Ld ete Tig S$ | { Tei t y ee) WIC MCG Lai Voon Hon and Monica Lai on how they have SMe aa Kt cM OM OMe om j'COVER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENNY YAP LAYOUT 8Y JEFFERSON TEOM | COVER {rom page 10 to Malaysia jon Kurpalan Alte ts couldeveaskfonabsciutely ne complaint father made the offer o both of them at ‘nat pan. Butenpretesionl grounds, the same ime, but Yoon Hoa opted (0 ‘wedoarguc abou deren things because fst emplote his MBA. before joining Of diferences in viws Forum, se know the company thatour ebjectiveis aligned. Tere isn He reveals, “I needed to learn the Uledormotive, Were rguing forthe best management side... fet hat if had to ‘waylorthecompany—Wsabout fen. make caer change, Trust dot wel ‘aj to each the same goal" ‘When he came back Fomcarpleinghis We wil always end up making the Master's in 1996, he tenon the postion dectinsthtar bet forth compan." of ental mange IVY Soon Hon ineret. ‘Wyte lings accepted hia’ i ‘Or well agree to dag.” ais fer was he fren: pees they Meni. Saw invich he oul eon een “And we know that there is no per was just starting to expand then, 2nd sonal agenda behind an argument You the skis and exposure both of them know ow sometimes in a professional hod combined was just the punch the envionment, ther some aly: We company needed They may be as different as chalk and cheese but Lai Voon Hon and sister Monica Lai a Ce Ee lien eer complement each other when it comes to running a business. They are credited with Cee ee ere acta ws enielnelG saci i : 3 : 2 ng wth ch other Apparent the tae moved eu ofthe ee complely inthe ture Wewaried thsigatue to itenaton sandal.” steering the Ireka brand to greater heights through lifestyle property projects. Voon Hon is {al household, speaking your mind wes and isin the fond and beverage business outlast us, outlast the company even. ‘He ads tha this hips the staff who sid d CEO of eke Devel J 7 Aiwaye encouraged among lle tw er own cal ve want to haep our customers ay not be abe alld wael on et president anc evelopment Management while Monica is its chief financial ‘ren, ‘We don't own any restaurants so foreves if we can. Over time, they will own understand the coneeps they are iti iti ‘Monica reves, "Ourdadencoursprdwecouldn ole er arin Monies Canin os the banda she ying sl officer. They are two distinct personalities but they are bonded together t Hovece Rewer meu ul ood quips Sujen ow hat nett bene dewiopeswenacbenerand "tyrant cominsd aan you in their professional life. Jacucline ‘lyyad and Surinder Jessy Etichete ntiked @teep culsindytueabamestecnendy bebceinaes oY Settee tamane nt what oyu S iT insi; i ‘ir lives, ‘quiet. Even professionally — that’s it;'m a professionally run business." ‘Monica reiterates, “Over the years, read or where do you go for holidays? This sat down with them for an insight into their lives. SUrtinet fo ssay go anng win "The wo worked thr way up the we wate xp brand _ gies pt nt a ena. You Anita go tong yeu, company ade as thy would have in ores, Ithetrandiswedenorn st Monica a, “Tey dont have be usa of takes have been The dors of Te Westin opened only in bull your howe fom scratch ha thas had ogo tough ber for approval Elo suet ge mys. Tha jus shy company We bee in ats hethe Wests Band wecan bing ito ae to llr everytng tat we do, ba dof siblings, from Caine and September 2004. Mid last year, Ireka sold character. But if you buy an apartment, At this, Monica can only laugh and we ‘bow lam.” ‘hand to convince people to jump onboard any other part of the world and people must have undersianding of what we ‘Abel to Hansel and Gretel, each the hotel to Newood Assets Lid, an inter- it is built like the one next door. Art is take this as a confirmation of truth. ‘with you when you don’t have the right will recognise it. That's what we would mein by lifestyle. Fr this sart of property, ne witha diferent kind of atonal propery ivesient Company, inporant ten o diferente you om | Whatsfacatgte observe abt be . fusca an experience to beck ke tse happen ih our Zn rand You need alt of marking Yu nave ‘relationship, a different sibling for a whopping RM4SS million. ‘your neighbour Yourtaste and personality two is how distinctly different their two ‘We could have been there just because over a longer period of time.” elieve in the product or you can't sell nani, Bull resimlar inthe sense “war 2 challenging projec.” says thow up in your choice fart makes peonaliice ar Yoon Hon i gene in on Hon and Monica ll us thou ater bwin fis bul iat ithe "However ait agee mone of Ae eta piece of ding wee yo ‘Sate ale revoives around scheinga Yoon Hon. “But hie ie type of chal iflerene an ean do so much lo'2 Speech, warm fom fs hands and there are fie ings stogether Way we vata do Youvegatto ain wouldve beer pasibiehad ter aher gellar done wiD i. We chek when goal, be it to appease a father orto escape lenge that really drives me. What wehave blank wall.” ‘opens