Logistics
Ruben ready for Westports job challenge
By By Presenna Nambiar, Business Times
Mar 26, 2007, 08:51

THERE are not many who have a business to inherit, and even if they do, the business would seldom be out of the ordinary.

For Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, he has been handed a port to run, taking over from his father Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam, a majority stakeholder in Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the operator of Westports in Port Klang.

The elder Gnanalingam's increasingly less frequent visits to the port is an early indication of his son's ascent to the captain's seat. Ruben, in recent times has also become more exposed to the media.

He is now the executive director of Westports, after joining as a director in the company's board of directors 10 months ago.

Although not many would envy Ruben's job of having to take over from his father, he's ready for the challenge.

"I was never really afraid of running the business and making sure that everything runs smoothly but growing at a pace my dad has been growing it, that's a challenge to keep up, Ruben said.

Ruben spent a year in Westports from 1999 to 2000 doing short stints in various departments but after that chose to opt out of the port to go into the information technology business, wanting to take advantage of the dot com boom.

"I just felt overwhelmed when I first graduated, because I didn't have any experience and I didn't want to come here and make all my mistakes here. I'd rather make my mistakes elsewhere and then come back and do it right here and that's why I opted to go out first and then come back later," Ruben.

He said he always knew he was coming back to Westports even though his father was sceptical about that happening.

"He's been half grooming me for it, but he never wanted to force it on me," Ruben said.

And the choice he made then, has borne fruit for him as Ruben says employees and clients alike are more confident of his ability in running the business, knowing that he had made a success of his venture away from his dad.

Despite being ready, the 31-year-old Ruben isn't in a hurry to take over.

"I'm comfortable, I'm not one of those people who need absolute control, and he doesn't control me either. I like sharing the responsibility with him. He doesn't bother me," Ruben said.

The man himself has "realistic dreams" as he calls it, as his goal in life is to expand the business into other ports, lose 20 kg of weight, start playing futsal and play one round of par golf.

But not necessarily in that order.


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