"Leaders are not born or made, they are self-made", Stephen Covey.Women Entrepreneur's editorial team rendezvous with one such self-made business leader Hui Keam Khoo, Chief Operating Officer, Crystal Crown Hotels & Resort, who not only established herself with hard work & persistence but also took her father's business to the next level. A visionary, goal-oriented, and dedicated business leader, Keam is the epitome of success that is earned through perseverance, learning, and great efforts. Before stepping into the hospitality industry, she had spent significant years in the banking sector performing in leadership roles at reputed organizations like UOB in Singapore and Citibank in Malaysia. She is a passionate and highly ambitious professional who is also a result-driven, experienced, and efficient team player with exceptional leadership skills. She holds an excellent capability to drive teams and motivate them to contribute to becoming the best hospitality service provider in Malaysia. Keam believes in leading by example and is indeed a great inspiration for many aspiring women leaders in the business industry. Let's hear it from her. 

Tell us about the various responsibilities you shoulder as the COO of Crystal Crown Hotels & Resort.

I am involved and engaged in everything related to the hotel's daily operations and management. My main responsibility is to ensure that the business is running well and is making a significant profit. My role as the COO expects me to support every member of the hotel working at every level of the hierarchy. I am responsible for drawing and establishing policies, reviewing them, setting goals & KPIs, evaluating performance, and reporting to the CEO and the shareholders of the company, and also participating in the expansion of projects. I also provide consultations to other hospitality companies in Malaysia and am involved in renovation projects of hotels in this region.

Tell us about the most critical challenges you face as a business leader and how you mitigate them.

Challenges are a part of running a successful business and they can be both big and small and can range from staff & maintenance issues to issues related to cash flow. However, the biggest challenge so far that the company has faced is perhaps during the pandemic; Malaysia was also one of the countries that have been locked down for almost two years. It has been quite a challenge to keep the company going during these tough times and put everyone on the company's payroll. Nevertheless, we managed to pull this through. Moreover, we were fortunate to be designated as one of the quarantine centers in Malaysia for foreign returnees coming from overseas.

What are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? Also, what has been the driving force behind your success?

Although I have joined my father's business, it makes me immensely satisfied that I have been able to establish my name independently sheerly through hard work and break away from the shadow of my father. Therefore, the greatest milestone of my journey is my name being recognized as an individual who is capable of handling the hotel successfully and taking it to the next level. The appreciation from the board members, staff, and customers are my biggest achievement. Being the reflection of the company, the primary driving force has always been the success of the business.

"The greatest milestone of my journey is my name being recognized as an individual who is capable of handling the hotel successfully and taking it to the next level"

What is your take on the low representation of women in top leadership roles across industries and what steps can be taken to reduce this gap?

The primary reason for the low representation of women in leadership roles is the nonprogressive mindset of the society which till today considers women as feeble and not suitable to lead business organizations. There are a lot of companies that do not accept women in leadership roles; I believe these conventional mindsets should be changed to be able to fill the gender gaps. Companies, as well as the government, should take initiative to support women employees by offering maternity leaves, flexible work hours, work-from-home facilities, or infant daycare facilities within the organization; so that they do not have to give-up their careers in the process of taking care of their families.

What would your advice be to young women who aspire to become business leaders in the future?

I believe a woman can be successful as long as she is willing to put all her efforts into nurturing her passion and building her dream. Along the way, they must remember that there are no shortcuts to success and try not to let go of their confidence, belief, and  dreams. 

Hui Keam Khoo, Chief Operating Officer, Crystal Crown Hotels & Resort

Having an undergraduate degree from Nanyang Technological University, Keam occupies the position of Chief Operating Officer at Crystal Crown Hotels & Resort with over eight years of experience in the banking sector and 14 years in the hospitality industry.