theceomagazine.com | 127emulate the concept. Given the current
unpredictable weather patterns in countries
around the world, I expect this concept will
become increasingly popular as a viable
option to mitigate natural disaster risks in
the future.”
The experience of SMART’s existing
management team averages more than
10 years across a variety of sectors within the
highway and transport industries. Sharifah
believes having the right culture is vital
because it shapes the way the team behaves
when handling crises and how they strive to
uphold the company’s reputation. “SMART
values its people and the skills they possess,
and our success is reliant on tapping into
these skill sets. We have a pool of niche talent
here at SMART who willingly share their
knowledge and experience to assist in
building our nation,” she says. “In my
opinion, binding a team with a strong sense
of loyalty and belonging to the company is
crucial for SMART, so I encourage consistent
engagement between management and
employees. Good leadership means setting an
example for your team – you have to walk
the talk.”
For Sharifah, success is not measured by
recognition, money, fame, or material
possessions. “Success is about the people
you’ve changed positively, both professionally
and personally. I always instil in my team that
we must continually provide the best level of
service to our customers by looking at things
from their perspective. Customer needs and
expectations are always evolving so we must
keep abreast of changes in demand,” explains
Sharifah. “Our approach to this will always
be consistent engagement. Once we have
established a trusting relationship with our
customers and the public, it’s much easier for
us to tailor our corporate social responsibility
initiatives to meet their needs.”
SMART was recently involved in a
Chinese New Year Road Safety Campaign
in collaboration with the Malaysia Inbound
Tourism Association (MITA), as well as
discounted tolls for major festive periods,
and the annual SMART Tunnel Run.
Moving forward, SMART is working
closely with its partners and suppliers to
deliver efficient and sustainable stormwater
management, and a road tunnel that meets
the needs of all users.
“We continue to explore opportunities
for win–win partnerships and neighbouring
developers to work with,” says Sharifah.
“SMART’s recent partnership with TRX
City (TRXC), the Tun Razak Exchange
and Bandar Malaysia developer, is a good
example, where two TRXC developments
located at opposite ends of the tunnel will
be directly linked.”
Sharifah says the partnership will enhance
traffic infrastructure in the Greater Kuala
Lumpur area, and will ultimately pave the
way for further collaborations with other
government-owned infrastructure players in
the future.INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
- In 2016, SMART was listed
among CNN’s Top 10 World’s
Greatest Tunnels. - In April 2015, SMART was
awarded the Kuala Lumpur
Mayor Design Award for
Infrastructure under the
Engineering Category. - In 2011, SMART received the
UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour
Award for its innovative and
unique management of
stormwater and peak
hour traffic.
Interview | INVEST