my

*Source: http://www.afr.com/p/australia_only_ mba_rankings_3hWteRkPQzbCeKZ4D6moRL 27

SNAPSHOTS

SNAPSHOTS IUMW CAMPUS & SURROUNDING 28

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INTERVIEWS

azita@plus.uemnet.com

Sr Azita Mohamed Tahir Head of Works Procurement Department, Projek Lebuhraya Usahasama Berhad (PLUS)

Current University Currently pursuing Victoria University MBA (VUMBA) at Sunway; I hold a BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from Salford University, UK and a Postgraduate Diploma in Arbitration from the College of Estate Management , UK.

Job Description I currently head the Works Procurement Department that looks after all the procurement and contract administration needs for all the expressways under PLUS Berhad such as the PLUS’ North-South Expressways, the New Klang Valley Expressways, the Federal Highway Route 2, the ELITE Expressways, LINKEDUA, Butterworth-Kulim Expressways (BKE) and the Penang Bridge.

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What made you want to study an MBA?

Being in the corporate world and trained as a quantity surveyor and an arbitrator, I feel like I need to equip myself with better management skills. By doing MBA, I find that I can relate to my work better, enhance my working relationship with my staff, colleague and superiors and more importantly better understand what is required of me in my company. It also feels satisfying, being able to understand and apply the knowledge and skills that I have learned.

What inspires you?

Pursuit of knowledge. Learning is a never ending process.

I like to learn new things and skills. The satisfaction comes from being able to apply the knowledge and skills, and to be able to share what I have learnt along the way, with friends and colleagues.

Favorite Quote When there’s a will, there’s always a way..

Learning is a never ending process.

INTERVIEWS

12064192@imail.sunway.edu.my

What made you want to study an MBA? My current business development role requires me to have sound comprehension on the overall business operations. I felt that I lacked the insights of the bigger picture from my past working experiences having focused too much on the daily operations and little on business processes and strategies.

From this I hope to acquire in-depth business knowledge such as accounting, financial analysis, marketing, supply chain, human resources and strategic management. This would help me in advising the management when it comes to identifying market demand, assessing opportunity costs and applying best practices in the business.

I also wanted to study an MBA to network with other like-minded people. All the students have one common objective which is to improve themselves by earning an MBA qualification. There are a large number of students with diverse background and experiences to network with in the course, not to mention past alumni students. It is just interesting to make some new friends and exchange ideas.

What inspires you?

People who overcome adversity with a positive attitude inspire me. I admire people who have the courage to continue pursuing what they believe in in spite of all the obstacles along the way.

Favorite Quote Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ~ Henry Ford

Chua Yu Kiat Business Development Manager

University Victoria University MBA (VUMBA) at Sunway; University of Sheffield Bachelors in Engineering

Job Description I work for a South African engineering company with proprietary technology in the manufacturing of insulation oil process equipment. My responsibility is to help the company set up an assembly operation in Malaysia. I work closely with both the technical manager and operations manager to oversee the whole assembly process, from production planning to logistics and supply chain management. On the marketing aspect, my key role includes liaising with government authorities for licenses and trade incentives, planning for marketing activities, organizing exhibitions and growing channel sales.

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INTERVIEWS

cheangwaileong@hotmail.com

Cheang Wai Leong Fund Transfer Pricing Analyst, Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad

Current University Victoria University MBA (VUMBA) at Sunway

Graduated from Monash University

Favorite Quote All in all, I am proud to be a student of VUMBA and my favourite quote for VUMBA is “Let’s Grow Together With VUMBA”.

What is your best takeaway value from your MBA?

Throughout my experience in VUMBA, I have enhanced my personal values mainly to be a good team player, to be more self-disciplined and to apply what I have learnt in my current job as a Fund Transfer Pricing (FTP) Analyst. As an FTP analyst, I am the key coordinator with treasury, information system and business department for various projects involving FTP rates (internal interest rates or cost of funding) within the bank itself. The major motivation for me to further my studies in MBA is to enhance my knowledge in other area (eg. ERP SAP system, Business Economics, Financial Analysis, Project Management, Supply Chain and Logistic, etc) apart from my current work experience so as to provide ample opportunity in enhancing my career to the next level.

