asia-pacific career guide
DESCRIPTION
The Asia-Pacific Career Guide gives insight into the world of employment outlook and opportunities for the next-in-line managers across the APAC region.TRANSCRIPT
by anthony raja devadoss
asia-pacific career guideEmploymEnt outlook and opportunitiEs for nExt-in-linE managErs across thE rEgion
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the marketIt’s never been more difficult to summarise the economic and business outlook
for one region as it is right now. Many interconnected forces are at play and
actual outcomes are dependent upon how individual countries and governments
react. However, it seems Asia-Pacific is the quiet centre in this storm.
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China, India, and their developing neighbours
have the world’s economic future squarely
pinned to them. Yes, we need a stable EU and
a prosperous America, but in the APAC region,
China is still the critical engine of growth. And
as time goes by, China is less dependent upon
external demand to fuel its development.
So, it’s likely that slowing exports to the EU—
should the negative news continue—will likely
trigger a softer economic landing here than in
other parts of the world.
Third-quarter data shows China, India and
Indonesia are still growing strongly while the
smaller, emerging economies in the region are
experiencing less robust growth. Intra-regional
demand is still strong, evidenced in part by
continuing inflationary pressures.
what you’ll be working with in 2012
Exposures in Asia to European debt is a concern
but thanks in part to relatively high inflation,
there is greater room for policy-driven stimulus
and corrections here than in other parts of the
world. All of this adds up to one outcome: if
opportunity and career prospects are going to
remain strong anywhere, it’s in Asia-Pacific.
As the beacon of economic prosperity
throughout this crisis, companies large and
small will continue to look for opportunities
in the region. From an individual career
development perspective, solid experience
in the Asia-Pacific region is going to become
a key differentiator, and in some cases a
prerequisite. That said, experience in other
markets is going to be of greater use to local
companies looking to expand outside the
region. Local companies are on the rise and
need talent to help them capture opportunities
in other markets. If you have knowledge of
both, you’re already streets ahead.
For mid-to-senior level career development in
the region, the focus for the next 12 months is
going to be on:
• capturing growth: individual ability to
understand and recognise opportunities in
the region (and outside it) will be critical to
executing company strategy.
• Improving process without slowing growth:
high growth in the region has meant process
and governance has taken a back seat. As
growth moderates, managers will need to utilise
their skills to improve oversight across a range
of areas without impeding flexibility and agility.
• Regional knowledge, global mindset:
demonstrating a broad understanding of how
culture, government policy and organisational
structures differ across the regions will be key
to many companies looking to consolidate in
existing markets and grow in new ones.
Whether you’re a manager looking to take the
next step in your career, or a leader looking to
fill mid-to-senior level positions, these will be
among the defining characteristics of successful
candidates in the short- to medium-term.
All of this adds up to one outcome: if opportunity and career prospects are going to remain strong anywhere, it’s in Asia-Pacific.
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Banks and resources are unsurprisingly among
the dominant players in the Asia-Pacific region.
By market capitalisation, the regions banks,
particularly those in China, are forging ahead of
international competitors. However, there are a
growing number of opportunities in expanding
industries including property, retail goods, food
and telecommunications. It’s these sectors that
will be looking to expand and hire key talent
in the short- to medium-term, and which offer
among the best career prospects.
Figure 1. Companies with strong growth prospects in the APAC region. This list provides a small snapshot of companies well-positioned to offer career prospects in the region. Their competitors are well worth watching, as are companies that may provide expansion and merger opportunities.
companies and industries to watch
CP All, Thailand
Newcrest Mining, AustraliaBHP Billiton, Australia
Adaro Energy, IndonesiaBank Central Asia, Indonesia
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan
Agile Property Holdings, ChinaPing An Insurance, ChinaBelle International Holdings, ChinaChina Mobile, ChinaGome Electrical, China
Noble Group, Hong Kong
HTC, Taiwan
Asia-Pacific Breweries, SingaporeJG Summit Holdings, Phillippines
Axiata Group, Malaysia
Asian Paints, IndiaAirtel, IndiaHCL Technologies, India
CJ CheilJedang, South KoreaSK Group, South KoreaSamsung Electronics, South KoreaHanwha Group, South KoreaHyundai Group, South Korea
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the focusOne of the biggest changes in the Asia-Pacific employment markets over the past
five years has been—and will continue to be—the rise of local firms as preferred
employers. What this group is focused on will be different to the multi-nationals.
