The renaissance man - PASSION

Passions, Volume 3, 2006

If or when you are in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, take a good look around you. Look at the billboards, the advertisements on the bodies of the trains and buses. Chances are they’d share a common parent in the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

The man behind the vision, concept and establishment of this renowned institution is none other than Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing, a pioneer in the field of creative education in Malaysia. It would not be incorrect to say that the world of advertising and creativity in Malaysia would be inconceivable without the presence of Tan Sri Lim. Like the fabled Colossus, he has straddled two worlds –- the world of advertising and the world of education and Malaysia is so much richer for that.

Tan Sri Lim is indeed a modern-day renaissance man, a consummate educationist and a corporate leader whose talents lie in being an artist, a designer and a writer. He became an entrepreneur at an early age, a millionaire before he was 40 and long before that a philanthropist who gave not only money but also his time and talent to raise millions for all kinds of charities.

He is a dedicated patriot contributing to nation-building who is also well-regarded by many outside the country. His efforts contribute to build other nations, too, through the international institution of higher learning where capacity is developed for mostly developing nations.

Naturally, there are many milestones in his life, all of which were defining moments that led one success to another. Not many are aware that he was the first Malaysian cartoonist to have a strip serialised in a newspaper, the first Malaysian art director considered talented enough by a multinational advertising agency, the first and the youngest Asian to hold the post of creative director in an international agency when he was in his 20s. He was a pioneer of the Malaysian advertising industry, founding the country’s first home-grown agency.

In recognition of his talents, his peers chose him to head the Accredited Advertising Agencies Association (4 As). It was in this capacity that he created the 6A Award -– now known as the Kancil Award -– to recognise and reward excellence in the industry.

He founded the first private institute of higher learning in Malaysia, which focused on creative technology. He championed thinking out of the box long before it became a popular phrase. He believed in the abilities of his fellow Malaysians, especially in their ability to be creative and innovative. In recognition of his abilities, he has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from various respected institutes of higher learning, including Curtin University, Australia; the University of Hertfordshire, England; and RMIT University, Australia. He is also Honorary Fellow of the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. The Institute of Public Relations of Malaysia named him CEO of the Year in 2000 and in 2005 he was recognised at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Malaysia 2005.

PASSIONS pays tribute to this extraordinary captain of industry who revolutionised the advertising as well as the education sector of Malaysia.

Evolution of an advertising giant

Tan Sri Lim’s creative flair was apparent in his childhood and he was frequently a winner in poster competitions. Despite his parent’s admonitions for him to choose a more lucrative career path, he did not waver from his passion for the arts. He left school during his Lower Six to pursue his dream of a career in fine arts. He took up a job as an illustrator doing cover designs for publications.

In 1996 he approached the now defunct Eastern Sun with some of his cartoons which they agreed to serialise. That success was vindication of drawing cartoons. The high quality of his work attracted assignments with Reuters and the Ministry of Information.

The Easter Sun closed down two years later but Tan Sri Lim had already set his mind on making his mark in another field –- advertising. It started when he was looking at the advertisements in the newspaper and billboards and he realised that he could much more if he ventured out. His cartoons were his best testimonials and just as they helped him secure a job as a cartoonist, they also helped him secure a job as a visualiser at Lintas, an international advertising agency. It was to be the start of an amazing journey.

Tan Sri Lim’s career in the advertising world was on the up and up. After two years, he accepted an offer to be the art director at McCann Erickson. His ability was recognised and he rapidly rose to the position of creative group head within five years. However, that was during the days when the advertising scene in Malaysia was dominated by foreign players, and there was no room for progress in the organisation for a local. Furthermore, Tan Sri Lim had also developed a vision that was considered revolutionary, even unfathomable, by the advertising agencies of that time. The only way to realise that vision was to set up his own agency.

That vision was to use local talent and local settings for the local market. In those days, advertisements made extensive use of foreign material, but Tan Sri Lim believed that it was possible to create an effective advertising campaign using Malaysian talent. Once again, that same self-belief, which led him to leave school at Form Six to pursue a career in the world of creativity, gave him the confidence to leave McCann Erickson and set up his own agency, Wings Creative Consultancy, in 1975.

Wings literally went up against the huge multinational advertising agencies and won. This was mostly due to the drive and dedication of Tan Sri Lim. Thus Wings became the first Malaysian advertising agency to secure a contract with IBM and included blue-chip accounts such as Standard Chartered Bank, Mercedes Benz, Nestle, Castrol, Cadbury and Mitsubishi amongst its clients.

In 1987, during the recession, Wings managed to record favourable growth despite the general doldrums in the economy. Tan Sri Lim was recognised as one of the foremost, if not the foremost, advertising maestros and Wings was a frequent winner at the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents’ annual awards. In 1988, he initiated a merger with renowned international communications agency BBDO Worldwide, which resulted in the incorporation of Wings/BBDO Worldwide. By 1992, the company was raking in contracts totalling RM40 million. Tan Sri Lim had reached the pinnacle.

