Explaining the secrets of running a retail empire with numerous chains and more than 2,600 stores, Caroline Mak stresses the importance of foresight and getting the basics right.
'As a leader, you must have a clear vision of where to take the business in the next three to five years,' says the regional director, north Asia, for the Dairy Farm Group and winner of this year's Executive Award.
'In doing that, I always ask four questions - why, what, how and if - and then make sure we have the right people and resources to get us there.'
The vision can be simply expressed, even when guiding the fortunes of complex operations such as Mannings, Ikea, 7-Eleven convenience stores, and supermarket chains Wellcome, ThreeSixty and Oliver's The Delicatessen.
It might be to take a business from number two to number one in its market. It could be to effect a turnaround from loss to consistent profit-making. Or it might involve just moving ahead of the nearest competition as part of an ongoing expansion.
'For this, I work with the chief executives in each business, and once the direction is clear, I don't normally tell them what to do,' Mak says. 'We will talk regularly about how things could be better than today, but my approach is to discuss, influence and create a sense of partnership.'