Asia is diversity

KION is well equipped for this diverse global marketplace. “Another aspect of the APAC region is that we have so many brands here,” says Quek. KION operates with multiple brands in the larger markets, with Linde, Baoli and STILL in China. Similarly, KION India now offers three brands, with trucks from Baoli and Linde along with local brand OM.

Each of these brands has to respond in their own way to the changes that are brought about by the market trends in different countries. But the Malaysian-born Ching Pong Quek is not fazed by change. Far from it. “I like change,” he says emphatically. For him, change is synonymous with opportunity, and he believes change to be inevitable. “If you cannot change, you end up lagging behind. But when you accept change, you will make progress.”

Quek believes it is his role to guide employees and inspire them with the changes that are happening. “I enjoy seeing how they develop in their jobs,” he says. The 49-year-old regularly walks through every corner in the company to meet employees face-to-face and to discuss specific topics, focusing on different areas every time. “I reject the argument that there is no time for such activitiess. The employees in the frontline are the first to identify any potential problems and most probably have solutions as well.”

Quek is always on the move. In his free time, he enjoys running and takes a long run up to four times a week. “In Xiamen, I always run between 8 to 15 kilometres, depending on time available. I set off from home and run by the sea as far as the university. Running clears my head and then I can find solutions to many problems. It works wherever I am traveling around the world," he points out. Needless to say, Quek has also discovered the best running routes in the German city of Wiesbaden, where KION Group is headquartered.