KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Halim Mohammad is still in his prime, leading Halim Mazmin Bhd since taking the diversified group private in 2009 after 16 years as a listed company.
In an interview which he reluctantly accepted, the 69-year-old tycoon said he still strategised deals for the group, which now operates from Menara Bangkok Bank here which he recently bought.
Sitting on a cash pile after the delisting, Halim ventured into education and expanded his hospitality and tourism businesses which he founded in Langkawi.
Halim now owns three resorts under the brand name Bella Vista – two are in Langkawi, the Bella Vista Waterfront in Kuah and Bella Vista Express located near Langkawi Airport.
The other, Bella Vista Resorts, is in Koh Lipe, Thailand, which according to him, is the gem of all the resorts.
About five years ago, he purchased an existing hotel in Lombok.
Halim is looking for partners to rebuild and turn the hotel into a resort which will also be named Bella Vista.
"The hotel is located in a very nice location and has a beautiful beach frontage," he said.
In 2018, the group invested and built a brand new water theme park adjacent to his Hotel in Kuah, Langkawi.
The theme park, which opened to the public in December 2019, has been receiving tremendous response until it had to close following the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It's a temporary setback, but we believe the business and confidence will be restored as Malaysia recovers from the pandemic. Tourists will start to flock to Langkawi again", he said.
The Halim Mazmin Group, being one of the major investors on the island over a span of 20 years in Langkawi, has great confidence on the future of its business there.
For his love of education, Halim founded a Maritime University six years ago.
His passion in education has also led to the establishment of Meritus University, a true blue ocean university where he converted three of his ships into the first floating campus in Asia.
Halim believes that Malaysia, as a maritime nation, needs to produce more talent pool in the field of shipping, maritime and logistics.
Graduates holding a good maritime qualification are highly sought after in the maritime eco system.
He said students should be smart when making their choices before they embark in the field of studies.
"Graduates employability is the biggest challenge in the country and I do not see this improving quickly. Therefore, students who aspire to enter university should do to a thorough research and not just jump in for the sake of getting a degree," he said.
The group's flying school, HM Aerospace, has graduated about 1,200 cadet pilots studying for Airline Transport Pilot Licence.
Halim is very proud that most of HM Aerospace's student are now captains and first officers serving Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly, Malindo and regional airlines.
HM Aerospace owned and operates 20 state-of-the-art training aircraft namely Diamond DA-40 single engine and Diamond DA-42 twin engine as well as two flight simulators.
There are 120 students now at various stages of ground school and on flight training at the academy.
At sea, Halim Mazmin's vessels are carrying iron ore and coal on worldwide trading.
The group currently owns a 180,000 deadweight tonne (dwt) Capesize bulk carrier and a Panamax bulker in addition to five other ships that he charters to carry bulk commodities worldwide.
Halim is now looking at prospects at acquiring a few more vessels as he believes the timing is right where ships asset prices are very low due to the depressed market.
He also believes that the group's business would resume and return to normalcy when the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.
"Some segments of our business are affected. Our hotels, theme park and university are closed. The hotel's occupancy rates are now very low. We used to record 60-70 per cent occupancy rates pre-Covid-19 pandemic. But I believe there is a silver lining in the cloud," he said.
According to him, the pandemic brings ample opportunities to his doors.
There are many distressed companies, assets such as ships, properties, hotels and businesses which he could select from.
Asked if he has plans to list the group on the local stock exchange again, Halim said that it remained an option but may consider it "if the time is right".
"I don't see any urgency as the group is able to access financing quite easily because of its standing in the market and 40 years of proven track record," he said.
Halim aspires Meritus University to join the rank of world class university in the next 10 years and hopes to be able to bring about a different teaching methodology being a true blue ocean university.
"I believe we can deliver this given the network of professionals that comes into the university to teach and sharing the real time experiences to the students rather than reading from books", he said.
Former Minister of International Trade and Industry Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz is the chancellor of Meritus University.
Meritus University, although young, is laying a solid foundation.
Halim is in no hurry to expand the university as his hallmark is always to provide quality education and not quantity.
Blessed with three children – Mariana, a qualified lawyer, Hisham and Hazlan, both economists - they are all working for him as they are all on his scholarships.
"They are bonded for life," Halim said with the smile.