Kwek
Strategic Concepts & Mechanics
Primary Evidence
"even as his family business Hong Leong enjoys a household name status in Singapore and Malaysia, and his flagship CDL company is held up as a blue-chip bellweather stock on the Singapore stock exchange, Kwek is a man seldom heard in public and even less often seen. A favourite story among business circles was how he was shooed away by the security guard at his own Orchard Hotel in Singapore after turning up one day in a new car. His staff recognised his wheels, not his face."
"Once, he gave De Silva instructions to draft a press release in his office on the 61st floor of Republic Plaza. By the time De Silva took the lift to his own office on the 36th floor in the same building, and sat down at his desk, the phone rang. It was Kwek on the other line, and he asked: “Are you done?” When De Silva replied that he had just reached his work station, Kwek grumbled: “You are always so slow!”"
"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.”"
"one of Kwek’s favourite mantras is “Work Hard, Talk Less, Do More.”"
"As Safdie said, Kwek is a very powerful man. When Fortune magazine asked in 1995: “Just who the heck is Kwek?”, after the Singaporean had bought the Plaza from Trump, it was both in bemusement and awe."
"When he took over from his father in 1990 after nearly three decades of tutelage, Hong Leong and its subsidiary companies were largely focused on Singapore with scattered business interests in a few Asian territories, such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. Kwek turned it into a bona fide global enterprise with businesses in five continents, including at one point listing his proud hotel empire on the London Stock Exchange — the first Singapore company to do so."
"Kwek often expects near instant results, delivery or products. His favourite phrase is “quick, quick, quick.”"