Relationships Play A Big Role

After Spending 18 Years Working In The Consumer Goods Industry, Daron Cheah Made The Switch To Construction. Now At The Helm Of Plasterboard Supplier USG Boral Malaysia, He Highlights The Differences He Found Between Both Industries.

- Sharon Masige

It’s not always about the return on investment in the construction industry, says USG Boral Malaysia Managing Director Daron Cheah – a concept he had to acknowledge when he joined the business. ROI, for USG Boral Malaysia, derives from investing in relationships with genuine business partners. Collaborations with Rondo Metal Systems and APIC, USG Boral’s key supplier and major installer, respectively, provide the platform for sustained business growth. “Being a finance guy, I always talked about ROI,” he tells The CEO Magazine. “But in construction, project references are equally important.

“For example, if I approach a developer who’s building a hotel using traditional construction methods such as brick walls in the rooms, I’d tell them, ‘You’d want to consider drywall because it gives you flexibility, speed and acoustics. Then you’re able to build a hotel, six to 12 months quicker.’ It’s a very good value proposition. But the question they ask is, have you done it before? What are your project references?” Daron refers to examples such as fitting drywall in buildings for major hotel chains such as Four Seasons or St. Regis. “The project references become a marketing tool that you have to spend time or resources to win and do well in,” he adds.

After 18 years in the consumer goods industry – among heavyweights such as Kellogg’s and Colgate-Palmolive – Daron wanted something fresh. And what better way to try something new than by entering the construction industry? In 2013, Daron signed on to become CFO of Boral Malaysia, an Australian-based building materials supplier. “I told myself, ‘Why not? It’s a good challenge, I’m still young and I think it’s a fresh start’,” Daron recalls.