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Multi-nationals have enjoyed employer-of-
choice status in the region for a long time,
largely due to greater opportunities and higher
salaries. However, this is no longer the case.
Local firms can now offer similar or greater
opportunities for the right candidates.
local versus global strategies
multinationals versus domestic employers in china
Employees preferring multinationals
Employees preferring domestic firms
33% 18%
55%
20092007
13%
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The strategic priorities for companies in the
region, or expanding into it are changing. They
will be looking for candidates to help them
capitalise on issues such as:
• Expanding outwards from Asia: while many
companies are clearly looking to expand into
Asia-Pacific, local companies are also looking
to expand out into other regions. Assisting
companies based in local, emerging markets
throughout Asia to grow their borders will be a
key skill in high demand.
• Accessing Asia’s cash reserves: banks are
looking to increase margins, reduce risk and
consolidate loan volumes. More international
banks are seeking to increase their presence
and relevance across Asia, particularly to access
private cash reserves held by individuals and tap
into the need for business loans in the region.
Banking and financial services across Asia-
Pacific is likely to become more competitive as
a result.
the keys to growth
• Increasing customer value: dominant
players in emerging markets (such as China
Mobile, which has an estimated 600 million-
plus users) face the tougher task of growing
and maintaining market share amid growing
competition. Instead, they will be looking
for talent to make more out of their current
opportunities and increase loyalty to compete
with new entrants in their market.
• Speed of strategic implementation/change
management: companies face a competitive
race to capture opportunities in the region—
their talent requirements are increasingly
focused on proven ability to implement large-
scale change projects quickly.
• Plugging skills gaps: growing economies
need talent, and particularly in APAC there are
large gaps between talent needs and availability
of skilled resources. So, companies will be
looking for people with the ability to train and
lead others in particular fields—exceptional
people management ability will be high on
the list of desired skills. Understanding cultural
differences and the ability to adapt leadership
qualities for different markets will be critical for
the leaders of the future.
• IPOs and shareholder value: as traders and
investors look for safe havens in the economic
storm, experience in IPOs in the region and
in delivering increased shareholder value are
going to be sought-after skills.
• Mergers & joint ventures: as companies
look to grow market share in an often tightly
regulated market, acquiring local businesses
or entering into joint ventures is high on many
corporates’ agendas. The $7.2bn deal between
BP and Reliance Industries is just one of many
examples of how even large organisations are
managing growth in the region.
• Sustainability: a rapidly urbanising population
is increasing pressure on cities, infrastructure
and the environment more generally. While
overall CO2 emissions from Europe and North
America are decreasing, Asia-Pacific emissions
are still rising substantially year-on-year. As
governments implement pollution reduction
schemes and tighter regulations on industry, the
ability to improve productivity and reduce costs
through sustainability measures will be in higher
demand.
Companies will be looking for people with the ability to train and lead others…
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the skillsThere are significant skills shortages across much of Asia-Pacific and
employment remains high despite economic uncertainty globally. Shortages
of both technical and “soft/people” skills, threaten to limit organizations’
abilities to serve the needs of their clients and customers, and this is a strategic
constraint many organisations are seeking to more proactively manage.
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The industries still enduring the most acute
shortages of mid- to senior talent are the
engineering, life sciences and pharmaceutical,
retail, and the IT & telecommunications sectors.
However, particular skill sets are in high demand
and low supply across many sectors. Knowing
what these are can help you position yourself
for career growth.
Given the cultural and language diversity of
the region, as well as the talent development
pressures that have been created by rapid
growth, it’s perhaps not surprising that the skills
in greatest demand but lowest supply in the
region include:
• communication
• problem-solving and decision-making
• people management; and
• strategic thinking.
