From Intraprenuer to Visionary Leader: A Developer Success Story

Before he became the founder and managing director of Miri’s premier developer group, Rockville, Derek Chong was at a crossroads.

There was a wall of uncertainty that kept him between what he knew best and his dream of becoming a property developer.

From Humble Beginnings to a Leap of Faith

Throughout his career’s journey, his course of action had to consistently mould and adapt. There was never any cookie-cutter plan laid out for him to achieve his goal.

One thing did not change, however, and that was his drive and dedication to the task at hand. On a phone call with Property Hunter, he recalled the many sleepless nights he spent pouring into his work ethic during his university days and all through his time working as an intraprenuer, managing teams, dealing with financial advisors and even cleaning windows and sweeping floors. 

His determination and background in commerce eventually led him to a fruitful career in entrepreneurship and management for over 15 years.

From a modest beginning as a small partner in a company, Derek was able to transform a family business into a group of companies. This catalysed exponential growth in their annual revenue by over 300% in just 6 years.

With this venture, he attained 5 years of experience in property development, and by 38 years of age, he found himself face to face with the decision to stay and continue working as an intraprenuer or to finally spread his wings and follow his passion to become an independent property developer.

It was a challenging decision, but with faith and the support of his wife, they sold their home and founded Rockville. 

Small Things, Big Impact

When asked what his secret was that got him to found Rockville and make it successful, he was assuring that it is much simpler than one would think. He believes everyone has a gift inside of them, it is whether they do the work to find it or not.

Over the years, Derek fully emersed himself in his passion. While his friends were out shopping on the weekends, he was out viewing houses.

He even set aside budgets to embark on frequent study trips where he travelled around the world, spending each night in a different hotel to experience and learn what made a property a great one.

“What makes a stunning building? What is the best size? What about the layout and connections between rooms?”

These real-life feasibility studies on architecture and design worked hand-in-hand to complement his expertise background in business.

Not just design though, another important pillar that adds to the foundation of Rockville Malaysia are the company’s core values and mission. When planning his projects, Derek and his team dedicate a large portion of their time at the actual project site. There he will envision what type of community this project will appeal to. 

Rockville aims to not only provide quality homes, but a community that is harmonious with aesthetics and environmental responsibility to ensure a long-term investment.