Twenty Minutes Early Then Start the Clock

“For the six interviews we conducted with him for this book, he was at least 20 minutes early for every appointment. This applies to everything he attends, from board meetings to social lunches, whether in person or virtual. But the bad news for the others is that once he arrives, he expects the proceedings to begin.”

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kwek had to get used to virtual meetings. He was often a good 10–15 minutes early, and bristled when others logged on closer to the scheduled time, as is the norm, said his nephew Kwek Eik Sheng and group chief operating officer of CDL. “He scolded the guy who signed in last — even though he was five minutes early. The poor chap got it from him,” he shared with a rueful smile. Veteran hotelier Daniel Desbaillets said: “For me, he’s a natural. What you see is what you get.””