Aug 24, 2012

Singapore - Lessons on leadership from Fortis boss

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Have a global perspective, think out of the box and always strive to be a leader in whatever business you are in... these were some of the lessons Fortis Healthcare's executive chairman Malvinder Mohan Singh shared with members of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) at the group's third Leadership Dialogue Series on Aug 22.

Mr Singh and his brother Shivinder are the propellers behind Fortis Healthcare, one of the leading healthcare providers in India and the Asia-Pacific, operating in 10 countries.

It recently launched Fortis Colorectal Hospital, the first colorectal hospital in South-east Asia, in Singapore.

He told the crowd of about 100 SICCI members that in any business, there needs to be a larger purpose, whether it is taking the business to the next level or being a part of nation building.

"It needs to go beyond P&L (profit and loss), it needs to go beyond money; what drives you, what makes you work every single day," he said.

He added that in whatever business he and his family have been involved in, whether in healthcare or financial services, they want to make sure they are leaders in that business, to be the game changers.

"For us as a family, leadership in that business is extremely important. We never wanted to be the 10th, 15th or the 20th. We want to make sure we are able to drive change, we are able to create the contours of the business for many years in whichever markets we are in," said Mr Singh.

He also touched on mergers and acquisitions, noting that when it came to taking over a business, or getting into a partnership with one, it was also about people and making sure that both parties are able to work as a team.

"Integration doesn't mean that they have to go your way. It is a two-way street. It's about the ability to work with them... and what is the right thing for the company, irrespective of which side it comes from, because eventually it is actually one side," he added.

During the question-and-answer session that followed, Mr Singh was frank in his responses to questions from the floor, which ranged from dealing with cultural differences when acquiring a business in a foreign market - "I believe in being culturally sensitive... cultural differences is a overhyped concept which people use to shut down accountability" - to overusing the word "strategy" in a dynamic business situation.

"For me, what has always worked is having a clear direction; where you want to go and why you want to go there," he said.

Sheela Narayanan


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