Time now to write about our third speaker for this course, CEO series. The past two speakers have made huge impression on me both as a CEO and an individual. I was again looking forward to listening and talking to another industry expert from the automotive sector.
Mr. George Chua earned his MBA at UPenn’s Wharton School and took Mechanical and Industrial Management Engineering at De La Salle University. He held several top management positions in several companies such TIPCO and Armscor in the Philippines. He is currently the President and CEO of Bayan Automotive Industries Corporation (BAIC).
Mr. George Chua
BAIC is known for its tagline “better and ingenious choice” which we can see through their variety and yet unique designs and selections. BAIC shows excellence through their Italian design, German engineering and Chinese manufacturing.
My group had the opportunity to introduce to the class and I can’t help but be impressed with both his professional and personal accomplishments. Mr. Chua is not the traditional CEO that I always imagined. He was very passionate about life and always busy doing so many things without neglecting his personal happiness. He loves car, motorcycles, guns and golf.
Mr. Chua shared his Successful CEO requisites with the class and we all keenly listened. Here are some of them:
- Acquire education and training at every opportunity.
- Working smart is better than working hard. Always ask yourself if there is a better way of doing it.
- Efficiency is key. Multi-tasking and starting things simultaneously is very efficient. It’s like planting all the trees at the same time.
- Networking is essential. Mr. Chua does not simply play golf because he enjoys but also to talk to fellow businessmen in a more casual and personal setting.
- Timing is everything. One should be willing to make bold decisions at the right time
These requisites helped Mr. Chua reached the status he has now and are vital to his success.
My key takeaway from his talk is to make every experience count. It was like a reminder to me to never waste my time on things that I don’t like doing or something that I will not gain anything at all. I’d be better off doing things that I am passionate about and will bring positive impact to the people around me. Time is finite and the best way to make the most out of it is to do things that (a) I am passionate about (b) learn something new or improve my skills (c) will help other people and the society as a whole.
Mr. Chua with the class