Furthermore, VUMBA covers both technical and analytical assignments and research papers which further enhance my reading and research skills in other area of studies. With most of the classes being held in the weekends, I can rest assured my enrolment to VUMBA will not affect my usual work in any manner. Moreover, both Australian lecturers and local tutors are helpful and can be reached easily, thus, I am able to get consultation and to solve my problems with them easily.

Apart from study, I am impressed with the activities organized by the VUMBA Club catered to all VUMBA students as well. Through this club, I am able to enhance my network and to learn to be an event organizer.

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HIGHLIGHTS

UTAR - World-class graduates first step to Malaysia achieving high-income economy

T Prof Dr Faidz Abd. Rahman Director of Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, UTAR

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he secret of UTAR’s success – which includes an astonishing 97% graduate employability – lies in a long-term academic vision that recognizes that talent development at the tertiary education level is crucial to nation building.

For Malaysia to transform into a high-income economy, it is imperative that we develop, attract and retain a first-world talent base. This is because human capital lies at the core of innovation and a productive high-income economy.

Just look at the talent base and workforce of high-income nations; they share a number of key characteristics: higher education qualifications to promote knowledge generation

HIGHLIGHTS and innovation, high skilllevels in both technical and professional fields, and strong levels of productivity.

A high-income economy is one that is knowledge- and innovation-based, which requires a critical mass of knowledge workers such as scientists, engineers, patent agents and ‘technopreneurs’. As such, universities have an important role to play in producing highly skilled people, who are able to create, innovate, and exploit new ideas as well as apply and develop technologies.

One university that seems to be doing it right is UTAR. Within six months after graduation, 97% of

its 32,000 over graduates gained employment, a remarkable achievement by any benchmark.

To ensure its programmes are industry-relevant – hence boosting their graduates’ chances of securing jobs – UTAR places much greater emphasis in R&D and commercialisation than other universities, says Professor Dr Faidz Abdul Rahman, Director of the Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). “Since 2005, we have allocated over RM20 million of internal funding that has been supporting the starting up of more than 630 projects of which 74 percent of them have been completed.”

In addition, for the same period, UTAR has received external funding of over RM24 million for more than 190 projects, of which 60 are ongoing. Its industry research partners include Agilent Technologies, Altera Corporation, Cisco Systems Inc., Intel Corporation, and Microsoft Corporation from USA; Eu Yan Sang from Singapore; and Brunsfield Group and MIMOS Berhad in Malaysia.

To strengthen performance culture in UTAR, the university has set specific goals for every faculty and staff members.

Every staff needs to set goals and achieve them and UTAR’s reward and remuneration system is performance-based.

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HIGHLIGHTS

The university is progressing well, according to the UTAR R&D Roadmap, which is a comprehensive plan with clearly defined deliverable objectives to monitor the progress of research, development and commercialisation in the university.

The university also set up the UTAR Global Research Network where UTAR faculty members network with 31 distinguished international collaborative partners from all over the world, and nine endowed professorial chairs in the areas of Agricultural Science, Banking and Finance, Chemistry, Creative Industries, Construction Management, Economics, Engineering, Green Technology, and Medicine.

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Since 2005, we have allocated over RM20 million of internal funding that has been supporting the starting up of more than 630 projects of which 74 percent of them have been completed.

Through the efforts of its dedicated faculty and staff members, UTAR has made significant headway in the R&D on diverse areas of contemporary and emerging importance. These areas

include stem cells, cancer, traditional Chinese medicine, building construction, waste water treatment, environmental health, mobile and satellite communications, solar and renewable energy, IT security, internet TV, cloud computing, multimedia education, computer vision, social capital, globalisation, agriculture, Chinese studies, etc.

In terms of commercialisation, UTAR has collaborated with industry leaders such as Doshin Rubber Products to develop and patent an improved rubber base-isolator with greener, more sustainable and economical features. It partnered with Ken Holdings Berhad on an energyefficient system for housing

HIGHLIGHTS

When designing and upgrading its programmes, UTAR actively solicits input from industrial experts and professional bodies to ensure that its programmes are relevant to the industry. In the case of the UTAR Master of Administration (Corporate Governance) programme, besides providing a unique specialisation in corporate governance, UTAR also collaborates with Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA) to enable graduates from the programme to be awarded the graduate status of MAICSA.

using heat insulated roofing sheets, walling blocks and panels.

