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女企业家组 by Cheong Wai Quan

Nerine Tan draws out

the best from herself,

team at Sports Toto

A lesson learned early on in her
career “to never accept first draft” has
been the guiding principle for Nerine
Tan to inspire her staff to set high
standards in their jobs.
Today, Nerine is CEO of Berjaya strengths as a leader. Nerine’s quiet Nerine can do the hard stuff “For female entrepreneurs who have family, it is very
Sports Toto Berhad (BSTB). It is easy to way of getting in there to do things because she has faith in God. challenging,” Nerine said, but values her husband’s support to keep
assume she had it given to her on a better, perfecting one draft after Being the first Christian in her their parenting efforts on what matters for their kids. Nerine has
silver platter. Afterall, she is the eldest another, finally won over the previous family, Nerine shared God has given her learned to let go of self-imposed and societal pressures to
daughter of Tan Sri Vincent Tan, CEO. strength to face challenges and dispel mollycoddle her kids.
founder of Berjaya Group. “For young & up-coming female her worry. Her faith in God protects her Nerine explained, “For helicopter moms, it’s about getting 3A*
No way! Nerine walks the talk of entrepreneurs, they must pay their dues, from harm. Her faith in God that gives and 100% homework submission. I can’t do that. Some things have to
never accepting first draft as she go out and talk to people. If they sit (in her courage to persist with her “clean give. For me, (if) the kids are healthy and happy and they are not
worked and reworked her ideas office), nothing is going to get done.” up” task. taking drugs, then (it’s) ok. If you’re not with that mindset, then you will
working with founder of Cosway, Gaming industry seems a hugely The juggling act being CEO, wife, get destroyed by the comparison.”
where she first honed her leadership skills after graduation. male-dominated industry that attracts and mother requires delicate “I teach them faith-based values,” mommy dearest said, “Be
She further proved her mettle when she was “called” to join BSTB many illegal operators, yet Nerine has balancing, but Nerine said society has kind. Be good. Have compassion for others. When you have money,
working under then Head of Sales, the late Ms Tan Swee Lian for more worked tirelessly to make a difference. defined some roles for women. give donations. If my kids are benefits to society, it’s good enough.”
than 3 years. “She taught me to be hands-on,” Nerine recalled. Illegals operators, the bane for “In the office, everything I say goes Nerine’s advice to female entrepreneurs is not to take on so
Those early years were taxing. Nerine travelled all over Malaysia authorised gaming companies, took as I’m pretty much the law,” Nerine much guilt working and being mom. She wants them to embrace this
with Swee Lian to check on Sports Toto outlets and meet agents. With away a big chunk of sales and Nerine said, “but when I get home, it is mindset that she has painfully learned.
more than 680 agents running their own Sports Toto outlets, Nerine decided to work with the police to take different. I’m not CEO.” She does not let The “redrafting” of working mom Nerine who does not beat
pounded kilometres to meet agents and more than 200 sales staff in them out. Warnings not to face off with the “boss mentality” get to her head. herself down shows her maturity only experience and age can give.
Sports Toto regional offices. them came in fast and furious from staff, God, her husband’s constant support Similarly, a healthy Nerine is a redraft after a minor health scare from
MPs and gaming counterparts.
and this mindset have done wonders to
Getting her hands dirty in sales and marketing, the departments centre Nerine as she navigates hormonal imbalance about 8 years ago.
she headed for 10 years after Swee Lian retired, gave Nerine insights on “At that point when it finally had between work and motherhood. “At the beginning of (my) career, (I) didn’t exercise and it was
running BSTB. When she became CEO, her staff knew she could do the fruition, 2-3 years of really working with only work,” this fit boss revealed, “not the wisest thing to do. Now, I
Nerine shared she was racked with
heavy lifting of BSTB to new heights. the police, our sales increased by 10%,” guilt in the early days of her children’s exercise to not let my health deteriorate. It is part of my commitment
Nerine recalled. “The gaming industry
“Malaysians are quite good in respecting the chair,” Nerine including Magnum and DaMaCai saw lives, especially when other helicopter since becoming CEO, to tell people to exercise.”
shared, saying it was easy taking on the role as CEO of BSTB, “but immediate rise in sales too.” moms, so focused on their children’s Health and happiness … or just getting the winning numbers,
keeping the respect is another matter” as staff know if their boss can do homework and results, made her doubt strive for it. Never accept first draft, second or third.
Taking on the illegal operators is
the work and lead well. one of the toughest tasks to do on the herself as a good mother to her brood. Nerine Tan 2.0 – healthier, fitter, happier, and still striving to draw
“I think a lot of leaders start to cut off (meeting) their lower ranking “doing the hard stuff” list. So is meeting out the best from herself and in Berjaya Sports Toto Berhad.
and want to deal with the easy things in life, then, I feel they miss out,” with Board of Directors and police;
Nerine said, “the only way you can maintain people’s respect is for leading staff and subordinates;
them to see you continue to do the hard stuff.” travelling throughout Malaysia to meet
With staff members clamouring for her time non-stop, Nerine still agents and sales teams; and being wife
prioritises meeting agents face-to-face, every 2 to 3 months, when she and mother to twin teenage boys and
visits district offices. “I want to see the agents in each district, to see daughter. Nerine does not back away.
how well they are doing,” Nerine said, adding it is crucial to keep tabs
on them and their activities. These visits also let this
hard-working CEO touch base with 80% of BSTB
workforce throughout the country.
Maybe it is Nerine’s style of getting her hands dirty
that makes her journey to be top dog smooth going as
she feels women leaders are well-respected.
“I don’t feel like my male counterparts look down
on me,” Nerine said, though she added that when she
was young, many did assume her male colleagues did
her work.
Even the old guards at BSTB who treated her as a
lightweight employee, being daughter of the founder
who wanted her to work, eventually recognised her

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