ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Dato’ Rosie Tan
Group CEO
Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad
NO. 62-68 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,
51200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.tanchonggroup.com
My Corporate Life
I started my professional career with Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad (TCMH) at a very young age. I am grateful to have been under the tutelage of the Group founder, Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Yuet Foh. Having been part of the growth of the Group, I am proud to have worked through the ranks to become the Group CEO of a bluechip listed company in Malaysia. I have seen the changes the Group has undergone and have made significant contributions to the overall operations to ensure growth and profitability.
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is a challenge in itself. Having had to deal with the stigma
that a woman is not as capable as a man is frustrating but I used that negativity to my advantage. I studied their concerns and planned out my actions and thoughts to counter those popular misconceptions and proved them wrong. It was not easy and often I felt that I had failed but I persevered. I attribute this success to the hard work and dedication of my team and the belief that if you put your heart and soul into everything that you do, you can accomplish anything. My past has made me the stronger woman that I am today.
My area of concentration within the Group is financial management. As a PLC, the role of a financial caretaker is crucial to ensure that profitability remains the major focus of the Group. Having set-up a strong financial structure for the Group which encompasses both local and international businesses, this has ensured the financial growth of the Group remains resilient even through the many financial meltdowns that many companies had succumbed to.
Apart from finance, I have also structured our Human Resource function to enable the Group to be the preferred employee of choice in the marketplace; specifically for the newer generation of employees. We have evolved the Group to be a modern and dynamic organisation to work for. We have many employees who attest to this, as they have been with us for many years and have had their children join the Group to begin their careers with us.
The same approach was also applied to the Information Technology division of the Group. We made significant investments into our IT infrastructure to enable us to cope with the demands of our growing business and presence locally and in Indochina and selected countries around the world. These investments proved worthwhile as they have enabled us to operate virtually 24/7, 365 days a year. Our manpower is now mobile and able to complete their tasks easily and efficiently as they are constantly connected to our networks anytime of the day and from anywhere in the world.
My Personal Social Responsibility
I am proud to have served as the following:
- Honorary Treasurer of the Malaysian Aids Foundation (1994-1999)
- Honorary Trustee of the Malaysian Aids Foundation (1999-2003)
- Honorary Treasurer of the Malaysian Aids Council (2000-2003)
- Trustee for the Royal Dato’ Society of Kelantan (1997-2003)
- Treasurer and Trustee for the Datin Seri Endon Breast Cancer Foundation (2004-2007)
- Trustee of the Pink Triangle Foundation (2002-Present)
My Personal Goal
I adopt a holistic approach when it comes to health and I have always found it important to take time off; to care for myself by relaxing and keeping fit. Keeping my body constantly active improves my overall stamina. I am a staunch believer that living a holistic lifestyle is a lot healthier than most styles of living. I choose to live my life and heal my body through natural remedies. Living holistically prepares me for challenges in life, both emotionally and physiologically. Hence, I am planning to run a disruptive business by venturing into lifestyle homes for senior citizens that specialise in health and wellness so that everyone can benefit from adopting a holistic lifestyle.
“I believe in giving praise and recognition when due and duly share the success with everyone involved; believing that only the selfish “hogs the limelight.”
My Thanks
God has always been with me through the good and bad times in my life. I am a God-fearing person. I would always give thanks and praise to God as it is with God’s wisdom, grace and compassion that I have always managed to pull through. I often remind my children to turn to God for daily guidance and to never forget that if the world fails, God will always be there for them.
I was also very honored and touched when I received news that I would be bestowed the honorary title of Dato’ on 30 March 1996 from His Royal Highness Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan. It was indeed a rarity those days for a Chinese to have been bestowed a Dato’; let alone a woman. I received the title proudly and have since dedicated it to my continuous struggle to benefit the less fortunate and women in general.
Hopes For The Future
As a Group CEO for Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad, I hope to lay the foundation for the Group to be a resilient organisation and for the next generation to grow further. I want to continue the Group’s drive to expand overseas to become a regional player.
I will also further explore how the Group can leverage on next gen digital technology and industry 4.0.
Profitability is always seen to be the main focus of any successful business. Remaining relevant, I believe, is also as important. Adjustments need to be made to business plans and projects to meet the ever-changing demands of the consumers. Provide what the customers want and always remember that customers are always right.
Nothing is ever good enough. Evolution ensures success. Everything can and must be improved. If you fail to evolve, then the competition will overtake you and you are left in second place. I challenge myself and the decisions I made constantly as the first idea may not be the best. I believe the best ideas and solutions come after seeing them from different angles. I also challenge my people to be better than everyone else including myself. I allow my people to voice their concerns and challenge my decisions. I am only human and I also do make mistakes. Trust those around you and better decisions will come forth.