UTAR also worked with Eu Yan Sang group to successfully develop and patent a method to extract pharmaceutical products from a local plant.

To contribute to the creation of a critical mass of knowledge workers – defined as those with postgraduate qualifications - for the country, UTAR constantly upgrades its current

postgraduate programmes and develops new ones. UTAR puts in much effort in designing and upgrading of all its programmes.

For that reason, UTAR has recently concluded a survey on what students look for in a postgraduate programme. It was found that students place a high priority on the capacity of the postgraduate programme to facilitate their professional advancement.

Other professional bodies that UTAR collaborates with include Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) UK, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) UK, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) UK and Society of Actuaries (SOA) USA. 37

HIGHLIGHTS

UTAR currently offers 12 PhD and 28 Master’s programmes in Applied Accounting, Building Management, Business Administration, Banking and Finance, Chinese Studies, Communication, Computer Science, Engineering, Green Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Project Management, Science and Social Science.

UTAR attributes its achievements over the years to its dedicated qualified, experienced staff especially its faculty members who are devoted to pursuing excellence in teaching and research. To retain the best people in UTAR, the university is providing an environment for the development of every member of its staff.

Because its programmes are industrial relevant and its graduates are equipped with the necessary technical and soft skills, UTAR’s annual graduate employability has exceeded 97 percent many times.

“If you’re interested in research, depending on your qualifications, experience and intention, you

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can join us as a research partner, research or postgraduate student,” says Prof Dr Faidz, adding that the university welcomes all enquiries about R&D and commercialisation, and postgraduate studies.

Established in 2002 with 411 students, today, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) offers 117 programmes including Accountancy, Actuarial Science, Agriculture, Arts, Business and Economics, Creative Industries and Design, Engineering and Built Environment, Information and Communication Technology, Life and Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Process Management, Medicine and Health Sciences, and Social Science and Education to over 23,000 students in its nine

faculties, three institutes and three centres located in three Klang Valley campuses in Bandar Sungai Long, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya and the main campus in Kampar, which was awarded the Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (Malaysian Institute of Architects) gold award in the education category in 2013.

UTAR has been ranked as one of the top 300 universities in Asia in 2012 and 2013, and the 64th Asian university in employer reputation in 2012 by QS World University Rankings: Asia.

For more information, call +603 7958 2628 ext 8227 or +605 468 8888 ext 2260, email postgrad@utar.edu.my, or visit www.utar.edu.my

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FEATURES

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FEATURES

EXPERIENCE THE STARBUCKS EXCELLENCE IN ESPRESSO THIS AUTUMN WITH THE SPECIALLY HANDCRAFTED RISTRETTO BIANCO ESPRESSO BEVERAGE AND THE COMEBACK OF STARBUCKS® SALTED CARAMEL MOCHA ESPRESSO BANANA CHOCOLAVA

This autumn, Starbucks Malaysia launches the exquisitely handcrafted Ristretto Bianco espresso beverage. New to the Starbucks espresso beverage line-up, Starbucks® Ristretto Bianco is the purest expression of luxurious, handcrafted perfection. Starbucks® Ristretto Bianco is a rich, pleasantly smooth and velvety espresso beverage in a fuller bodied shot with a deep, coffee-rich flavor.

“At Starbucks, excellence in espresso is core to what we do. All of Starbucks® signature beverages around the world are made with Starbucks® Espresso Roast.

We are continuously challenging ourselves to give customers an experience that is premium and reflects our passion for coffee. We believe that with the specially handcrafted Ristretto Bianco espresso beverage, we will take our customers on a coffee journey that will add an exquisite and a luxurious touch to their favourite latte.” said Sydney Quays, Managing Director of Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Company .

“Our passion for ensuring that every customer gets their perfect drink makes us obsessed with the quality of our coffee. The Ristretto Bianco espresso beverage reflects our passion as well as our constant endeavor to give our customers a superior coffee experience.

We are excited to add the Ristretto Bianco to our line of espresso beverages and we believe that our customers will enjoy this specially handcrafted espresso beverage.” he added.

Each handcrafted Ristretto Bianco features the deep, coffee-rich flavor of two Ristretto shots of Starbucks® signature high quality espresso roast and creamy whole milk,

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FEATURES steamed to microfoam and free poured to a dot finish.