For candidates living in Asia-Pacific, developing
these critical skills and demonstrating
experience in delivering them will provide
a significant advantage in obtaining your
preferred role. For outside candidates looking
to work in the region, it’s likely that these
skills will be nothing short of mandatory as
companies seek to plug skills gaps and recruit
candidates externally to improve performance
across these areas.
understanding the shortages
• Communication: with an increasing number
of communication channels used by businesses,
including email, web conferencing and social
media, there is more pressure on mid- to
senior-level executives to adopt a concise
and meaningful communication approach.
Being able to communicate effectively across
multiple platforms will be a distinct advantage
over other candidates.
•People management & strategic thinking:
in Asia-Pacific, issues of management style
and the ability to convey a strong vision to staff
are rated as more critical to employees than
in other parts of the world. Our own research
of some 97,000 employees globally reveals that
employees in Asia-Pacific are more likely to cite
management issues as a reason to leave their
workplace. As companies look to stem the
tide of high turnover in the region, management
for retention will be a key differentiator for
senior managers.
high shortagE
Work-related technical skills
teamwork
communication
problem solving & decision making
people management
strategic thinking
creative thinking
initiative & enterprise
lifelong learning
global mindset
marketing & sales
project management
self management
negotiation
health & workplace safety
high importancE
loW importancE
loW shortagE
critical skills – all industrieswhat is most important and what is in shortage?
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Across each of the five sectors surveyed,
common themes and niche issues arose
regarding skills shortages. All five sectors
reported high demand and high shortage of
problem-solving and decision-making skills
in potential candidates. In the manufacturing
sector, teamwork seems to be a niche issue, as
does the lack of work-related technical skills in
the engineering and financial services sectors.
skill needs by industry
creative thinking
manufacturing
LIFE SCIEnCES / PhARMA
IT & TELECOMMScommunication
manufacturing
FIn SERvICES / BAnkIng
IT & TELECOMMS
engineering
strategic thinking
FIn SERvICES / BAnkIng
IT & TELECOMMS
LIFE SCIEnCES/ PhARMA
work-related tech skills
FIn SERvICES / BAnkIng
engineering
PROBLEM-SOLvIng / decision-making
manufacturing
LIFE SCIEnCES / PhARMA
IT & TELECOMMS
FIn SERvICES / BAnkIng
engineeringpeople management
LIFE SCIEnCES / PhARMA
FIn SERvICES / BAnkIng
teamwork
manufacturing
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the sellFor mid- to senior-level positions, more often than not, the job
comes to you rather than the other way around. However, there are
ways to increase the likelihood that the right job will find you.
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In developing markets throughout Asia,
including India, China and the Philippines,
personal networks are by far the most dominant
way that people find work. The number of
people here who utilise friends and family to
gain employment in these countries is much
higher than the global average.
Across the region, it seems that the more
developed the economy the less reliance
there is on friends and family to gain work.
In Singapore, Australia and South Korea for
example, candidates are more reliant on
recruitment firms and other forms of advertising
to find employment than they are on family and
friendship networks. That said, social media
networks are growing in importance and have
significant benefits if used to your advantage. In
any market now, it’s important to understand the
difference between networking and influencing.
nETwORkIng & InFLuEnCIng
networking opportunities:
• Professional associations: attending events
and being a member helps, but being actively
involved in formal ways helps even more. When
there are opportunities to assist with events or
to take on formal positions within a professional
association you’re affiliated with, jump at
them¬—you can make many connections and
learn from others.
• Alumni groups: if you are completing further
study or have done so in the past, join or
reconnect with alumni groups. The commitment
is low and many only require attendance at
a couple of events annually, but they are a
great way to stay connected with like-minded
individuals as they move through their careers,
as well as opportunities to source new talent.
