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Strong values, strong results

Through 40 years of growth, a set of qualities and values have been purposefully and actively cultivated into the DNA of Keppel.

Sharing with management and staff from across the Group at an event held at the Biopolis on 6 October 2009, Mr Choo Chiau Beng, CEO of Keppel Corporation said, “Keppel turned 40 last year and as we begin to craft a new chapter for another generation, it is timely and opportune to articulate our vision, mission and core values together as we ready ourselves to seize opportunities moving into the future.”

To home in the message, the Keppel Core Values, graphically represented by a series of icons, were unveiled by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Corporation and Mr Choo Chiau Beng, CEO of Keppel Corporation at the event. A special video presentation, bearing a ‘hands’ theme, was also screened to convey that Keppelites are putting all hands to the plough, working in unity and teamwork.

In line with our core values and to fuel more inspiration, a lively talk ensued, entitled “Climb your own Everest”. Three ladies – Sim Yi Hui, Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee – from the six-women team, shared their stirring experience of how they successfully scaled Mount Everest in May this year.

Their petite frames belied the enormous passion and courage they embodied which had driven and sustained them through five years of hard training and numerous challenges before they conquered Everest.

Some inspiring facts shared included how Peh Gee wrote in her life list at 14 years of age her dream of surmounting Everest. The team also scaled five mountains over four years and climbed up stairs of 30-storey HDB flats laden with 20 kg backpacks and ankle weights in training.

They also shared the difficult decisions they had to make, such as to defer the climbing expedition originally scheduled in 2008 due to insufficient funds.

The interaction with Keppelites in the audience, facilitated by Ms Wang Look Fung, GM of Keppel Group Corporate Communications, was candid and engaging, drawing streams of questions and commendations.

Keppelites, visibly impressed and moved, could relate to the strong team work and commitment to personal excellence and achievement shared by the Everest ladies.

As it was for the Everest ladies, there ‘ain’t no mountain high enough’ for Keppelites too if we ‘live out’ our core values, keeping focus on our vision and mission.


EMPOWERING LIVES

An organisation needs to constantly grow and cultivate its pool of talent to build sustainable businesses.

With this aim in mind, two events under the auspices of Keppel College were organised in October, to further hone the leadership abilities of Keppelites.


GREAT PEOPLE DECISIONS

Mr Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, a partner and member of the global executive committee in the leading executive search firm Egon Zehnder International, gave a talk to over 20 Keppelites in senior management positions on 1 October 2009.

Mr Fernández-Aráoz has written numerous articles on people management that were published in leading business publications, including the Harvard Business Review and the MIT Sloan Management Review. He is also the author of Great People Decisions.

During the hour-long talk, entitled “Great people decisions: why they matter so much, why they are so hard, and how you can master them”, Mr Fernández-Aráoz shared his thoughts and experiences on building great teams using compelling anecdotes and case studies.

Finding the session riveting, Mr Michael Chia, Deputy Chairman, KIE and MD (Offshore), Keppel O&M, said, “The talk stressed the importance of knowing how to choose the right person for the job. Some of the statistics presented, which compared promotion from within and hiring an outsider were quite insightful.”


IMPROVING PEOPLE QUOTIENT

A group of 26 Keppelites attended the “Keppel Group Improving People Quotient for Leaders” workshop from 12-13 October 2009. The workshop, now in its second in-house run following the success of the first in September last year, is put together by Keppel College to impart critical human resource and people management skills to Assistant Managers and above.

Participants learnt the importance of performance management, strategic talent and succession management framework, role modeling, and mastering interpersonal skills.

At the end of the workshop, participants presented salient learning points to top management, and also shared what they would do differently as a leader. Mr Richard Lim, Assistant Purchasing Manager, Keppel FELS, shared, “This workshop opens up the minds of non-practitioners and improves our people management skills.”

Making our mark

Keppel is focused on distinguishing our mark as a choice provider of solutions to the Offshore & Marine industry, Sustainable Environment and Urban Living.

Depicting hands in action, the Keppel 2010 Calendar projects our immutable core values which have helped us thrive through times of growth and change.

The Keppel Calendar, much anticipated and warmly received every year, can often be found on the desks of not only Keppelites in their offices worldwide but those of business associates and customers.

As Keppel expands our frontiers and further grow our businesses in more than 30 countries worldwide, our calendar not only promotes the Keppel brand but proudly communicates the strong values behind it.