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Dato’ Rosie Tan
Group CEO
My Corporate Life
I started my professional career with Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad (TCMH) at a very young age. I am grateful to have been under the tutelage of the Group founder, Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Yuet Foh. Having been part of the growth of the Group, I am proud to have worked through the ranks to become the Group CEO of a bluechip listed company in Malaysia. I have seen the changes the Group has undergone and have made significant contributions to the overall operations to ensure growth and profitability.
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is a challenge in itself. Having had to deal with the stigma
that a woman is not as capable as a man is frustrating but I used that negativity to my advantage. I studied their concerns and planned out my actions and thoughts to counter those popular misconceptions and proved them wrong. It was not easy and often I felt that I had failed but I persevered. I attribute this success to the hard work and dedication of my team and the belief that if you put your heart and soul into everything that you do, you can accomplish anything. My past has made me the stronger woman that I am today.
My area of concentration within the Group is financial management. As a PLC, the role of a financial caretaker is crucial to ensure that profitability remains the major focus of the Group. Having set-up a strong financial structure for the Group which encompasses both local and international businesses, this has ensured the financial growth of the Group remains resilient even through the many financial meltdowns that many companies had succumbed to.
Apart from finance, I have also structured our Human Resource function to enable the Group to be the preferred employee of choice in the marketplace; specifically for the newer generation of employees. We have evolved the Group to be a modern and dynamic organisation to work for. We have many employees who attest to this, as they have been with us for many years and have had their children join the Group to begin their careers with us.
The same approach was also applied to the Information Technology division of the Group. We made significant investments into our IT infrastructure to enable us to cope with the demands of our growing business and presence locally and in Indochina and selected countries around the world. These investments proved worthwhile as they have enabled us to operate virtually 24/7, 365 days a year. Our manpower is now mobile and able to complete their tasks easily and efficiently as they are constantly connected to our networks anytime of the day and from anywhere in the world.
My Personal Social Responsibility
I am proud to have served as the following:
- Honorary Treasurer of the Malaysian Aids Foundation (1994-1999)
- Honorary Trustee of the Malaysian Aids Foundation (1999-2003)
- Honorary Treasurer of the Malaysian Aids Council (2000-2003)
- Trustee for the Royal Dato’ Society of Kelantan (1997-2003)
- Treasurer and Trustee for the Datin Seri Endon Breast Cancer Foundation (2004-2007)
- Trustee of the Pink Triangle Foundation (2002-Present)
My Personal Goal
I adopt a holistic approach when it comes to health and I have always found it important to take time off; to care for myself by relaxing and keeping fit. Keeping my body constantly active improves my overall stamina. I am a staunch believer that living a holistic lifestyle is a lot healthier than most styles of living. I choose to live my life and heal my body through natural remedies. Living holistically prepares me for challenges in life, both emotionally and physiologically. Hence, I am planning to run a disruptive business by venturing into lifestyle homes for senior citizens that specialise in health and wellness so that everyone can benefit from adopting a holistic lifestyle.
Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad
NO. 62-68 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,
51200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.tanchonggroup.com
“I believe in giving praise and recognition when due and duly share the success with everyone involved; believing that only the selfish “hogs the limelight.”
My Thanks
God has always been with me through the good and bad times in my life. I am a God-fearing person. I would always give thanks and praise to God as it is with God’s wisdom, grace and compassion that I have always managed to pull through. I often remind my children to turn to God for daily guidance and to never forget that if the world fails, God will always be there for them.
I was also very honored and touched when I received news that I would be bestowed the honorary title of Dato’ on 30 March 1996 from His Royal Highness Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan. It was indeed a rarity those days for a Chinese to have been bestowed a Dato’; let alone a woman. I received the title proudly and have since dedicated it to my continuous struggle to benefit the less fortunate and women in general.
Hopes For The Future
As a Group CEO for Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad, I hope to lay the foundation for the Group to be a resilient organisation and for the next generation to grow further. I want to continue the Group’s drive to expand overseas to become a regional player.
I will also further explore how the Group can leverage on next gen digital technology and industry 4.0.
Profitability is always seen to be the main focus of any successful business. Remaining relevant, I believe, is also as important. Adjustments need to be made to business plans and projects to meet the ever-changing demands of the consumers. Provide what the customers want and always remember that customers are always right.
Nothing is ever good enough. Evolution ensures success. Everything can and must be improved. If you fail to evolve, then the competition will overtake you and you are left in second place. I challenge myself and the decisions I made constantly as the first idea may not be the best. I believe the best ideas and solutions come after seeing them from different angles. I also challenge my people to be better than everyone else including myself. I allow my people to voice their concerns and challenge my decisions. I am only human and I also do make mistakes. Trust those around you and better decisions will come forth.