Space Crusader

The spatial revolution based on the new way we live, work, and play is firing up entrepreneur Kelvin Lim’s imagination and fueling his quest for innovative spaces.

- MARC ALMAGRO

Kelvin Lim admits to me that he was somewhat relieved to hear about Singapore going into heightened alert even for a limited time. With new restrictions that reinstated working from home as the default mode, and reduced social gathering participants to just two from the previous five, he hoped that things would slow down a bit. “I’ll finally be able to spend some time alone and do some reflection,” he says, an activity that didn’t fit in his packed social and work calendars.

At LHN Limited, a group of companies in property leasing, logistics services, and facilities management businesses, Lim does wear many hats: he is the executive chairman, executive director, and group managing director, responsible for business development and overall management, including investment activities, operations, and marketing efforts of the Group. Despite teams of professionals providing him with support, Lim, 44, is still expected to make the final call, and this is where the reflection bit comes in: Lim likes to constantly evolve new business concepts. These days he is thinking a lot about their self-storage business and how it can be elevated with value added service.

The e-commerce surge has raised the demand for storage facilities, but while e-retailers manage bulk orders efficiently in small offices their sizable merchandise still has to be handled and stored properly. “Besides storage space and management, we also provide our customers with a set-up within our facilities where they can do some paperwork, as well as last-mile delivery service,” he says. “I think most of them can now use a showroom to display their merchandise. Offices are having a hard time staying open, maybe some of them can be converted into display facilities,” he shares with recognizable enthusiasm.

AN EARLY START