The Mentor Factor

The Peak, September 2009

A person who inspires young minds, an educator responsible for the campuses in three continents, the master mind of the some of the most seminal nation building campaigns, Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing is the man of every moment, writes mark lean.

Here is a definite buzz in the air at the Cyberjaya campus of the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. Although it is the holiday season, the main quadrangle, replete with a football pitch, is packed with students, most of whom are hanging out at the cafe and tinkering on their computers. The university's in-house radio station is playing a Michael Jackson track. The life of a student looks extremely attractive from this vantage point.

With its 8,500 students from nearly 140 countries, the Cyberjaya campus is a veritable mini united nations minus the politics. It is also the result of a lifelong dream for professor emeritus Tan Sri Dato' Dr Lim Kok Wing, a man who champions causes a lesser person would find daunting - from world peace initiatives to nation-building and educating the youth of the world.

In his expansive office decorated with Asian art, the sounds of classical music can be heard. There is also a subtle whiff of sandalwood in the air: dressed in his trademark black suit with an open collar black shirt, Tan Sri Lim admits that he is not used to having his photograph taken, especially in a production as elaborate as the one currently being done. "Have you been to the campus before?" he enquires. When the answer is in the negative, Tan Sri Lim graciously offers a virtual tour of the place. "You must come when we are in full session. Right now, the kids are on holiday. If you walk around, you'll see that we have a film production house, we have a music production studio, one of two digital studios in the country, we have wings cafe, as well as a gym called fit to fly, we have our own convenience store, and we have our own radio station," he describes with justifiable pride.

Tan Sri Lim speaks a lot about self-empowerment. But unlike most self-help gurus who merely publish books to make a quick buck, he backs up the motivational speak with practical applications. He explains, "The students here will learn to do all these things even before they graduate. They come from 140 countries. I tell them that before they go home, they must make friends. The whole set up is to provide an industry atmosphere and a sense of creativity." he further details how a student at the university will learn, grow and, yes, even blossom. Quite simply, it is a process that is both organic and empowering.

"A young student comes in and he or she will learn from the seniors. Chances are if you are the person you want to be, you will be doing better than being somebody else that you don't want to be. There is minimum imposition on what you should be on this campus," he offers.

The Cyberjaya campus, along with the other campuses spanning three continents - Botswana, Cambodia, china, Indonesia, Lesotho, and the United Kingdom – has a combined student population of over 30,000. Campuses iH Swaziland, Mauritius and the Maldives are set to open by the end of this year: at the university, Tan Sri Lim has reinvented the student experience. "I design my students, creating processes that encourage growth," he offers as an example, before further illustrating. "You see graphics everywhere, exhibitions everywhere. So when you grow up in a place like that, you will become like that. So, when you go out to work, you will reject anything that is less. We fit our students to the industry very well. The skills that are needed for the industry they will have. We combine academic delivery with industry expectation. When we go overseas, it's the same thing. The campus might be bigger or it might be smaller:"

Of students and statesmen

It could be true to say that Tan Sri Lim’s inspiring approach to education stems from his own experiences. He recalls, "I did not go for tertiary education. I was unlucky. What you have not had the chance to experience you would want the most of" to date, the Limkokwing university of creative technology offers creative technology-inclined courses such as cartoons, fashion design, copy writing, journalism, advertising, film graphic design, packaging, television commercials, account management, publishing, event management, public relations, education, animation and digital arts. In effect, the university has opened a whole new world of opportunities at home and abroad.

"When I started this place, I wanted to provide an environment for people to grow. The first thing I do when a new group of students come in would be to tell them to design themselves... That would be what they owe themselves to do," states Tan Sri Lim. These words of advice are especially poignant and inspiring when heard through the ears of international students who have travelled from countries as far away as Brazil and Iran. "Design yourself to be the person you want to be," he encourages, before adding, "mum and dad will be happiest when you are successful. But sooner or later, you will be on your own. Mum and dad will grow older."

He promulgates a decidedly 'can do' attitude. The effects are quite profound on young, receptive minds. "Creativity is a happy, positive energy," says Tan Sri Lim. He offers an analogy, "When you are upset, you just can't write. Your brain will be blocked." so, it is unsurprising that the students rock up to the campus even when there is no class. The university is a Petri-dish of ideas and inspiration. "I think we have created a rather unique place," he says, beaming.

Besides having a hand in influencing the lives of his students in a positive way, Tan Sri Lim has also had a hand in changing the history of nations. In South Africa, he worked with President Nelson Mandela to launch a campaign that was called 'a better future for all", a voter education exercise to smoothen the path to the country's first democratically held elections.

Tan Sri Lim gives a recollection of his working with President Mandela: "he has given himself a role. When I was there, we got along immediately. There was a lot of anger amongst black leaders. That was the first election. We were working from a conciliatory platform rather than a confrontational one. I think he dedicated himself to conciliation. In that, he was very consistent. He pulled the country together. During the years he spent in prison, he would have acquired a great deal of patience and perseverance. We got along pretty well."

The early years

Prior to his current incarnation as an internationally acclaimed educator; the 63-year-old Tan Sri Lim has had forays into other professional avenues in a career spanning over 40 years, some with more success than others. He had previously been an art teacher, a cartoonist, a newspaper reporter (which probably explains his crisp sound bites) a car salesman, and an art director.

"If you look at what I have been doing: I was involved in art at school. I was painting and drawing cartoons. I was also selling cars for a while because I wanted to drive a sunbeam sports car, but I couldn't afford it," he smiles. "I was also writing for the papers. At that time, I was a crime reporter. I didn't enjoy 'going to the police station and writing about bad people doing bad things. When you write for the newspapers, you write statements and facts," he reminisces.