Ristretto shots use the same grind and amount of coffee as a regular espresso shot, but

less water is forced through the grounds producing a fullbodied, balanced, and pleasantly smooth shot. The milk has a velvety texture that makes this beverage perfect for customers who are looking to add a lavish touch to their latte ritual.

In addition, Starbucks is also bringing back Starbucks® Salted Caramel Mocha this autumn.

The warm and indulgent flavors of Salted Caramel Mocha are a perfect companion for a crisp, autumn day. Experience uplifting warmth with this creamy mix of espresso and velvety steamed milk, blended with mocha sauce and toffee

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nut flavored syrup. Topped with whipped cream, buttery caramel sauce and a mixture of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt, this flavorful beverage is sure to make your day.

With the same delicious flavor as the Salted Caramel Mocha in an icy cool format, the Iced Salted Caramel Mocha offers a cool and indulgent treat perfect for a warm fall day. Espresso and fresh milk are combined with mocha sauce and toffee nut flavored syrup, served over ice and topped with whipped cream, buttery caramel sauce, and a mixture of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt, hitting the perfect note. Salted Caramel Mocal also comes in Frappuccino® Blended Beverage format; The sweet flavor of caramel blends beautifully with Starbucks® Frappuccino® Roast coffee, whole milk, and ice.

Finished with whipped cream and our buttery caramel drizzle, a mixture of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt. It’s the perfect indulgent mid-day treat.

While you’re enjoying your coffee treat at Starbucks, do also try the Espresso Banana Chocolava; a rich and chocolaty volcano shaped banana muffin filled with smooth flowing chocolate filling served with

a shot of Starbucks Espresso on top. A Definitely Must Try Indulgence for a Good Cause in line with Starbucks Connecting Community project.

About Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Company Sdn Bhd Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Company Sdn Bhd is jointly owned by Starbucks Coffee International and Berjaya Group Berhad. The company operates Starbucks retail locations throughout Malaysia and is committed to offering the world’s finest coffee while enriching Malaysians’ lives one cup at a time.For more information, please visit the official site at www. starbucks.com.my or check out our Facebook page at www.facebook. com/StarbucksMalaysia

About Starbucks Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

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Unless you want to be stuck in the sea of ordinary – buy this book now!

Available in all major bookstores.

ISBN 978-967-5945-30-4

INTERVIEWS

What made you want to study an MBA?

MBA

An MBA teaches us to look at problems and opportunities holistically. It also provides analytical frameworks, such as risk assessments, cost-benefit analyses and strategic plans, that we can apply to any problem or opportunity we encounter, whether in or beyond IT. The business mind-set that an MBA is good practice because we use those frameworks repeatedly in a rigorous academic environment, and we see how these can be applied in a diversity of situations.

Ooi Yeng Khoon

What inspires you?

I support end-users with IT-related problems in a responsive and service oriented manner; the setup, management, and maintenance of IT-related equipment; monitor backup jobs and ensure high level of completion success rates; assist the IT director with project work to grow the technology infrastructure of the organisation and develop and monitor performance levels of software and hardware and evaluate, recommend, and propose alternative methods of information processing.

I believe this MBA programme will improve my leadership capabilities and skills to succeed in today’s complex business environment. With the networking benefit of studying an MBA, I have the opportunity to meet with the inspiring lecturers in class and build valuable friendships and partnerships in MBA Degree class.

What is your favourite quote?

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Goethe

Current Occupation: IT Specialist, CSC Company

Current University University Tunku Abdul Rahman

Job Description

45

INTERVIEWS

MASTER OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Tay Kae Yi Software engineer

Current University University Tunku Abdul Rahman

Job Description I am involved in product development life-cycle, sorting functional requirements, and implementing them into the software.

What do you consider the best takeaway from your postgraduate programme?

Knowledge, definitely. As the saying goes, we never stop learning.

What is your advice to prospective postgraduate students to prepare for this programme?

Never start your research, assignments or lab work at the last minute. This will put more stress and pressure on the student.

Also, one must learn to have time management in order to study and work at the same time. With good time management and discipline, you can then enjoy your studies.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself having a successful career in my current company.