instantly to whomever he meets. ‘Apart from the two of them, noone other people's respect,” Monica says. “I and the company's board not accorded our staff sell cur products, to make sure ‘snevil witch Thesestoriesstudy theway realised i thatthe process of developing Indeed it does, SENi Art Galley aims Monica, who confesses she is 2 very se is involved withthe company. ‘remember siting here tryingto convince them the creative and strategic freedom if they are meved, they are convinced. {pee ptr yr ier amy erp ee rnb tnoear gm Tia ert eee ec ere oped ounng he conpary waste areal Gweboard abe teizen rand Kwara they eyed. (voor Hon and seal do alt of ingeerandlfbondng virtues letras, lea and tats why hasbeen ender showeaze he wok Entoni forte fat halthour Job nego. We were made on of ualponcebackihen phuveapiopery "Ourdahasins way gvenusalotot sling oe becuse fein casters love and respec exist besween the two.” for us to get into the high-end niche "I. s something I've always believed! Woon Hon prefers exotic holidays to by our father and t was ike a'what do. and just name f Tower A, Tower 8, and leeway oshapethepropety development we sve” ‘Wehaveonesusnle—~smodemsy of propery development. Torosgh the in since our es cays you look st eater Europe while onic lve the {Gu oer mean what can Ofer ou" soon, Wewanted ecomecton beteen tosis Tats aloof people thnk” Brtber and sister ath ely nex vesionoltwostngs woning sin expeence lhe atic, matfelre teatwock on depay Gere ey areal sale haven of Loon and Pai es Ho thing saye ona, ‘Sede bujer wih what wedo" Ghat cha relied Info, betes ry posurebecaune ey veeveitl ae Wellshore win yuthcreoninon goal projet manages and s9.on lear and byMalasanarse same areca she'd sent mow tme in when she Was ’ tlned accountant, Monica knew Yoon Hon aa,“ wast te rad- seve in the backround, povding te expasuteiy ha growing ptr aory Ivison and ourstdyoftharsiing underood econ offwestarqualy commisaoncd: A fow of them have be ssa bats ld could ops few dent onal way of ding tings was no gultane,"shaer Yoon Hon sto have tured out qe dierent. fname Ther may of may not be Sat we foday want deve wih ou comequletamovstow Ihepe hs new Saye ester, “We're very flent Corer pals for hee she worked as an usual so Weof couse a toa rake ister atta te father tll Tv. hey fe an inpoa lene ‘Doral at Ge end of istry nt Ure eden Thaepenence ia ven is gully wil do ine same, We encouage nu charac, inte way ve wexkor Studion fistin the UX and then in Hong everbody comonsble with theien test che bes on the conection ste. "He ol lvng.i fac bata sow ot lew iSiason a be art for sue 2 reach for hoy for Teal alented artis to come and doting I wal at and talk fat whe ong withenentonofusing aed ths tas he way ogo We wee tying sual ate scacontaca:cofisex: thusatn and suppor othe Lave op- ‘Daur homthebeghaingwaudtake "Mons sotfues, “When we wee show thar washer sje Yoon on, Yogn are ladac "Repionardsinvesmentbnking a felt tO mime the bracing own of fetes perenceimbaingforothershasiiped porns ow oer have opened ee ee ee ee een eee ee eee ee ee ee csciad wiaas ‘timert ore: Her ther ofsed ber youcan see how heels devsop ther fin assst land Neha avays waned uptoMaaysans We becompeive ow, brgiasmacktiom tiem pests realy was about fom tne housekeep- — "Weredsoencouagngbujerimtac- adds oon Hon. "Fama bi oa dreater thepostion of nancial contol; band value over time Since we were Wo Uranch ou io pope, Young awe tobe oblnaner tank TE Sec Me Leb Uae eae he Gathneekn ellie: bakvicoeknmi eter ‘Cortonsroueniotbeconparywas sang (propery development] fam "We were just decaing before Ing, aa bolton fe aed Moc fe Revaa Grapstks Arcana Popees sSimporantafeehoopiaipinioty, “Aevenwsiggocrbuyertoshar rome "Stn kno lle ar in, notsinigifowarielier eto worled saa we wanted loworkowardsthe | —how our weckendsweretsualy vats htm sioogand thio shud Lad (ASPL) debuted on the London Stock Incorporating this element into the high- of their collections with everyone. If you great ideas but our prices will nat be first in the UK and then in Hong Kong as bigger picture — to design in advance the (o construction sites. And then Sundays, organise study trips. el a) iene Lon! rare i see i elie or en a ee a ee eee fn atetes belore moving ck one loncolpoperieswe warctobebuling, cordad ld deveustosce nee haaes, sal shot expose." the ster ‘fund to be listed there. Ineka Group's Lai through our experience. We've seen for to the world? Loan it to the gallery, put that Jevel and if one day we do, we can ‘see new developments... [suppose prop- “All of us went through the same taining, ry has always been a very big pat of so lo speak, and are doing pely well fur lives. We should have seer com- right now, 0 (0 speak. helped dar we lng Tgoess hoped wher joined eka, actually worked elsewhere before com oon Hon and his father Lai Siew Wah ourelveswhstelementsacusly pass wih {on display for 2 month or two so that bring