Forget about how many people you’re connected with online—who are they, and how connected
are they with experts in your field of work? How likely are they to view, comment on or share any of
your network activities? The quality of your connections and the take up of the content you share
will increasingly determine your ability to become an ‘influencer’ online. And for roles in the sales,
marketing, HR and management consulting fields, the ability to influence is gaining importance.
However, this only holds true in some markets. So, do your research, think broadly about how your
content will be perceived across borders, and remember that there is really no such thing as a global
social networking platform.
• Online networking sites: connecting with
recruiters and colleagues on professional online
forums has varying impact depending on your
market. In Australia, Singapore and other
developed markets it’s a good way to keep
up with a large number of opportunities and
connections, yet there are significant cultural
barriers to this form of networking in places
like China. It pays to be aware of cultural
norms when looking to expand networks and
if your strategy is region-wide, you’ll need to
use more than one site and more than just
online methods.
• work functions: we all need to balance work
with family and other commitments, therefore
it’s critical to choose carefully which work events
you attend. Larger events may actually be
lower in value from a networking point-of-view
and provide fewer opportunities to engage in
meaningful dialogue. Look for opportunities to
share knowledge and engage with others that
represent quality over quantity.
the rise of influence
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Recruiters, head-hunters and HR consultancies
come in all shapes and sizes, and no matter how
senior or junior you are, there will be one to suit
your needs. The hard part is knowing how to
get the most out of them.
know what you want and what you don’t: if
you wait for recruiters to come to you, chances
are they’ll be more focussed on filling the role
they have on offer than on what your individual
needs are. It’s in recruiters’ interests to get the
best fit, but when they have vacancies they’ll
look to fill it as fast as they can. So, recruiters
can be part of a proactive career strategy but
only if you’ve got a good idea of where you’re
headed. If you’re looking for career advice,
head to a specialist in your field, not a recruiter.
LEvERAgIng RECRuITERS & hR COnSuLTAnCIES
Make sure they know you well: spend time
with your recruiter. When we’re busy and
already gainfully employed it’s hard to find
the time and the motivation for meetings and
coffees with recruiters, but a good one will get
to know you and your strengths well in order to
match you with the right role. But they can’t do
this unless you give them time.
Be patient: when you’re ready to jump ship it’s
tempting to go before the right role comes up,
but it can take upwards of six months, even in a
buoyant market, to find the right role at a senior
or managerial level.
know what you’re worth: don’t look for
recruiters to decide your salary. Know as much
or more about the marketability of your skills so
they can set expectations with clients upfront.
Recruiters can be part of a proactive career strategy but only if you’ve got a good idea of where you’re headed.
A report from the Economists Intelligence
Unit: Global firms in 2020 shows that there
is a growing trend toward free agency and
contract work and a decline in permanent
positions. When executives were asked,
“How will the employee experience change at
[your] organization over the next 10 years?”
Six in 10 (62%) said that they would expect
to see a growing proportion of contract-based
workers, or free agents—that’s five times
the number who expect to see a
growing proportion of permanent workers
at their organization.
If you fit the description of a free agent, you’re
better off partnering with HR consultancies or
outsourcing firms who work with companies on
a project-by-project basis.
FREE AgEnTS, FREELAnCERS and flexibility
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the rewardRegardless of your role, skill level or industry, it pays to know
what you’re worth before you start negotiating. If you know that
a particular skill is in high demand and you have it, you should do
your research to find out what other firms are paying for it.
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wage growth across Asia-Pacific continues
to be strong due to skills shortages and
elevated inflation.
• Strongerthanexpectedjobcreationlifted
average wage growth to 5.2% in 2010 – a
significant improvement over the 3.2%
growth reported in 2009.
• Strongdemandfortalenthascaused
employee turnover rates to double or triple
across China, India, Australia, Singapore and
Malaysia during the first half of 2010.
wage growth
India, Indonesia and China have seen
the strongest wage increases in 2011.
• India’saveragewageswereforecasttorise
10% in 2011, with some analysts predicting
12-15% annual wage growth over the next
five years. Engineering, auto, and energy
sectors are seeing among the strongest
wage hikes.
