Peter Goh, country manager, EMC Computer Systems Malaysia and Vietnam
You’ve worked at Sun Microsystems, IBM Lotus, Frontline, BMC Software and currently, EMC. How did you get involved in the tech industry?
After I graduated from National University of Singapore in 1986 with a degree in science, majoring in computer science, I looked for a job in the IT sector to make good use of what I studied. I started out as a programmer and two years later, the opportunity came up for me to go into the money market as a forex trader. But I had cold feet so I decided to stay on in the tech sector.
What led you to join EMC?
I was at BMC Software for two years after many years of working regionally. One day, I told my boss I was tired and needed a break. I called up Ron [Goh, president of EMC South Asia] to ask about a job opening in Malaysia. Next thing I knew, I was country manager in EMC Malaysia.
I joined EMC partly because Ron is a friend of mine and I did not mind working for somebody I knew. I also believed that I could contribute to the company, which is important in whatever job you do. When you take on a regional role, there's only so much you can do within a day. I don’t spend half my time on a plane anymore, like I used to when I was at BMC, so it’s a different kind of satisfaction. I've come to a stage where it doesn’t matter what the designation is, as long as you're happy doing it.
Currently, you're also heading the Thailand and Vietnam operations. Were these roles circumstantial?
Thailand was circumstantial because I'm just an interim country manager. I was requested to take it on because I had previously covered the Thai market when I was with BMC and Lotus. Jumpstarting the Thailand business was not something new for me, but Vietnam was different as it was a new territory for us and we had no representative offices there. I took on the job on condition that the company would invest in Vietnam.
What are some of the challenges of managing different markets?
You must understand how business is done in different countries. You can't challenge nature; we’re all different markets with different dialects and languages. Eventually, you must have locals to run the business, which is what we hope to do with Vietnam in the long run.
What is EMC’s current market share in Malaysia?
According to IDC market research figures, we were No 1 for high-end external storage in 2008 with a 41.9% market share. In mid-range external storage, we're also No 1 at 22.41%.
Based on your managerial experience, what would you say is your worst management decision and why?
Worst decision I ever had to make was to fire someone. You feel lousy because that person has bills to pay and no job security. But the person has only himself to blame. We are hired to deliver certain objectives and if you maintain that person, you won't be going very far. Even losing to a competitor doesn't feel as bad as asking someone to leave.
On a personal note, what role does technology play in managing your life?
I survive with my BlackBerry. It is a great but horrible device – a lot of productivity because you never stop working but it also invades your personal space when people expect you to reply their emails immediately! I don't know if I can live without it, but when I go on vacation, I'm going to switch off my BlackBerry and see if I am jobless when I come back! [Laughs]
How do you practise work/life balance?
Every other day, I'm out for dinners with customers and friends so I don’t spend much time with the family until the weekend. So I make it a point every year to take a 10-day vacation with my family to the mountains for skiing, which is something we as a family enjoy doing.
What is the best management advice you’ve received and from whom?
My ex-boss at Lotus, Raphael Tan (former president of Lotus Development Corp Asia-Pacific), taught me two things. First, you've got to believe in your people. Give them the benefit of the doubt and learn to delegate authority and responsibilities.
If you can’t do a quick turnaround and everything must come back to you for approval, it's going to be tough. And secondly, when you go to war, carry no prisoners. Work requires you to make difficult decisions, otherwise you can't move forward.
EMC organised a charity dinner, 'Extraordinary Efforts for Excellence', on Dec 11. How did the idea come about?
I was having dinner with two friends, Datuk Leonard Tan and Ho Kay Tat (editor-in-chief of The Edge Malaysia) when I told them about EMC’s annual budget for CSR. As we talked, the idea of raising money through a charity concert came up.
Leonard is a great showman in Malaysia so he took care of the entertainment, Kay Tat was tasked with generating publicity while I took care of the funding and table sales. We had to sell 80 tables and the goal was to raise RM300,000. We made RM384,950 and everything went directly to charity. Next time round, I will buy 10 tables but somebody else has to organise it! The challenge in selling tables was that for every table sold, we had to talk to 20 people! If somebody else organises it, I am more than happy to support it.
This article appeared in Manager@work, the monthly management pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 790, Jan 25-31, 2010