Q: Can you describe your current scope of responsibilities? And what do you enjoy most at work?

A: I lead the team responsible for Microsoft’s engagement and business with ISVs. Our team has two broad goals: to ensure that local ISVs get the best possible exposure to leading technology from Microsoft, and to jointly grow our businesses. Only when our ISV partners are able to grow their business, do we then grow ours.

I wake up every morning energised to have another opportunity to help another ISV grow. My job enables me to make a direct contribution to the local software economy.

Q: What is your work philosophy?

A: There are three principles that I believe in which guide my work: customer first, plan your strategy, and empower your people.

On a personal front, I subscribe to Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits and try to practise them diligently. A lot of it may seem like common sense, but if you notice, common sense is becoming increasingly rare. Life, both work and personal, will be much simpler and enjoyable if more people practise habits such as “begin with the end in mind”, “think win-win” and “seek first to understand, then to be understood”.

Q: Having been in the industry for over a decade, what would you consider as the most significant achievement in your career so far? And where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

A: About two years ago, we undertook a Six Sigma project to relook how we could engage with ISVs. The output was a couple of radical suggestions, including restructuring. Our managing director saw potential in our recommendations and took the leap of faith by approving them. We have since surpassed all the goals we have set for ourselves and are now being viewed as a model for other countries to emulate.

Another achievement I am proud of is, always having done what is right and having it done well. The deep relationship I share with my ISV partners and customers made me realise this.

Moving forward, if you ask your friends to name the people who have made an impact in their lives, they probably will name not more than three. In my life, I have benefited from the guidance, wisdom and coaching of a few key people. So, my next phase of personal development is to coach and assist others. Hopefully some day, I will be one of the three people remembered by someone.

From a career perspective, technology is and will continue to be my passion.

Q: What are among the key ICT challenges faced by the country? And what would be your answers to address them?

A: I see three key challenges that we need to overcome as an industry.

First, broadband adoption or penetration in Malaysia is abysmal. If we are to compete and thrive in the global economy, we need to accelerate broadband penetration. The world is moving towards the concepts of software and services, Web 2.0 and cloud computing, where a robust broadband infrastructure is key.

Second, talent. The ICT industry generally is facing a shortage of quality people. MDeC (Multimedia Development Corporation) has forecast that there will be about 100,000 jobs in ICT by 2010. This situation is caused by an outflow of talent attracted by better money, better career opportunities or better lifestyles, and exacerbated by the quality of graduates produced by our education system. We are producing graduates who lack proficiency in English and relevant skills. Universities need to produce graduates with the skills required by the market.

And third, the “buy local software” issue. Before a company can take on the global market, it needs to find success locally. Unfortunately here, the bigger companies tend to favour foreign software and not give any opportunity to local ISVs, even ISVs that have found customers in developed countries. The Government needs to encourage companies to buy local software.

Q: What are your hopes for ICT in the country in terms of technology development and usage?

A: ICT has tremendous potential for Malaysia; continued investments in the MSC validates that. We need to focus on addressing the issues of producing high-quality ICT graduates, increasing broadband penetration, and giving local companies incentives to buy local software. We also need to institute greater respect for intellectual property rights by raising awareness and enforcement.

I think we now have good experience and role models to learn from, and good plans in place to develop our ICT industry. We need to focus on executing these plans with clear objectivities to take our ICT industry to greater heights.