“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going”
The above-mentioned thought is what moves a leader to bring out his/her true potential and enables an ability to distinguish between problems even before their emergence along with the capacity to respond to it actively and productively.
Value and authority start at the top. Individuals are not born pioneers/leaders, they acquire or build up the characteristics that cause others to be influenced by them. A genuine leader has the capacity to see the opportunities and perceive ability in individuals where others do not. They will in general have a decent radar; realizing how to pass judgment on individuals, occasions, and circumstances.
Before achieving anything, everyone faces the possibility of failure, however when failures happen, leaders dissect it appropriately and gain insights from them to carry on with their endeavors. It provides self-confidence and the whole experience becomes an integral factor in a business leader’s journey.
One such business leader that we are showcasing in this latest edition of Insights Success is none other than Joseph Chan, Founder and CEO of AsiaPay. Prior to founding AsiaPay, he took various management positions at Barings, Citibank N.A., Bank of America and Dah Sing Bank. Through successive positions in banking and finance industries, Joseph consolidated his expertise and experience in strategic planning, product, and project management. He was also involved in implementation of various cutting-edge financial, electronic banking, internet and mobile product services and systems in Asia to well serve the needs of the customers.
Perseverance and Dynamics
In Covid-19, people are using digital payments actively. AsiaPay is utilizing this opportunity to facilitate:
• Expand and focus more on other ‘distribution channels’
• Retailers with more aggressive online sales, home delivery/consumables
• More heavier sales and promotional activities on social media and webinars
• Launch Smart Retail Payment Solution PayDollar -AppPay
• Value-added Payment Solutions like buy-now-pay-later
• More wallet acceptance like GrabPay, SamsungPay, ApplePay for digital purchases
• Mobile Payment: Mobile in-app SDK
• Comprehensive data analytical tools for digital merchants – Payment Dashboard
“Keeping one eye on the road ahead could allow us to exit the crisis with a more customer-focused, efficient, and resilient payments industry,” Joseph describes while enabling the above services.
CEOs are the face of any organization. People often follow the organization because of the personality that the CEO of that organization has. The leadership characteristics or traits are not limited when a CEO is representing his respective business. According to Joseph, one is a true business leader who:
• Demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity and overcoming obstacles.
• Demonstrates strong leadership skills and an unflinching desire and determination to be successful
• Balances the concept of effectiveness and efficiency in business plans.
• Leverage on the ever-changing technological trends to keep innovating new products and services
• Keeps an open mind to learn from others and gain experience.
• Show capacity to be an independent thinker and to take on and manage risks in the face of uncertainty.
• Always has a mindset that adjusts to the constant changing demands of this modern generation, along digital innovation, and transformation.
These insights will play a vital role in changing the new-age leaders’ thought process in a dynamic way. Providing meaningful advice to the young generation of entrepreneurs he says, “All dreamers encounter constant challenges and dilemmas, be it betting money, capital investment, human resources and even your destiny to flight. At this highly uncertain business environment during pandemic and ever-changing technological world, perhaps, entrepreneurs could stay calm and be at P.E.A.C.E. always. (‘P’assionate; ‘E’mbrace changes; ‘A’gile; ‘C’ollaborative; and ‘E’volutionary).”
Troubles and Struggles
Primarily, the challenges in the FinTech space is to effectively validate the viability of the business and its assessment of all related technological and security risks. Secondly, how to effectively build the right team/acquire the right talents with the right know how and passion is a huge problem. Lastly, being a fintech player, some of the major challenges is gaining trust and support from banks and partners in new markets, and how to fend off risks due to compliance and regulatory changes. This is where true leadership is required.
There are a plethora of books and write-ups about characteristics of an ideal leader, but there is nothing in existence like the perfect leader or pioneer. People often gain or lose according to their approach and pre-assumed thoughts about a particular task. Here are some of the suggested attributes by Joseph which a leader must possess to accomplish their milestone and touch the skyline in their businesses:
• Entrepreneur attributes (Investor)
• Belief
• Decisive
• Risk tolerance (resilience)
• Life-time learning
• Dream goal
• Integrity
• Salesmanship
With a motivational notion, Joseph is going to pursue his vision and dream to be one of the prominent and leading digital payment service and technology solutions provider in Asia.
Current Status and Future Endeavors
AsiaPay operates in over 13 countries, with 15 functional offices in Asia and over 165 talents. Currently, the company:
• Provides a positive and comfortable working atmosphere.
• Works smart -Leveraging time to create more value by technology
• Cultivate an environment that encourages and recognizes innovation and creativity
• Develops training, promotional practices and implementing employee ownership on a sustainable basis.
• Maintains its work environment healthy by having a work-life balance for its employees.
• Holds workshop gatherings that let it meet the AsiaPay employees from different countries and share knowledge to build teamwork.
• Values the people behind its workforce by allowing them to give their inputs and exercise their roles in the company.
Joesph along with the team of AsiaPay is looking to embrace change and digital innovation. The company under the guidance of Joseph will continue to expand its footprint in the market and enhance its product new payment solution and service coverage.
He is also looking forward to adding value and empowering other businesses and financial institutions to keep up with the technological advancements taking place in the industry. Joseph is focused on helping companies that are going through market disruption by offering comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions cross channels, devices, and technologies in the future.