"Then I went into advertising because I could do whatever I wanted. The common thread is creativity." tan Tan Sri Lim eventually found his niche when he became a creative director when he was in his mid-20s.

A key figure in his life during those early years was his mother; who had envisioned a different path for the young Tan Sri Lim. "my mother was a difficult sort of person. She was conservative. She had always thought from what she had read that artists only become famous after their deaths. She was always upset when I brought home a trophy I’d won at an art competition. She was quite uncompromising," he says. Their relationship eventually healed as his career began its meteoric rise. "I suppose eventually she saw things my way when I started my own business and was doing not too badly. My younger days were difficult days," he remembers.

Building blocks of the nation

Over the years, he has been the mastermind behind top-of mind community campaigns such as inflasi sifar, rakan muda, the commonwealth games, and vision 2020. Most recently, the university played a part in composing one of the theme songs for the I Malaysia campaign. Tan Sri Lim maintains that his approach to all the projects, big or small, he undertakes is the same.

"Ask my daughter whether I am the same person at work as I am at home... Whether I am running a business or doing something for the government or for the public or for an NGO, it's the same person," he says. "I am not quite corporate. I don't dress the way someone from the corporate world would dress," he states with a smile before proffering an example. "I remember during the early days, I went to a bank. I asked to see the bank manager because I wanted to sign an agreement. The secretary came out and told me to ask the boss to come. So, I’m the same person both here and when I am meeting the prime minister. Whether it's charity or philanthropy or running a university, it's the same person."

Staying motivated

While many of his contemporaries might contemplate taking on a less punishing schedule or extending an overseas holiday or two, Tan Sri Lim is not intending on heading to the nearest golf course for a well deserved break. An average day for the man would begin just before dawn. "I get up very early. I suppose I never think of work as work. I want to reach a million students via blackberry," he discloses.

"I will work for that. I think my students would be my greatest motivation. They are so inspiring. They come from all over the world, from countries I’d never heard of previously. Then they become one, and are full of energy. I think that really 'is my motivation. I have been lucky that the things I have done have been appreciated in many countries. I just keep going. There is always something more I want to accomplish."

Running parallel to his career is Tan Sri Lim’s charitable work that extends to causes like drug addicts, cancer victims, HIV, heart disease, the blind, the homeless and the handicapped. One wonders what spurs the man to devote his time, effort and money to these causes. His answer is a characteristically honest one. "It has a lot to do with my own background. When you have few friends, when you know nobody in high places, you have learned the difficulties in life when there are not many people who are able to help you. 'I joined one or two organisations when I was out of school... I spent 25 years working with the Malaysian Red Crescent. I left when I was vice-chairman," he states.

"Since then, I have been involved in fundraising for the aged, the orphans... It could have been because of my childhood days. I don't think about it. I just go and do it. I suppose you feel that if you don't do it, then who will?" he asks.

Interestingly, he produced an anti-drug filmlet entitled "the trap", which was voted one of the top 10 public service films in an international competition in New York City. On the flipside, there have also been instances when he had to turn down projects as they did not agree with his principles. “I will not do any business if it involves alcohol and smoking. I have worked on campaigns against both activities. There have been campaigns overseas that didn't feel right, so I didn't pursue them,” he says.

"What I do is always consistent with the ideals such as promoting peace by organising concerts ... The kids are now organising across campuses concerts such as "heal the world". I will stay away from anything that goes against the concept of, global peace," he states unequivocally.

Light bulb moments

The conversation invariably turns back to 'the kids', his students. "I don't lecture, but these kids know exactly what I mean. Like the magic book that was written by my daughter Tiffanee. I had never read it. I had not spoken to those hundred students at the launch," he admits. The book records the voices, the hopes and the dreams of students from 100 countries, and is a tangible and heart-warming illustration of the impact Tan Sri Lim has had on their lives.

He also gives his opinion on creativity, which, when explained in his words, does not require complex concepts nor embellishment. "I think creative people rely on their intuition. My take on creativity is really quite simple. It is nothing more than logical thinking. The more logical you are, the more creative your solutions would be," he explains.

"I think a creative person is one who comes up with the most practical ideas. The switches are all there. You just need to know when and which one to switch on. I think I am a very practical person. I would arrive at solutions that everybody can understand."

This sense of practicality is further accentuated in Tan Sri Lim’s parting shot, which he delivers with the slightest but an entirely deserving hint of elan, "I hope people will remember me for what I do and not by how I stand, the way I talk or the clothes and the watch I wear."

Milestones

European accolades

Barcelona, Spain

  • Professor Emeritus for Innovation Management
  • Doctor of Civil Law, Honoris Causa

Monte Carlo, Monaco

  • World entrepreneur of the year academy

London, United Kingdom

  • Asia’s most creative thinker & personality award

Nation-building

Transformed the nation through campaigns such as Rakan Muda, zero inflation, the 16th commonwealth games, the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign, and Malaysia Segar - vision for a clean and green nation, to name a few.

International efforts

He was selected by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad to assist South Africa when the country prepared for its first democratic election. Also, his efforts, in the forms of a publication, exhibition and a website, to help Bosnia Herzegovina after the country was ravaged by war, were key initiatives.

First Malaysian advertising agency:

Established wings creative consultants in 1975, which was, at that time, the sole local player in an industry of multinational advertising agencies.

First Malaysian art director:

In the 1970s, Tan Sri Lim became the first local art director in an industry dominated by expatriates.

Youngest creative director:

He became the youngest as well as the first Asian to be appointed creative director.

Malaysia's first cartoonist:

Published Guli Guli, a Malaysian-flavoured tonguein- cheek comic strip.

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