On 18 April, AMCHAM was honored again to host Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad at the AGM Signature Luncheon also held at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, about a year after he was elected as Malaysia’s Prime Minister in May 2018.
A majority of member companies came out in support; it was a 300-strong attendance by the American business community and various government agencies.
Ramzi Toubassy, President of AMCHAM and CEO of AmMetLife took the opportunity to highlight some of the specific investments made by a few of our member companies over the past year that demonstrate the variety of investment areas and the multiple industries that we are helping to advance up the value chain – Accenture, General Electric, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, Smart Modular, MetLife, Coca-Cola, Schmidt Abrasive Blasting, AIG, J.P. Morgan and ON Semiconductor.
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Yogannaidu Sivanchalam, Managing Director of Texas Instruments was hired in 2006 straight into the company as a fresh graduate from the National University of Malaysia. Working his way up the corporate ladder, in 2017 he was given the opportunity to lead Texas Instruments Electronics Malaysia in Malacca. Yogan managed to turn things around within nine months gaining the trust from the leadership team. In 2018, Yogan moved up to KL and now leads the Texas Instrument team in their Ampang facility.
- How would you describe your management style?
My management style would be the way that I would want to be treated; engaging and empowering. Being in a high volume technology manufacturing, we deal with many people. Keeping our people engaged and empowered would boost their morale and performance.
- Who inspires you the most and why? How have you incorporated that into your daily life?
I get inspired by everyone, given the opportunity to work with many leaders, I watched and learned from them, both good and bad. Every morning passing through the guard post of my housing area and being greeted by the security with a big smile inspires me. I smile back and ensure I do the same as I walk to my office. These are simple things that continue to inspire me on a daily basis.
- How do you see your organization changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating/being a part of that change?
Changes have already started in the whole manufacturing industry which is known as Industry 4.0. I envision all the roadmaps that we had put in place would fall through in the next 2 years. The KL factory has been in transformation mode, we are building more niche and high valued products supporting Industrial and Automotive growth.
- Tell me about an accomplishment or a memorable incident that shaped your career.
In 2017, 10 years after being hired as a fresh graduate from a local university, I was given the trust and responsibility to lead TI’s sister factory at Malacca. This was a huge role change and challenge in my personal life and career. The whole family moved to Malacca adjusting to new school and lifestyle. I manage to gain the trust from the leadership in Malacca and I’m proud to say that we had a few victories. Within 9 months I had to return back to KL and lead the KL factory. The experience that I gained in Malacca truly shaped my career.
- What would we be surprised to learn about you?
I married my high school sweetheart who had been my classmate since 7 years old.
- What book are you reading or podcast you most recommend?
I got a book by Hans Rosling titled Factfulness during my recent travel. This book tells the reasons we’re wrong about the world and why things are better than we think.
- What do you do for fun?
When I’m not working, I love to spend time with my family. I enjoy playing with my two sons and watching them grow. My first son is 7 years old, and his younger brother is almost 3. It is so much fun to be with them. I also love getting my road bike out and hitting the pedal whenever I get the chance. I’m also a bit of a motorhead, and I enjoy fast cars.
FedEx Express (FedEx) is a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories from APAC to the U.S. With regional hubs in Guangzhou, Osaka, Shanghai and Singapore, FedEx has a global air- and-ground network with more than 660 planes and 170,000 vehicles and delivers overnight to 20 major Asian cities.
Named as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, and to maintain the highest ethical and professional standards to meet the needs of their customers and communities. Closer to home, FedEx Express Malaysia recently received the 2018 Aon’s Best Employer Award in Malaysia for the tenth consecutive time.
FedEx is committed to enhancing its cross-border trade solutions to help its customers tap into endless possibilities and growth opportunities. In Malaysia, the FedEx nationwide network consists of 13 stations across 7 states, 300 vehicles and couriers and over 1,400 team members. Just recently, FedEx launched the FedEx Penang Gateway facility at the MAB New Cargo Complex at Penang International Airport. Envisioned to be the largest logistics facility in the state, the facility also serves as a gateway to Singapore and beyond. This, combined with the new Johor Station, will further improve FedEx capabilities to serve its customers and create more opportunities for businesses, industries and the local economy.
For the past 12 years, FedEx Express has worked closely with AMCHAM for the FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (JA ITC) program together with Junior Achievement Malaysia. The program is designed to foster business knowledge in students through practical teamwork exercises and classroom learning. To date, the FedEx Express/JA ITC program has nurtured more than 5,000 students in Malaysia equipping students with entrepreneurship skills from a global perspective since its inception in 2007.
To learn more about FedEx, please visit about fedex.com
AMCHAM was delighted to be a part of this very first inter-chamber networking at the Big Wheel in Sunway Iskandar, Johor on 11 April.
Y.B. Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, Chairman of Investment and Utilities Committee from the Johor State Executive Council briefed guests on the latest developments, opportunities, and incentives of doing business in Johor.
Organized by the Malaysian Dutch Business Council (MDBC) in collaboration with the AMCHAM, Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC), British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC), Malaysia Australia Business Council and CCIFM – CCI France Malaysia. It was a well-attended networking event with approximately 150 guests and we look forward to future collaborations.
More than 40 people came to the AMCHAM Executive Office on Tuesday, 16 April for the second offering in our ‘Digital Transformation Series’. Tuesday’s session focused on Digital Transformation of the Supply Chain, studying how companies can adapt their supply chain organization (and the skillsets of their supply chain professionals) to achieve significantly greater efficiency and reliability through digital transformation.
AMCHAM welcomed two expert speakers to guide the conversation – Prof. Dr. Richard Pibernik, a former research affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). We were also joined by Mr. Harpreet Singh Mann, CEO, and co-founder of Malaysian start-up Blocklime, an enabler of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions.
This event was organized in partnership with the Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (MISI), which is a joint initiative between the government of Malaysia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Digital Transformation Series is a series of breakfast talks that takes a detailed look at emerging technology or the impact that new technologies are having upon a particular industry or function and explores how businesses can best prepare themselves to harness the opportunities presented by the digital era.
AMCHAM held its 42nd Annual General Meeting on 18 April at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. We would like to thank our members for making time to attend and ensure quorum was reached to proceed with the meeting. The AGM ran smoothly with no urgent matters arising and successful adoption of the Governor’s slate.
In addition to our returning Governors, we would like to welcome Robert Cleveland to AMCHAM’s Board. Robert is the General Manager of Abbott Nutrition, Malaysia and has had a 25+ year career in health care, over-the-counter, and packaged goods. He has previously worked for P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, and now Abbott, in the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. He brings extensive experience in healthcare and consumer marketing.