Undertaking the MIS course will aid my goal, as my company demands great technical and functional knowledge, as well as management qualities, which can all be greatly enhanced throughout this course. Also, in 5 years’ time, I hope to have an initial start up for my own side business.

Motto in life To take things as they come, and do not be afraid to try. There is no point in worrying too much when facing difficulties; we must be brave enough to step into the unknown and not fear to fail. Only then, we will be able to grow and succeed in life.

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FEATURES

EDUCATION & CORPORATE TOURS THE PKT WAY

Corporate Tour Feruni Ceramiche Sdn Bhd

Dato’ Michael Tio, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of PKT Logistics Sdn Bhd & One Logistics Hub TM

PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd (PKT Logistics) continues to lure students and corporate organizations with their uniquely tailored Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). As part of the CSR, the group will showcase their way of running the logistics business and have been able to create a following especially among students and fresh graduates. PKT Logistics is also Corporate Tour - Lion Group 47

FEATURES

Dato’ Michael Tio with Professor Ian Pashby of University of Hull

emphasizing on the importance of nurturing and molding the young talents who will be eventually be future leaders in the society.

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Student Tour - UiTM Segamat, Johor

Today PKT’s FB Fan page has over 19,000 fans with students being the majority. By 2015, PKT believes that all these fans will be their loyal ambassadors, marketing for them. Just like the Milo van phenomenon – to

many Malaysians, the free iced Milo dispensed from van remains one of their fondest schoolday memories – students will have an impression that will last forever after a visit to PKT Logistics.

FEATURES

Corporate Tour - Chin Hin Group

Education Tour - Luzhou Elementary School, Taiwan

Dato’ Michael Tio, Group Chief Executive & MD of PKT Logistics will personally spend his time explaining to students and also lead the facility tour. With his humble approach and steadfast leadership, he was awarded numerous awards at the last year’s Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA).

Student tour – Limkokwing University

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FEATURES

Student Tour - Politeknik Shah Alam

Student Tour - ALC College

With his philosophy being Dream of It, Talk about It, Plan for It, Work on It and Get It, he is certainly a man who loves to dream big while being the motivation center for all his management.

Student Tour - Politeknik Seberang Prai

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BUSINESS SEGMENT

BUSINESS

SEGMENT

Profiles of Extraordinary People

SUBSTANCE, RELEVANCE, SIGNIFICANCE

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BUSINESS SEGMENT

AN EYE FOR TALENT 52

Talent scouts Hazel Loke and Cefyone Tan from top Malaysia-based agency Lovea International – which counts former Miss World Malaysia Thanuja Ananthan, Lee Yvonne and Chloe Chen in its star-studded stable - tell us what it takes to succeed in the highly-competitive talent industry.

BUSINESS SEGMENT Hazel Loke heads the Exclusive Talents Department of Lovea International. She has 11 years of experience in talent management, grooming and deportment for talents and personal improvement.

She is very passionate about discovering and marketing new potential talents .

Cefyone Tan is Lovea International’s talent booking manager. At a youthful 26 years old, Cefyon has accumulated more than five years of entertainment experience and been involved in thousands of advertisements. She is often described as aggressive, responsible, adept at multi-tasking and an astute judge of character.

Q1. For the uninitiated, what exactly do you do in your job?

How does a talent agency work?

them for the client. During the shoot, I may or may not be involved. If I’m coordinating the shoot, my level of involvement We manage a pool of talents could range from taking which we term internally as a precautionary steps to make library or talent database and sure the talent shows up on time, help talents negotiate with to ensuring that she doesn’t spill clients to secure top rates and coffee on a white shirt before more detailed terms. When we going on TV. I once played nanny receive a job brief from a client, to a hyperactive five-year-old. I we match the right candidate to used all sorts of gimmicks, from the talent requirements. A milk plying her with Yakult, Ribena, product may call for a family, colour pencils, toys to devising for instance. We then screen games, to keep her occupied. through our database of suitable Otherwise she’d be running candidates before shortlisting around every five minutes!

My main job scope at Lovea is to scout for new talents, especially current beauty queens. When we spot potential talent, we approach them and find out what their specific talents or interests are. Are they good at singing or acting? Do they have the height for runway, or the photogenic face that looks good on a magazine cover? Knowing their strengths, we next go about grooming and promoting them for the right jobs.

