theceomagazine.com | 13of building memories and experiences
for people. The opportunity to build
communities, shape the skyline, and really
impact the way people live and experience
their daily life – that’s what gets me excited.”
A design aficionado who firmly believes
that great architecture can bring people
together, Joo Kim has a passion for
creating visually striking buildings and
an understanding of the market realities
and practicalities of real estate projects. “We
can’t just build monuments,” he concedes.
“We want to build things that people can
enjoy, afford and be part of. Most of the time,
I’m one of those people who believe that
when you build something of quality, there
will be tangible long-term advantages.”
Working on exciting projects and
establishing a coherent style across a portfolio
is important, Joo Kim says. TA Global will
be looking for iconic and influential ventures,
hand-picking boutique projects that have
exciting potential, rather than settling for
run-of-the-mill work. “Every development is
going to be special,” Joo Kim enthuses. “It’s
going to be bespoke. We try to raise the bar,
to set a new standard in every development
we do. I think that will create long-term
value in our projects.”
LIFE AS A YOUNG CEO
Joo Kim moved into the CEO role at just
36, and says the challenges of being taken
seriously by his much older industry
counterparts were substantial. “There’s a little
bit of politics that comes with that. There
are going to be a lot of people who try to
undermine you or control you because you’re
young. People will think you’re not good
enough.” But he won over the sceptics with
his unrelenting work ethic. “You lead by
working hard, and people will naturally
follow you,” he says.
Yet, Joo Kim says there are
also significant advantages
that come with being
an unusually
youthful CEO.
Recognising
one’s own
strengths and
weaknesses is
key to success,
he says. “As a
young person,
you lack
experience, but
what you have is way
more energy and more
drive than anyone else. You
need to work harder than everyone, and if
you’re not an expert, you have to become
an expert. It’s also good to soak up as much
knowledge as you can from other people. »“My strength, I think,
is that I have good
vision. I have
a naturally
inquisitive mind.”
“Meticulous and professional are the key qualities that best
describe working with TA Global, who have consistently
exhibited creative thinking. Bosch Home Appliances is proud
to partner with one of the most promising developers in
the region, and we look forward to greater collaboration in
the future.” – Mikhail Fong, Head of Project Business, BSH
Home Appliances Sdn Bhd.
Interview | INSPIRE