• China’s31provincesboostedminimum
wages by an average of 24% in 2010,
prompting some manufacturers to look
elsewhere for cheaper labor. In January,
Coach Inc. announced it would decrease the
production of its handbags and wallets from
85% to 50% by 2015 in China.
• DongTao,aneconomistwithCreditSuisse,
believes China will reach the “Lewisian
turning point” by 2014 – a critical moment in
a developing economy when its surplus labor
supply dries up, prompting hikes in wages,
prices, and inflation.
• InflationiscontributingtoIndonesia’s9%
wage growth forecast in 2011.
wage growth in the mature Japanese
and Australian markets lag the broader
region, but are less impacted by
inflationary pressures.
• Japancontinuestoexperiencethelowest
wage growth in the region as job creation
was weak leading into the earthquake/
tsunami. The 2.3% wage growth estimate for
2011 was made prior to the disasters.
• Australianhourlywagesgrew4%YOYduring
the first quarter on 2011 following a strong
year of job creation. As Australia approaches
full employment and skills shortages grow,
further wage pressure is anticipated.
01 the market
02 the focus
03 the skills
04 the sell
05 the reward
06 the first six months
the first 6 monthsSo you’ve secured the right role and start tomorrow. Before you get too
comfortable, you should know that your biggest challenge still lies ahead: making
the role a success. The first six months of a new role are critical. This is when you
set the expectations for the rest of your tenure and when people will be keen to
know what you have to offer. Three of our key leaders in the Asia-Pacific region
share their advice on what to focus on in the first six months of your new role.
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asking questions and
making change
Duringthefirstsixmonthsinarole,my
advice is to focus more on listening and
observing before getting into questioning-
mode. New employees cannot always be
aware of all the issues going on and should
focus on getting as much clarity as possible
on work-related issues and challenges.
Generally, I think waiting a little longer to
float your new ideas ensures you can do so
knowing that you have a good understanding
of workflow and all other issues.
James Agrawal, Country head of BTI India
on building relationships
When starting out in a role, new relationships
will often be one-dimensional. It’s only when
you get to know people better and how
they operate that you can align your efforts
to build relationships more effectively.
Obviously, you’re drawn to people who have
similar likes and dislikes and ways of operating
as you do. With any work relationship, including
the relationship with your manager, it must
always be a fine balance between individual and
professional priorities. When you get this right,
you have something sustainable and productive.
words of wisdom
Respectindividualspace.Don’toverdo
your own PR and don’t buy into gossip!
The more you focus on completing
your tasks the better off you’ll be.
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asking questions and
making change
In the beginning, you need to listen and
observe, but you also need to learn about
your new company as quickly as possible—
and asking questions is a good way to
do that. So, you need to do two things
at once: you need to listen and observe,
but at the same time you need to ask as
many questions as possible to settle in.
Before making or suggesting any big changes,
make sure you really know the company
and culture first. After that, you would be
better off showing and presenting your ideas
and thoughts methodically. You shouldn’t
be in a rush to change until you know
exactly what affect the change will have.
YouMe Jeon, Country head of BTI South korea
on building relationships
Relationships are very, very important.
They help you adapt to the new culture
and business environment faster. In terms
of the relationship with your new boss, try
to share and be as open as possible, even
when what you have to share is negative.
If you do that, you’ll build trust quickly.
words of wisdom
Be open-minded. The company will be different
than your previous company, so embrace the
difference and be positive. Your views and
thoughts are more important than anything else.
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asking questions and
making change
The first six months is the time to
learn about the new organization, the
business, the culture and its people.
The key thing to avoid during this phase
is the making of constant comparisons
with your previous organization. It is the
time to move on and thrive in your new
environment—and this requires acceptance
that things won’t be the same.