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BUSINESS SEGMENT

Q2. What talents are in high demand in Malaysia?

Pan-Asian, which refers to Asian mixed with Caucasian parentage, though today, even a Chinese can look Pan-Asian. The reason behind this is market-driven.

Ads that are shot in Malaysia are used for the whole region in countries like Singapore, Thailand, etc, not just Malaysia.

So you can’t have a face that is easily associated with one ethnicity, because it has to appeal to a bigger market.

Q4. From a Malaysian perspective, is it more common to sign up with an agency or work as a freelancer?

In Europe, normally a model has to be contracted under an agency. In Malaysia, everybody is a freelancer though we do contract certain talents. The perception is that a freelancer can get more jobs. On the other hand, you may not be aware of market rates and find yourself underpaid.

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Q3. Business owners carry business cards.

Do models have something similar that they show to prospective clients?

An agency will compile a talent’s relevant info into a compcard.

A compcard is an important tool for a talent. It’s a single sheet comprising different photos of the talent, accompanied by vitals like height, weight, or a prominent feature.

If the talent has a special achievement - for example, she’s a beauty queen, or commercial talent experience - we mention that too.

Q5. Other than negotiating terms and conditions, what are the benefits of signing up with an agency?

Because we would have worked with many kinds of clients, we are able to provide insider tips to be more successful in casting.

Say you’re going for skincare casting. We advise you not to go in with fake eyelashes and heavy makeup. A client would want to see your skin as bare as possible.

We tell you to wear pastel colours and dress as simply as possible so that you don’t draw attention away from your face.

We even teach you how to stand in front of the camera so that you look taller. Or help you find your best angle. These are all part of the service when a talent signs up with an agency.

BUSINESS SEGMENT Q6. What is a general casting process like?

Let’s say we find a candidate with potential.

We invite them to the studio, where we go through a standard set of procedures: we take photos of the person, get the person to introduce herself and her experiences on video, and ask them to make different facial expressions. Act happy, sad, surprised, etc Being a talent is a lot like being an actor. You are given a role which you are supposed to portray convincingly. That’s why a lot of models end up as actors and vice versa.

We narrow down the list from hundreds to say, 20 talents. We then send the candidates’ compcards to the client, from which they shortlist into maybe 5 people.

Once the client comes back to us, we check the availability of the talent and whether they agree to the terms and conditions of the brief. Some of the jobs may need another casting at the client’s place, according to the storyboard or script.

Q7. How has the advent of social media affected the talent industry?

With social media, the scenario is very different now from say, five years ago. A decade ago, talent scouts would scour public areas like malls looking for the next big thing.

In fact, many international supermodels were discovered on the streets, in malls, in college. Now, young people upload pictures on their Facebook and get noticed, or they approach us directly. Still,

we need to meet them in person and do a general casting first.

We also have talents going direct to the clients and vice versa. But at the end of the day, clients come back to the agency because it’s too much hassle.

Most times, open castings are a waste of time. A talent manager saves you the pain.

Kim Low

Q8. Is the market for local talent expanding?

Definitely! With more brands coming into Malaysia, talent demand is rising. Take fashion brand H&M. The billboards may feature Lana Del Ray because they originate from the principal, but local models are used for local fashion shows and promotional catalogues.

Q9. What are typical mediums that call for a talent?

Product catalogues, tvc, print ads, media, corporate video.

One interesting project involved a matching agency who wanted models to stand inside glass boxes at a public area, as an attention-getting gimmick. If you stand there with your leaflet people might not be interested.

There are many creative ways where talents can be integrated into a marketing strategy. The strategic use of entertainment platforms has become increasingly important to help companies rise above the noise level.

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Lee Yvonne MISS WORLD MALAYSIA 2012

Q10. About three months ago, Lovea ventured into managing beauty queens – one of the few agencies in Malaysia that offer this niche. Can you share your direction in this segment?

We manage existing beauty queens in terms of career development by promoting them according to their strengths. We make sure jobs are right for the image they wish to portray. Cigarettes or liquor are a no-no.

Aspiring beauty queens can sign up for training and grooming classes by our inhouse trainers, who comprise ex beauty queens – we also offer portfolio shoots.

At present, we work very closely with current and former Miss World Malaysia Thanuja Ananthan (2009), Lee Yvonne (2012) and Chloe Chen (2011).

