Interview with alumnus as he becomes Chartered Director of Royal Institute

Former MBA student Eugene Wong has qualified as a Chartered Director of the Royal Institute of Directors.

The Institute is an organisation set up to provide support, represent and set standards for company directors around the world. A Chartered Director is its highest recognition of professional directorship and Mr Wong is the second Singaporean to achieve this accolade.

Mr Wong is the Chairman of CrimsonLogic, which provides consultancy support to government agencies around the world on issues ranging from IT security to healthcare. He is also the founder and managing director of Sirius, a venture capital firm that invests in and helps growing, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the non-executive director of five listed companies. He graduated from Imperial College Business School in 1998.

Maxine Myers caught up with Mr Wong to discuss his new qualification and the challenges facing company directors.

Can you tell me how you will use your qualification in your current role?

I will focus more on ethics, especially sustainability and corporate responsibilities. This is important to me because businesses have a responsibility to follow legislations, standards and be transparent to all their stakeholders.  Also, good governance is important in terms of growth.  For example, long-term sustainable profits are much better than riskier short-lived profits. 

How did your MBA from the Business School help you in your career?

My MBA from Imperial has provided me with the foundation needed to get my recent position.  For example, during my MBA we worked on projects aimed at solving real world problems, which is what I do in my current role. It also helped me to have a strong understanding of a range of business disciplines and subjects such as marketing, strategy, finance and accounts, which have helped me to become much more rounded in business.   I strongly encourage all Directors to have an MBA.

What advice would you give students in terms of making the most of their business school qualification?

I would say to students to never stop learning, especially in business.  After I gained my MBA I worked towards gaining professional qualifications, which has helped me to progress in my career.  I also think that students should use their business skills to give back.  This is something I have done during my tenure as Chairman of the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, a non-profit organisation that looks after the interests of their members, promote professional development, raise professional standards as well as facilitate collaboration among its members. 

According to a recent report in The Daily Telegraph there's been progress towards more female directors; now nearly 23 percent of directors of the FTSE 100 companies are women. Do you think directorships in the UK are diverse enough?

I think more needs to be done in terms of diversity in directorships in general, as it’s not just about gender. For example, boards are not ethnically diverse enough.  Asia is an important region for the UK in terms of trade and investment, but there are not enough Asian origin directors on UK boards. Diversity is crucial especially in directorships because you need a mix of viewpoints and ideas and this can only be achieved through diverse boards.