UES Holdings’ key client is the Public Utilities Board for various water treatment plants in Singapore including Changi Water Reclamation Plant, Chestnut Avenue Waterworks and Jurong Water Reclamation Plant. Other clients include Changi Airport Group, National Environment Agency, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Singapore Armed Forces, as well as the Chinese and Bruneian governments. UES Holdings has also completed projects in Gardens by the Bay at Marina Way as well as Marine Life Park in Resorts World Sentosa.

THE MAN IN CHARGE

So, who is the man in charge of this highly successful organisation? Managing Director Johnson Tang’s typical work day begins with reading the news to update himself on world t_rends and the industry. This is followed by a series of email sieving and meetings. If necessary, he will attend business lunches and dinners for networking purposes. From time to time, he visits project sites to get in touch with the work progress and people there.

Tang did an MBA at the University of Hull, En9land which, he says, “has given me an added business sense which is definitely helpful in managing people and growing the business of UES Holdings. However, what is perhaps more integral to our business success is the irrepressible passion to make things come together to create a better physical environment for us to live in.”

Tang is an avid reader: “I have been inspired by many people and books, and at different points in life, some may have been more influential to me than others. Recently I chanced upon a book by American author Jonathan Safran Foer called Eating Animals which basically questions carnivorism in a thought-provoking, funny and even philosophical manner all at once. It’s not so much the subject matter that awed me, but the fact that we sometimes don’t even question the very fundamental things in life and take them for granted from day one. I guess its sustainability theme also got me engaged.”

How does he gauge success? “The concept of success is like a piece of art. It means different things to different people, and perhaps even at different points in time. In my opinion, a person’s success must be measured based on the roles he/she plays. I endeavour to be a visionary business leader, a caring manager, a responsible father and a loyal husband – although not necessarily in that order.”

Asked what makes someone a good entrepreneur, Tang replies that it’s about being far sighted and near sighted, and sometimes even all at the same time. “The ability to see further and pre-empt what may be coming along in the future is just as important as being able to possess that eye for detail in almost everything that passes under your nose.”

For Tang, work also extends to play. “To be passionate about your job also means you inevitably do things [in your spare time] that are related to what you do. Fortunately or unfortunately, that’s a reality for me. In other words, I read books related to my job and play golf with friends who _ are in similar businesses. I also frequently engage In a game of badminton, tennis and rugby to keep me in good physical and mental form to brace the fast-paced work environment.”

A learner and a teacher, 10 years from now, Tang wishes to be in a position where he can share what he has learnt in life and business with the future generations: “It is this ability to learn from the past to become better that makes us humans and what puts us at the apex of the food chain.”