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ON DECK ONG KIM PONG, Regional CEO for Southeast Asia at PSA International, talks to HRM Magazine Asia about navigating the choppy waters of disruption within the maritime industry in Asia-Pacific B Y YA M I N I C H I N N U S WA M Y
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lder generations of Singaporeans will remember PSA as the Port Authority in Singapore, an icon alongside the likes of Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines. But what was then an acronym, is now simply a legacy of its humble beginnings as a state organisation – PSA has been an independent commercial enterprise for more than 20 years now. These days, it is a world leader in port operations – managing 40 different terminals across 16 countries. “We were corporatised in October, 1997, but we held on to the three-letter name – PSA – because of the branding,” says Ong Kim Pong, PSA’s Regional CEO for Southeast Asia. “Over the years, we had built up immense capabilities, and also a high level of trust with our customers.” Interestingly, Ong – who joined the company at the turn of the millennium as a senior operations research officer – admits that he didn’t have high expectations for his journey with PSA to begin with. “When I first joined PSA, I gave myself five years. I didn’t think I would stay more than that. That was 21 years ago,” he admits. But having seen the company grow from strength to strength over the last two decades, he is eager to see how it continues to transform to
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meet the challenges of a new era. “Transformation is why PSA is what it is today. It’s why we have kept our strong brand, and our rich culture,” Ong notes. That branding and culture cascade across all levels of the company, including in its recruitment processes. “We believe everyone makes a difference, whether you’re in the frontlines or the backend,” he explains. “As we try to attract young people to be part of the company, it’s about believing in what each individual can contribute to the organisation – and how the organisation can, in turn, harness each person’s potential.” Ong, who is fond of using analogies and metaphors to bring his point across, is quick to liken the running of an organisation to that of an orchestra. “A good organisational culture is actually a collection of individual voices and thoughts. And like an orchestra, if each person plays their role well, and if everyone is synchronised, they can produce a beautiful symphony. Whereas if people aren’t in sync, the whole note breaks – and when that whole note breaks, the whole symphony breaks,” he says. “Everybody has a role, everybody makes a difference.”
SEPTEMBER 2018
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9/18/2018 8:20:48 AM