When M Prakash Chandran was appointed CEO of Siemens Malaysia in November 2009, he was the first Asian to assume the role. Born in Kerala, Prakash was inspired by his father, an engineering graduate, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering majoring in power systems at the University of Kerala.

“I used to follow my father on his factory visits. At eight, I could name the parts of a transformer – we also shared a common passion for music and he taught me how to balance life and work,” says Prakash in an email interview. He graduated with distinction in 1985 and signed on with Crompton Greaves Ltd in Madras. Prakash relocated to Malaysia in 1990 when he accepted the post of project manager with ABB Industrial & Building System Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur.

What advantages would you say your background has provided you?
My education at the University of Kerala, being one of the first universities in India modelled after the universities in the UK has equipped me with not only the best in theory but also practice. Also, having grown up in a different country is an advantage for me since I get to combine what’s best of India with what I have picked up here in Malaysia. And that, I feel, is the advantage that helps me fast-track my career.

Looking back, what are the key decisions you’ve made in your career?
Moving from Madras to Kuala Lumpur in 1990 in itself was a major decision. I was moving into a new market which then had a higher overall pace of development and growth. With that came exposure to new technologies, new methods, new culture and diverse communication modes. Later on, I took the opportunity to move into sales and business development which were then totally new areas for me. That decision helped me develop my strategic planning and marketing skills while at the same time sharpening my people skills.

Moving from ABB to Siemens in 1996 was also key. I was head-hunted from ABB to Siemens Malaysia to re-establish and accelerate a then fast-declining power distribution business. Business grew substantially during the initial years and was profitable after the first year. Siemens achieved more than 15% market share in 1999 and this has been sustained to date.

As the CEO of energy sector for Asean since 2008 with a business volume of over ₣1 billion, I have had the opportunity to travel extensively within and outside the region and lead an extremely diverse international team. The additional role as CEO of Siemens Malaysia from 2009 enabled me to spend time on my passion — developing Siemens in Malaysia while maintaining my local network.

Would you attribute any unique management approaches to your background in India?
India is a highly diverse country that has contributed to our high adaptability, flexibility and acceptance of different cultures, perspectives and values while staying focused on organisational goals and objectives. Furthermore, the extremely competitive situation in Indian universities, I believe, has made me highly competitive with a real fire to deliver. As a leader, this dual approach has always helped me to create and sustain a winning team.

This article appeared in Management@work, the monthly management pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 852, Apr 4-10, 2011