2017-04-29

Meet Mr. Tan Boon Huat, CEO of Asia Green Group in Penang, Malaysia

Interview

Interviews With The World's Leading Real Estate Developers

Mr. Tan Boon Huat, CEO of Asia Green Group in Penang, Malaysia

Asia Green Group is one of the top luxury real estate developers in Penang, Malaysia. Today we hear about some of their current projects, how the company got started and the CEO's opinion on the future of the Penang property market.

In 1995, Mr. Tan Boon Huat started leading Asia Plywood Company Sdn Bhd and succeeded to make the business successful in Asian and European countries. In 2007, he started managing Asia Green Property Development and the company is now one of the most well-known property developers in Penang, Malaysia.

Who Is Asia Green Group?

Asia Green Group is most well-known for its property development projects throughout Penang, Malaysia. As a property developer, Asia Green Group seeks to be the premier solution for global clientele in search of unique high-end residential properties. Asia Green's construction and development based companies are internally equity financed by their business units with virtually no debt leveraging, lending itself as an extremely robust financial enterprise.

What Is Your Background As CEO?

"I started off getting involved in the plywood industry. The start-up was a very small company with only a handful of employees. It was through lots of sweat and working tirelessly day and night that I managed to bring Asia Plywood to greater heights. Currently, we are undergoing a vigorous replanting exercise to help achieve sustainability of supply and also help to maintain a green environment in Malaysia. Currently, Asia Plywood has achieved a great name in both East & West Malaysia. Having achieved my goal in this segment, I felt that there was still a little vacuum in my heart. I always had a passion for creative architecture. I am always very fascinated with exquisite property designs. I aim to create products that meet the ever-evolving needs of the purchasers. So, I have my ears on the ground, listening to the whispers of the market. Property development is a long-term business that always blooms during good or bad times; during the good times, it is in favor of the sellers/developers market whilst the opposite will occur during bad times. So, demand for property is always there."

What Are Your Company's Policies and Most Important Philosophy?

"I grew up in South East Asia and I am more familiar with the culture and people, so I am very proud to be Southeast Asian as that is who I am. I also like to set an achievable goal before taking on another bigger goal. I have thought about expanding globally, but being a hands-on person, I would rather concentrate on a specific location."

What Are Your Company Strengths?

"The Strength of Asia Green Group is that we are self‒financed. I believe it is a strength as not that many companies can say the same. I managed my finances well and make sure that waste is minimal. Any savings that are accrued will be passed on to the purchasers.

Being a personally owned business and not being a publicly listed company enables me to have full control of my own business. I believe for a company to be successful, the captain of the ship must have full control of it. As the English saying goes, 'too many cooks spoil the broth.' And being self-financed teaches my staff not to be wasteful as the profit generated will be also enjoyed by them in remuneration and bonuses and not used to pay back interest."

What Are Some Of Your Company's Projects?

"Our target audience varies from local to international. We design our projects to cater to both locals and foreigners as well, with new creative concepts and ideas.

We use our designs to think and deeply understand our audiences’ needs and wants, only then will we create design to fit their criteria. For example, for The Clovers project, we knew that privacy and convenience were the main concerns, so we designed two private lifts where buyers have direct access to their own units. We came up with innovative solutions to speed up the process of construction and make sure the purchasers moved into their new homes without any hustle and stress. Our Green facilities and features in our projects are always put into priority as we stay true with reconnecting people with nature.

Our current project, the Quay West Residence, faces the sea and has an infinity rooftop pool that lets purchasers relax and enjoy the spectacular view. Let’s not forget the two individual private lifts that take you directly to your unit and our green touches with landscape design that always reconnects people back to nature.

We have many upcoming projects in Penang Island and we will be focusing on the Bayan Lepas area with mix-use developments and residential. We will be looking at expanding overseas soon to other S.E Asian countries and might look into other business ventures as well."

What Is Your Outlook For The Future Of The Penang Property Market?

"The market has been soft for a couple of years. Like any industry, there is always a cycle attached to it. I believe we have seen the worst of this cycle last year and probably a spillover towards the early months of this year. After that, there is only one direction for the property market and that is moving upwards. Ride the wave when possible, especially when the ringgit is at its lowest. As for Penang island, the land is scarce, prices will always rise because of this. Being voted one of the most habitable places in Asia coupled with its low cost of living, it is most ideal to invest during this time.

Like I mentioned earlier on that, Penang’s current market is soft, not dead, so there is still interest in purchasing property. 3 benefits of Penang are:

1. Penang is a state that still has its colonial charm and greenery. Investors are still coming into Penang to invest in the manufacturing sector and properties.

2. The State government has done its part in promoting the tourism industry, industrial & manufacturing industry, and properties. Resulting in foreign investment into Penang.

3. Penang has high payable infrastructure projects in the pipeline, like the LRT (Light Rail Transit), new tunnels and roads, and other projects, to make Penang a more vibrant city."

What Is Your Message For Property Investors?

"Penang, especially Asia Green Group, welcomes you with open arms. Come and savor our impeccable standard of living at a fraction of the cost of your beloved home country. More importantly, true to our company's motto, 'Reconnecting people with nature,' come and experience the freshness of clean air and greenery in this beautiful island of ours."

all photos courtesy of Asia Green Group