Being such high-stakes events, beauty pageants can be very stressful emotionally. To do well, your preparation must go beyond the physical.

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Chloe Chen MISS WORLD MALAYSIA 2011

Q11. What’s your advice to an aspiring talent interested in signing up with an agency?

Find out the history of the company, especially its portfolio. Take your time to talk to the talent agent. A lot of people have stars in their eyes, but you have to be realistic about what you can offer.

Accept both your strengths and weaknesses. For example, I was spotted by a talent scout

for a hair advertisement.

Unfortunately, my face was not suitable as they were looking for a Pan-Asian look. When I got the job, I was only the hair model; meaning, my hair was shown but another talent’s face was superimposed on mine. I got paid three times lower than the face talent.

Q12. Has your impression of the industry changed since joining it?

People think the talent industry is all about glamour. Sure, we meet beautiful people. We attend fashion shows. But behind the scenes, many other things are going on. When you see a very successful fashion show and tv show being made, you don’t see the hard work, stress and preparation behind it. The thing

is, in talent management, our product is actually human. It’s not a can of milk powder that you can control. Sometimes, people can get emotional or display unpredictable behavior.

Someone can be very goodlooking but he or she could be a diva and turn up late all the time!

BUSINESS SEGMENT

Q13. What do you need to be a successful talent manager?

To be a talent manager, you can be from any background. Most importantly you need exceptional communication and organizational skills. Anything happens from the client side, you get blamed by the talent. Anything goes wrong at the talent side, you get blamed by the client. Many people think we sit back with coffee in hand. No such thing. It is very hectic and there are so many little things that could go wrong. You need to have an eagle eye for detail.

When we spot potential talent, we approach them and find out what their specific talents or interests are.

Lovea Model Agency is a Malaysiabased modelling & entertainment Management Company with worldwide modelling and entertainment presence to provide a global, cross-cultural perspective. Lovea’s talents have appeared in a wide range of marketing collateral for a diverse portfolio of clients, including Nestle, Milo, Ogawa and Zurich. Working in partnership with their clients, Lovea fosters the development of each event step by step from idea to inception to execution, and excels at designing and executing integrated marketing programs that help drive their awareness, traffic and sales.

www.loveainternational.com

To bring the best out of your talents, you have to understand what motivates them. Is it money?

Fame? You have to be good at reading people.

As a talent manager, you must be able to make both parties comfortable with each other in order to bring out your talent’s best performance for the job.

Our appreciation to The Daily Habit, Chi Fitness@ BSC, Lot 1-02 BRDB Tower, (connected to Bangsar Shopping Centre) 285 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur for graciously accommodating us for this interview.

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Model & Talent Management | Celebrities Endorsement | Events Lovea International Sdn Bhd (1041268-M) Wisma Wawasan, No.19-1 (1st Floor), Jalan PJS 8/12, Dataran Mentari, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan

www.loveainternational.com

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA-WALES www.iumw.edu.my

COURSES AVAILABLE Centre of Foundation Studies • Foundation in Science N/010/3/0120 • Foundation in Arts N/010/3/0160 Faculty of Business and Law • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) N/345/6/0313 • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Finance N/345/6/0314 • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Entrepreneurship N/345/6/0346

• Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Management N/345/6/0368 • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Marketing N/345/6/0258 • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Human Resource Management N/345/6/0366 • Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in International Business

NURTURING FUTURE TALENTS Benefits of studying at IUMW • Our courses and programmes are designed and delivered with the highest quality in mind.

• We gather experts and professionals in the relevant fields of study to devise up-to-date and comprehensive modules and structures of our programmes.

• Partnership between the University of Malaya and the University of Wales.

• More than 200 years of combined academic experience.

• Bachelors and Masters programmes accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE).

• Dual Award certification by IUMW and the University of Wales.

N/345/6/0367

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• Master of Business Administration N/345/7/0327 Faculty of Arts and Humanities • Bachelor of Professional Communication (Hons) N/321/6/0064 (With majors in Global Communication, Interactive Media, Media Management and Professional Writing)

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INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA-WALES City Campus, Jalan Tun Ismail 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Hotline: 1700-81-4869 GPS: 3.160276, 101.691676

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