Heritage and innovation are often seen as opposing forces. How do you see them working together?
I do not see them as opposites. Our history contains many examples of the business adapting and moving with the world around it. Those experiences give us valuable insight into how we should approach the future.
Starting from a clean slate may allow a company to move faster, but it does not offer the same depth. A heritage business carries generations of experience, relationships, networks and values. If you are building for the next hundred years rather than the next ten, that foundation is an enormous advantage. It can make innovation richer, more grounded and ultimately more enduring.
What does responsible innovation mean to you as a director and steward of the Group?
Innovation requires boldness and a willingness to take risks, but those risks must be considered in relation to the Group’s resources and capabilities. Innovation should never place the core business, capital or long-term value of the company in undue danger.
At the same time, refusing to innovate can itself be irresponsible, particularly when the world is changing so quickly. Responsible innovation also extends beyond financial considerations. We must think about what a change means for our people, the environment and every stakeholder affected by it.
What role should younger voices play in shaping the future of the Group?
Younger voices are the future, quite simply. How we hire, mentor, communicate with and lead younger people is fundamental to the future of the Group. We also have a responsibility to ensure that their experience with us is meaningful, beginning from the moment they join, even as interns.
Traditional management structures tend to place older people in more senior positions, but younger generations will increasingly drive change because they are growing up alongside new technologies and ways of thinking. Established leaders need to listen to their ideas and give them the support to move those ideas forward.
Can you share an idea that initially felt unconventional but went on to prove useful?
Many years ago, I was looking at the large amount of data being produced by one of our businesses. The reporting had become quite cumbersome, but I felt that only a few key metrics were truly needed to understand what was happening.
That led to the creation of what we called the “Blink Report”, a concise report that made the essential information visible at a glance. It is still known by that name today. It demonstrated that things do not always need to be complicated. You can create something simple and specific to its purpose, and that simplicity can make it more effective.
What do you hope people experience by being part of the Group’s journey?
I hope they recognise that they are contributing to a purpose larger than their individual role or business unit. We have an opportunity to raise standards within the industries in which we operate and help redefine what quality, responsibility and innovation can look like for Asian brands.
Each part of the Group belongs to a wider ecosystem. As those connections deepen, every person’s contribution becomes part of something much greater.
What has changed most in your thinking since joining the family business?
When I first joined, I was highly entrepreneurial and full of ideas. I assumed we would continue exploring many different businesses and opportunities. Over time, I became far more conscious of strategy and of the need for an underlying architecture connecting everything we do.
Good architecture is not a collection of separate elements. Each part supports another, strengthening the utility and longevity of the whole. I began to apply that thinking to the Group: every investment, capability and business should contribute to a broader ecosystem. Today, I am less interested in pursuing ideas in isolation and more interested in how they fit together to build a coherent and enduring future.
