Few Singaporeans, if any, are ignorant of the extent to which Lee Kuan Yew shaped Singapore as the country’s founding father. For Gina Toh, CEO of facility services provider ISS Singapore, the late Prime Minister is the epitome of what a strong leader with an equally strong vision can achieve.
“I reflect back on what he has done for the country,” she says. “The strong visions behind the opportunities he saw – all it takes is to have a strong leader behind it. I have to constantly grow and build upon myself so as to drive the organisation forward.
“One of his famous motivational quotes was, ‘There is a glorious rainbow that beckons those with a spirit of adventure. To the young and to the not-so-old, I say look at that horizon, find that rainbow, go ride it.’ That’s resonated a lot with me, particularly through the early years of my career, and has inspired me to constantly be bold and have the courage to pick up opportunities.”
Gina started out in facility management before ISS, initially with private developer Far East Organization. As a result, she first got to know the company as a customer, with Far East being supplied with cleaning services by ISS. In ISS, she saw the chance to fulfil an interest in a role more focused on sales and business management. In the intervening years since she first joined, Gina has risen through the ranks, starting as Sales Executive before being appointed CEO at the end of 2019.
This story is from the May 2021 edition of The CEO Magazine Asia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2021 edition of The CEO Magazine Asia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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.