It is fine to voice new ideas in your first six
months, however, I believe that it’s better to
wait until you have a deeper understanding of
the company before you push for big changes.
wanna Assavakarint, Country head of BTI Thailand
on building relationships
There are four key things that should be the
foundation of any relationship at work:
1. Don’tgetinvolvedinofficepolitics
2. Be genuine and be true to who you are.
3. Respect people at all levels
4. Focus on the tasks you are responsible for
and deliver results (generally, managers
prefer people who actually perform
rather than people who talk about
performance that never gets delivered).
words of wisdom
Focus on the task at hand, yet pay attention
to the long-term objectives. Take your
responsibilities seriously and passionately.
And last but not least, do yourself what
you would demand of your employees.
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Pauline ng, Country head of BTI Malaysia
asking questions and
making change
It is my personal style to listen and observe first,
and that is typically what I do in new situations.
However, as you step into leadership positions
you are also expected to take quick and decisive
action in some situations—the challenge is to
identify which ones these are. You cannot be
the ‘newbie’ for long, so I’d question as much
as I possibly can and be aware that very quickly
you’ll also be expected to provide the answers.
Introducing some new ideas during your
settling-in phase is a good way to gauge how
open the team is to change, and to understand
what mechanisms are in place for pushing
through a new idea. Although, for a start
I’d choose a safer idea to test versus a
high-risk option.
on building relationships
Differentpeoplerequiredifferentlevelsof
engagement. So, when starting out in a new
role, I’d spend one-on-one time with the key
people who have a direct influence on the
success of my role (which could be everyone on
the team!) and work my way outwards. Although
spending time as a team is a given, focusing on
individuals is important.
Make sure you communicate regularly with your
new boss. One of my former bosses once told
me that it is better to over-communicate than
to under-communicate. So, if in doubt, I would
include my boss in an email or discuss a matter
with him or her before sharing it with others.
Communication is a two-way street, so seek
feedback about how you are doing and any
areas for improvement.
words of wisdom
My advice is to be tolerant of ambiguity.
Analyse situations, but have the courage to
act when a decision has to be made.
If you happen to be leading a team, lead by
example and be consistent. Trust is the key and
there should be no doubt that every member
of the team will act with integrity every time
and do the right thing. Promoting respect and
making sacrifices for the greater good is also
critical to galvanizing teams together.
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ANZ Asia Pacific Economics, Emerging Asia Monthly, September 2011
http://www.cnbc.com/id/42565346/Asia_s_Most_Valuable_Companies?slide=2
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/37/fab-50-11_land.html
http://www.unescap.org/stat/data/syb2011/ESCAP-syb2011.pdf
http://www.executiveboard.com/sg/human-resources/asia-hr-executive-board/asia-labor-market/
pdf/Asia-Labor-Market-Briefing_Q4_2010-Q1%202011-PF.pdf
http://in.reuters.com/article/2009/10/21/idINIndia-43321020091021
references
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about kellyocg
KellyOCG is the Outsourcing and Consulting Group of Fortune 500 workforce solutions provider,
Kelly Services, Inc. KellyOCG is a global leader in innovative talent management solutions in the
areas of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Contingent
Workforce Outsourcing (CWO), including Independent Contractor Solutions, Human Resources
Consulting, Career Transition and Organizational Effectiveness, and Executive Search.
Further information about KellyOCG may be found at kellyocg.com.
about the author
Anthony RAjA DevADoss is currently the vice President—APAC with the
outsourcing & Consulting Group of Kelly services. From network services,
engineering to e-business solutions, Anthony Raja has worked in both India and
Malaysia, within technical roles to the Chief executive officer. he has received his
Bachelors degree in science and his MBA in Marketing & Postgraduate Diploma
in Computing. he holds membership in various local and international associations
such as the MIM, human Capital Institute & Association of Career Professionals International. he is
the head of Policy enablement & Government Liaison with outsourcing Malaysia and a member
of the Industry Advisory Board for the Graduate school of Business, UnIRAZAK. he has been
recently appointed to the hR Capacity Building task force by the Ministry of human Resources,
Govt of Malaysia. Anthony is also a member of the hRoA APAC Chapter Board.
http://my.linkedin.com/in/anthonyraja http://twitter.com/anthonyraja