But he began to feel pulled towards another direction. He was growing bored and at the same time, he was attracted to the vision of then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to create a developed nation by 2020. Tan Sri Lim realised that education would play a vital role in the creation of such a nation and that Malaysians must embrace the concept of creativity, innovation and technology in order to excel.

Revolutionising education

In 1991 Tan Sri Lim established an educational institution unlike any other in Malaysia –- one that would focus on developing the creative thinking and capabilities of students. The Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology opened its doors in June 1992 with a pioneer batch of 200 students. Tan Sri Lim was determined to correct misconceptions that creative work did not promise a bright future for young people. He encouraged Malaysian students to seriously consider professional careers in the world of creativity.

He made possible studies in disciplines that otherwise students would have had to go overseas to obtain their diplomas and degrees. Within three years the country was richer with talented and creative human resources in art direction, interior design, marketing and public relations. What made them useful to industry was the mandatory study of computer software. Limkokwing graduates made it easier for companies to transit into electronic commerce as the Internet made its debut and rapidly grew to become an indispensable tool for marketing and promotions.

The trend continues today with the institution keeping tabs on what are the sunrise technologies and working backwards to provide the expertise that enable students to be industry-relevant and highly sought after by the time they graduate.

From inception, Tan Sri Lim has seen value in pooling resources -- which is why the institution is linked with many top colleges and universities from around the world which provide the international moderation that guarantees the high quality of a Limkokwing education.

Thinking outside the box

The Limkokwing Institute is probably one of Tan Sri Lim’s most important and most enduring contributions to Malaysia. It is through his efforts that buzzwords such as “thinking out of the box” became accepted and creativity became acceptable in the country. No longer will people look with askance at creative people and consider graphic design and advertising to be career choices with no prospects.

One of Tan Sri Lim’s goals is to make creativity a culture in Malaysia. He realised that a truly successful society cannot just have doers and builders, no matter how practical they may be. It must also have thinkers, artists and visionaries. It is equally important that something looks good and works good, especially when targeting the foreign market. As an advertising maestro, Tan Sri Lim knew the value of branding and as an educationist, he has imparted that knowledge to the next generation of Malaysians.

Tan Sri Lim has always believed that creativity can be taught and cultivated in people. This is a reflection of his belief that, “there is little point in aiming for anything unless you are aiming to be among the best.” He is convinced that to be the best creative thinking is the only way to excel.

In 2003, the Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology became the first private higher learning institute to achieve university status and changed its name to Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCCT). The achievement of university status was a vindication of Tan Sri Lim’s vision and a testament to the vital and important role he has played in education in Malaysia. The testament of several dignitaries would show the vital role Tan Sri Lim played in the development of creativity education in Malaysia as well as the role he played in the convergence of technology and creativity.

For example, the present Education Minister, Dato’ Hishammuddin Tun Hussein Onn, who was then Youth and Sports Minister, said, “We all know Limkokwing is a pioneer in creative education and Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing has tirelessly advocated the need to be able to think outside the box. Long before Malaysians fully understood the term, Tan Sri Lim knew that being creative was an asset in a person. He knew about it being able to empower.”

Deputy Information Minister Dato’ Donald Lim also said, “I believe creativity is an essential quality we must attain in order for us to be competitive. Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing has been championing creativity for as long as I have known him. We should fully embrace the idea that by being creative and innovative, we will excel in all that we do.”

A suitable location

Universit status achieved, the next step was to find a suitable home for LUCCT. As one of the strengths of the university was its convergence of technology with creativity through the employment of multimedia, it was obvious there was only one suitable location for it… Cyberjaya. Cyberjaya is the heart of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and the heart of innovation. It is the realisation of a vision of an intelligent city, which is perfect for an institute such as the Limkokwing University.

The LUCCT campus in Cyberjaya is not just your run-of-the-mill building. It is, without any attempt at exaggeration, a spectacular work of art. Brilliantly painted murals on the facade of the building create a feast for the eyes. The murals showcase the wealth of talent that belongs to the LUCCT and it breathes and lives design and creativity.

According to Tan Sri Lim, “the world ‘s most advanced nations are the world’s most inventive and most innovative. They are also the world’s richest and most powerful nations.” Furthermore, these countries have “well-developed creative industries that provide the R&D support to sharpen competitive edge of other industries. These are countries that give priority design and drivers of national competitiveness.”

Presently, Malaysia has first-class technology, yet in the field of innovation the nation is lacking. Tan Sri Lim says that this is because there is a lacking in creative development. He believes in the creation of an education system that would produce people who are creative, inventive and innovative, and that innovation is the building block of success. A vision realised One can say that the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is the manifestation of Tan Sri Lim’s vision of education. It is a reflection of the culture of excellence he has managed to build from his early days. LUCCT also incorporates the concepts of convergence and synthesis to create a dynamic campus and learning environment.

