At the helm of a national business icon
No less iconic than Weststar Group itself is founder and group managing director Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, the man behind the grand vision that transcends boundaries in a way Malaysia - and even Asia - has never witnessed before.
A legacy all his own, Syed Azman traces his roots to a modest family whose life revolved around civil service. He himself joined the Malaysian Armed Forces immediately after high school where he served for 13 years.
Syed Azman attributes much of his passionate interest in defence-related businesses to his extensive background in the military.
"The 13 years I dedicated to serving in the Armed Forces enabled me to identify my passion in life - which is creating successful, meaningful businesses," Syed Azman says. "It also instilled in me a deep interest in providing products and services that can help developing nations such as Malaysia reach equal footing with the West."
Beyond the company's formidable achievements and continued success, however, Syed Azman takes greater pride in fulfilling his personal passion while helping other people pursue theirs. He boasts, for instance, that Weststar started with 10 people a decade ago and has since recruited more than 1,000 select, dedicated and passionate individuals.
Apart from advising investors to focus on businesses of the future, Syed Azman is also keen on inspiring ambitious young entrepreneurs to put their money where their heart is.
"Trading comes naturally when you have your heart and mind in it," Syed Azman says. "I poured all of my savings into importing and selling cars, knowing that it is what I wanted to do."
Attracting the best to inspire
Drawing in the best minds and talent in Malaysia and worldwide is uppermost among Weststar's priorities for several reasons. Apart from keeping the group in tiptop shape with the finest engineers and pilots in the industry, employing brilliant workers also fosters a dynamic learning environment within the group.
"I am proud to admit that I am still learning new things in business," Syed Azman says. "Be it aviation, information technology or social media - there is an endless way to learn and equally endless means to earn from them. The key is finding your niche and growing from there."
Syed Azman believes that Southeast Asia has in store tremendous potential that only needs to be unlocked with the right opportunities and strong business acumen.
"Achieving a goal - whether it is a personal dream or a company's bottom-line target - is a matter of believing and realising potential," Syed Azman says. "Fortunately for us in Southeast Asia, we are a growing economy where opportunities abound. I advise taking them, and taking them now."