NAME: Jonathan Sowter
COMPANY: Vietnam Furniture Resources
POSITION: Founder & CEO
LOCATION: Thuan An, Vietnam
The thrill of selling a piece of furniture made with his own hands launched a youthful Jonathan Sowter on an adventure that has mushroomed into a major enterprise. But it was even earlier, while he was still at school, that he first realised what he really wanted to do for the rest of his life.
“I was just 12 years old at school when I made my first piece of furniture, and it was better than everybody else’s in the class,” Jonathan recalls. “I realised it was something I was good at and really, from then, I’ve known that’s all I wanted to do. So I left school and got a job in a furniture company and I realised I wanted to be a furniture designer, so I went off to university and did furniture design and craftsmanship. That’s really all I’ve ever done.”
It offered a journey from England to India to open a furniture factory for his employer, and from there, he ventured to Vietnam to do the same. It was in Vietnam that Jonathan found his niche, with an opportunity to strike out on his own as a craftsman and entrepreneur.
“I’m the Founder and CEO of both Jonathan Charles Fine Furniture, and Vietnam Furniture Resources,” he explains. “Jonathan Charles is the furniture brand – it’s my father’s first name actually – and Vietnam Furniture Resources is the manufacturing facility.”
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av The CEO Magazine Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av The CEO Magazine Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Lito German Is Driving Change And Accelerating Growth For Sandbox
After years in the automotive industry, CEO Lito German is now driving change and accelerating growth for importer and distributor Sandbox Middle East.
They're Pioneers In Enshrining Green Values Into Everything They Do
CEO Chamaiporn Uerpairojkit explains how thai plastics giant tpbi was committed to sustainability long before the government made an industry-changing announcement last year.
Maverick Unicorn
Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek is a textbook example of the startup gurus propelling their companies to billion-dollar valuations.
''Increase The Velocity''
Adapting Camfil’s business model to work at a faster pace was critical for the business to thrive in today’s China, according to managing director Michel Moulin.
Device Manager
Covid-19 tore the world’s tech supply chains asunder, the effects of which are still being felt today. But through steady management and quality of work, malaysian component manufacturer analog devices has managed to thrive during the storm.
Going Antiviral
Chiaphua Industries chief marketing officer and co-founder of Germagic Hamilton Hung has transformed the appliance manufacturer into an antiviral research and development powerhouse. And he has done so with patience and vision.
Risk Vs Return
Add pandemic fallout to a low interest-rate environment and you have a challenge for highnet-worth investors. Where might opportunities lie?
Expect The Unexpected
For lockton philippines insurance & reinsurance brokers ceo vic valledor, providing affordable premiums for the poorest families is vital, especially considering the recent challenges of the covid-19 pandemic.
The Ultimate Investments
With the global economic recovery from the pandemic underway, many analysts are suggesting now is the time to invest – but will whisky, soybeans or bitcoin find a way into your portfolio?
The Future Of Fintech
Covid-19 has accelerated the world’s shift to a digital economy, and airwallex co-founder and president Lucy Liu wants to make sure there are more female fintech leaders with her at the top.
