5 Women in Property Development

Joanne Chung

General Manager (East Malaysia) at Hap Seng Properties Development

Strangely, for as long as I can remember, I have always been involved in the property industry one way or another. I am very humbled and thankful that the journey has brought me here today as General Manager of Hap Seng Properties Development in East Malaysia.

I find that there are limitations when encouraging others to think outside the box and it is challenging to take risks in such a competitive market but being able to work with our sales team helps to find new and inventive ways to promote properties in Sabah, even during the MCO, has been rewarding.

Do not be embarrassed to seek advice and accept criticism from experienced players in the industry and always stay strong and determined. Never forget your roots and beginnings!

Moving forward, the keyword now in this situation is surviving and we see a lot of people going through this. Despite that, I know that with the strong support from the Government, through the 2021 budget focused on First Time Home Owners and Rent-to-Own Financial Schemes by selected GLC housing projects, this would further recover and revitalise the real estate industry as well as extend the homeownership ability of the people.

Emily Chew Fei Sean

General Manager of Grand Merdeka Development Sdn Bhd

Growing up, I was always exposed to property development as I followed my father and mentor (Datuk Chew Sang Hai) very closely. When I pursued my studies in accountancy, I was not directly involved in the property industry but it gave me a wider perspective on the business. This introduced me to the importance and art of managing finances in a business. Once I graduated, I saw that Sabah had an excellent opportunity to develop. That was 9 years ago.

For my first initial job in development, I was thrown into a huge project with a GDP value of RM1 billion so with zero experience, that was really challenging for me. As a developer, we have to be resilient and be able to embrace changes.

It was an outstanding achievement to have sold this initial project with 90% sales and on-time delivery so I am very proud and grateful to go through this challenging but ever-growing and ever-learning journey.

Not to say we should replace men but our unique female characteristics and traits would complement our male counterparts well for a more balanced industry. All this while we think construction is rough but maybe with more females in construction, the work could be more refined and more problems could be solved with new ideas on how to approach things in different ways. It will take time to change people's perspective but why should we categorize certain sectors to be allocated to only female or male? We could benefit from the transferring of knowledge and character.

Mei Wong

Executive Director of the VTS Group

My advice to women in this industry is that whatever position you are in, you should do your best and learn whatever skills you can from your superiors and mentors. In the end, what you have learned is yours and that is something that no one can take away from you!

I've been in the property development industry since I was 25 years old and I've watched & learned from every single salesperson that has walked into my life. I have a lot of respect for them.

Every process that you go through, you will need to absorb and analyze how you achieved that goal and why you failed in other certain areas.

As a businesswoman and mother of 3, I say don't be so hard on yourself. Just be present and keep going! Look back every time you have a chance and see how much you have achieved along the way in this journey of yours!

Ade Pui

Sarawak Sales & Marketing Assistant Manager of Homelite Development Sdn Bhd

I believe it is the developer and marketers’ responsibility to build the house with the heart and soul of a craftsman. That’s the reason I have been in this industry since 2016 - to pay close attention to the details of a house design and to understand the needs of customers to enhance the happiness of living. My greatest sense of accomplishment is to help the client find a house that is worth owning.

Working in this industry, you have to deal with rejection and be able to keep up with the changing government and bank policies. Innovation is also a challenge. You need to keep up with technology and be sensitive to trends.