There is the convergence of creativity and technology, which has already been highlighted. LUCCT also brings together design innovation and business strategy in order to create a culture where design is seen as an integral part of the business strategy. Furthermore, as Tan Sri Lim is a strong believer in the practicality and practicability of creativity, LUCCT also incorporates collaboration between the campus and the industry.

This is achieved through close cooperation with the Malaysia Design Innovation Centre, which is the professional component of the university. Therefore, students are given the opportunity to apply their classroom training to the real world. What results then is a fusion of two worlds where students are given the theoretical know-how and then allowed the chance to put that know-how into practice.

Tan Sri Lim has created a campus that welcome students from around the world. It is a testament to his skill in communications that students from over 70 countries come to pursue international degrees at the university. The campus has been described as a kaleidoscope of different cultures and colours where students from diverse range of backgrounds network with each other.

The acceptance of the university as a premier institution of higher learning by students from around the world testifies to Tan Sri Lim’s vision of helping to promote Malaysia as a destination for education. The Ministry of Education recently awarded the university with Excellence in Student Internationalisation which recognised Tan Sri Lim’s success in promoting Malaysian education in the most countries. This, added to his establishment of the Malaysia Education Promotion Council, reflects his drive in building a strong image for Malaysian education globally.

Driving excellence

His personal belief in excellence is seen in the way the campus encourages its students to participate in competitions to pitch their knowledge and skill with others. He encourages this to enable them to understand what it takes to stay above the competition. His students win consistently year after year – in design, in advertising, in fashion, in multimedia and in film/video.

He makes certain that they participate in real world projects such as the Kuala Lumpur International Batik Convention & Exhibition 2005, ASEAN Summit preparations, Perdana Global Peace Forum 2005, to name a few, that enables the students to gauge the hard work needed and the expectations of the organizers. Their skills are honed on projects such as these which Tan Sri Lim is personally involved in.

The humanitarian side

Tan Sri Lim is also renowned for his dedication to humanitarian causes such as the promotion of world peace. During his time as an advertising executive and educationist, he has contributed his talents towards creating awareness of the dangers of war.

In 1989, Tan Sri Lim produced a video entitled Ceasefire ‘89, which showed what might happen to the world if there were a nuclear conflict. The film depicted a globe made out of matches, with green match-heads for continents and blue for the ocean. A match is lit and then placed against the matches. As the whole word is engulfed in flames, a message is heard;

“We appeal to all world leaders to consider our right to life. To end the nuclear arms race before it ends mankind. Support Ceasefire ’89, support the right to life.”

Ceasefire ‘89 was highly acclaimed and won the joint first prize in a competition organised by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). It was one of Tan Sri Lim’s early forays into the promotion of world peace, but it was not his last.

In 2003, Tan Sri Lim helped organise the Kuala Lumpur World Peace Conference through the Malaysian World Peace Foundation of which he is the president. The conference also saw the introduction of the Kuala Lumpur World Peace Award, which was designed by Tan Sri Lim and his team.

The drive towards world peace is just one of the causes Tan Sri Lim dedicated to. He has also been involved in international campaigns ranging from South African elections to the Bosnian humanitarian effort.

First democratic elections

In 1994, Tan Sri Lim was invited to help South Africa conduct its first-ever multi-racial elections. The campaign, A Better Life For All, was so well received that it won praise from then South African President, Nelson Mandela. It would not be farfetched to say that Tan Sri Lim’s efforts in South Africa also helped strengthen ties between Malaysia and South Africa. Such is the power of creativity.

In a letter to Tan Sri Lim, Mr Mandela wrote, “It is with great pleasure and deep gratitude that I write to thank you and your team for the tremendous contribution you have given to our election campaign. Your untiring efforts on our behalf have touched the hearts of us all and you have shown true friendship and solidarity with the people of South Africa in a free, just and democratic country. The size and magnitude of your contribution will have a very meaningful impact on the outcome of the election and, on behalf of the people of South Africa, I thank you.”

Tan Sri Lim went global to appeal for funds to rebuild a war-torn Bosnia- Herzegovina. He launched a book of photographs that detailed the conflict, called Bosnia: Beyond Words, Beyond Tears. He also set up a special exhibition, launched by the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that also saw the launch of the publication as well as a launch of the global appeal on the Internet.