that in. We ae, at the end of the were given thehonour ofopesing ring eurbuyerand wostean' Ourtuyerrare other people wil be able come and ay, developersand wehaveto look after that day and on hand to celebrate ths people who cave lot so they've sen enjoy cursharcolde. We needa deter post ‘momentous occasion with them wat Guiles Uitand wil appecatewhat wee "For any development tose qual- as well" Menica sas lough the ine | ull eventually have a bigar role ing home: oon Fons site, Monica Lai, who was Lying to delverto them aswell” ty. suey ts soul must be huge partof blur on whether she's speaking fo us plavinshapingtbecompany.sotospeck, Adds Yon Hon “W's nice to se the inatrumertal i he Hing "Thor most corert projet, SENI Er cansemton? Whet makes sitome s Grr brother In deoting sates.” ‘work when you'e young. when you TWsbeenanexcting year forthe group, Montara scatsing cute abuzz in homel There’ the inal hardware and “other words, she's the practical sailan. Malaysians are raveling moe and the two siblings ate erected wi) oom. Lsdevelopel by APLsaubsdiay then thereaetheblepiscesthatgiethe one. ” ‘ee! that the more you travel, the more Stcerng the eka rand towards sucess Amar Resource, in callaboraton wih home i Mealy. Most people are now She intejets, “Yeah, but hes the ‘you undertand cue and howe io deal rough style propery projets such CaptaLand much a eolleting ar, 2 srseemed to arts one, the visionary. 0 yeu ‘retaken ona ourof he SEN with people Tifa by FZEN, one Mant Kiar and) This hacury residence i inspired by bethenatwalcheceol theme forourlstes asking do we argue" Sowreom Bvecyroom westep Rigi now, the ‘vo are foesing on PEN@iKiaza. These tee projects and the world of ne a, hence the name. development,” finishes Voon Hon “Ves, we do," Voon Hn finishes ino, each sing akes tums upcoming FZen peojects In Vietnam, fren patios havebeeninjecedingo Landscaping plans include 2 seulpure However: the manner in which they tell you which section oF fixture i his paral in ees of Ho Cai Min ‘ASP, which wil be managed by i garden wie is inhouse at gallery, fish off each others sentence ates forherfaouste ts sppareat that thir and Hane. Bevecpment vanagementof which Yoon SENTAT Calley, he fst tsk, 8 tothe pairs ceseness. And as we spend ‘etsnal loves and passions are eficed. "We're silzoutng fo feations, bat Fon is president and CEO and Monica epened tote pubic last month. fon'thanosee thatthe brotherand more ime wit ther, we begin to see inoth design ant dor vee quite eae with the poten theless rake "ye Yom yr ok Sack [tsa Wang em how nr an edo Yoon ened that ie pod one sys voen Hon “tate ‘xeativedetr of reka Cop. to the days ofthe Renabsance — they The Edge photographer Kenay Yop, eres bard to see that Ue wo the dint ees can sell el nil Vitbamesenabooals oversees a “The fist project that they had ever relly knew hw 1 lve fe and enjoy we observe an unspoke bond betwoen| ome rot the sme mould. ‘esas, think Mona's iste fs they have grown up ina Western ev \workedontogetherwasThe Westin fas every minsteoft Th hulk oftheir love the to i the comfort wrth wich they "We grew up arin, but atthe much closer to our typiealeasomer so ronment. The infusion of thr enposure Ktenotdiicuk wo decte what see want ©. Ino the ica culture wil help beng the do, The most important part comes wh county tothe next lve ‘ensuring tht Ute rest ofthe company, The nerview ends there because the ‘ur colleagues, aren the same page as wo [ave another appointment to rush us We encourage ou stato travel Last ofa. And as we Bid gondye, we also Yea, we look tse whole marketing team wis Ue pa, who may be as diferent as ‘SownleSingapereadshawed hem wit chalk and ciere but undead comple Sa xury conde wae al about so that all teat each oer, goo Tuck on thet Nex ‘rs topther could benchmark against adventure. a {Cumpus- eka Wien was sila consiruc- fer fe was shared tough the ars, and _sitcloseogeterormakejokes about the wesksite, we've arguing tom a proes- tionbased firm and hotel development tha'show ther culture grew. This our olher'sappeacance. Weask,do youshare sional standpoint and ne respect each ‘was 2 completly new direction. Yeon vision. And right now, we bllove that 2 close sibling bond? thers view to 4 large extent, We have Hon was insrumenal in the design ef Malaysians, or Asians in general, aren ‘They look at eachother and laugh. ferent specialities and we know each thehoteland whiethe pejecthad begun the threshold of rdiscovenng the oy of oon Hon reveals, "Back when we ethers weaknesses and stenglis,” says Somewhere batween 1994 and1995, the a balanced lle, and that includes the ap- wer studying inthe UK, we, all of us, Yoon Hon. ‘company ran to many obtaeles,inciod- procaion of beauty, ar.” Including ourtwo ober brothers, shared Monica revoas, “He's thes bro Ing the Aslan financial crisis ia 1997." Monlea adds, “Wis only when you an apartment. nd all of my girends ‘continues on page 12