Constant innovation and a culture of health — these are two things that are the cornerstone of the tremendous success of the world’s largest manufacturer of gloves, Top Glove Corporation Bhd.
It’s founder and executive chairman, Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai, in Standard Chartered’s inaugural Inspiring Leadership Series event, told an audience of over 100 clients and staff that the secrets to his success lies in embracing technological advancement, and investing in his people.
“A company which has no innovation, has no future. The bedrock of any company is continuous learning and improvement with a focus on building a healthy, happy workforce,” he said.
“We must prepare for the future and we do this by creating strong foundations to weather any storms and face challenges,” he added.
Tan Sri Dr Lim, in his presentation to the audience, shared his wit and wisdom on how he nurtured Top Glove to be a true Malaysian success story. His message was simple, but impactful: to always do the right thing and live by your ethics and principles.
Later, during a fireside chat session with Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr Lim proved his keen sense of business acumen.
He shared that he ventured into the glove manufacturing business some three decades ago as he saw great potential for growth and opportunity, coupled with the fact that Malaysia was one of the worlds’ largest producers of rubber in the 90’s.
“The demand for medical gloves was good 30 years ago, with good profit margins, and that demand has continued to grow. The longevity of Top Glove compared to others that also invested in the rubber glove industry is due to our resilience,” he said.
“I cannot afford to close down,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Abrar, in concluding the event, said the Inspiring Leadership series is aimed at creating a platform for knowledge sharing, as well as to inspire a new generation of leaders to learn from industry luminaries across Malaysia.
This, he said, is in line with the Bank’s long-lasting commitment towards the development and growth of the nation, and as Malaysia’s first bank.
“We are honoured to have Tan Sri Dr Lim sharing his journey of success with us and hope to be able to continue to grow this platform as our way to contribute to the growth of the new generation of leaders.”