Tan Sri Lim’s efforts were recognised by the Bosnian Government. Dr Haris Silajdzic, the Co-Chairman of the Council of Ministers, wrote. “On behalf of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina and my own behalf, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support to Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people. Your noble endeavours in promoting the Global Humanitarian Appeal for Bosnia and Herzegovina represent an important contribution to the process of strengthening the peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Of patriotism and nation-building

On the home front Tan Sri Lim has been recognised as a true Malaysian patriot and has contributed extensively to nation-building. One of his earlier forays into the efforts of nation-building was in 1981 when his cartoon strip, Guli Guli, featured in the New Straits Times was an attempt to illustrate the harmony of the three main characters who represented the main ethnic groups in Malaysia. The strip addressed main social issues with humour and sensitivity.

Some will remember a 30-second video he produced in 1991 titled, Unity is Everyone, which won the Civic/Social Education category at the 34th International Advertising Festival of New York 1991.

In the clip produced by Tan Sri Lim, who also wrote the lyrics of the song, was shown a child trying to build a playhouse by himself. He attempts it with difficulty until he is joined by 20 other children from different ethnic groups who help him build it. Tan Sri Lim used children to educate and to illustrate because they did not have racial prejudices unlike adults. Rallying the public Tan Sri has also been involved in conceptualising the public face of many government campaigns such as the Rakan Muda, which aimed to reduce the problem of loitering and delinquency amongst young people. It was this campaign, which led to him coining the catchphrase, Yakin Boleh! (We Can).

Furthermore, he was also instrumental in developing and conceptualising the tourism campaign to help promote Malaysia as a tourist destination. However, attracting tourists wasn’t his only target and he produced a book titled, Malaysia Inc, which promoted Malaysia as an investment destination.

In 1998, Tan Sri Lim helped out in the publicity campaign for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Tan Sri Lim helped conceptualise the logo and the mascot, which was then used extensively in merchandising. He also created a marketing brochure, which helped to gather sponsors from the private sector.

An example of how things seem to converge can be seen in the catchphrase that was popularied during the Commonwealth Games, Malaysia Boleh (Malaysia Can). One can see the parent of this catchphrase in the Yakin Boleh, which was created by Tan Sri Lim.

Another logo or poster campaign that was designed by Tan Sri Lim and his team was the recent Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign. The Tak Nak campaign was designed to turn heads and to make people think about the consequences of smoking, thus graphic scenes of the effects of smoking on the lungs, the heart, the brain and the teeth. They were designed to make people stop and consider the effects of smoking.

When Malaysia faced problems caused by the Asian financial crisis, Tan Sri Lim created some documentaries aimed at unifying people. Furthermore, he helped produce a book, Hidden Agenda, In the Eyes of The Tiger, which represented the case for currency controls and pegging the ringgit to the US dollar.

Tan Sri Lim has also created a campaign aimed at disproving the misconceptions about Malaysia’s rainforest management. The campaign was aimed at enlightening foreigners on the true state of the rainforests in Malaysia while encouraging Malaysians to take a greater interest in the rainforest.

A philanthropist

There are many faces to Tan Sri Lim -– not least is the philanthropist who always finds time for charity, his humble past having made him sensitive to the needs of the less fortunate. Tan Sri Lim is closely associated with more than 10 charity organisations, including the Society for the Severely Mentally Handicapped, which he set up, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society and the Limkokwing Foundation.

He set up the Limkokwing Foundation to grant scholarships to students who are in need of financial aid. These are students who have displayed outstanding ability in some area of their life, whether it is sports, education or any extra-curricular activity. He provided a pathway for the deaf to acquire international qualifications. The university also actively contributes to others funds such as The Star Education Fund that has benefited thousands of students over the years. Another significant contribution last year was the RM1.4 million made to the Umno Youth Fund that has been set up to provide assistance to Bumiputra students.

According to Datuk Dr Adham bin Baba, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Tan Sr Lim “has always taken care of the performance of his students. The employment issues does not exist here. No Limkokwing student is known to be unemployed because this is where we create our brands and services and carve our niche,” he said, in reference to the unique brand of education offered by Limkokwing.

Measure of a man

How does one measure a man? Surely one of the means would be to listen to what others have to say about him, especially his peers and other highly respected members of society and industry.

According to former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. “Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing is among the people who shared my views. He believed as I do, in the abilities of the Malaysians. This enabled us to get along very well to work together on the process of convincing the Malaysians and in particular, the Malays that they can do what others can do and probably do it better. He espoused the belief in Malaysia Boleh and helped to make it a credible slogan.

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi paid his own tribute when he said: “Creativity, focus and perseverance. Tan Sri Lim has marshalled these qualities to forge a successful career in which he has done well for himself and has made numerous contributions to the nation. It is a career he should be proud of.”

Like a modern-day Da Vinci, Tan Sri Lim has excelled in many areas. He has achieved much in the field of communications, advertising, graphics and design: as a lyricist, producer, cartoonist and educationist. He is both an entrepreneur and an innovator, and has managed to marry his creativity with a canny sense of business.

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