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Roy Yong
Head of Operations, Manufacturing
Jack of All Trades
An optimist of many talents with a passion for handwork, Roy is the Head of Operations and manages two key departments under him, Product Development and Manufacturing. He has had a long and diverse career path at Royal Selangor since he first started in 1979. The aspiring accountant had to stop his ACCA studies for economic reasons and went job hunting.
Having received a few job offers, he chose to make his mark at #Selberan Jewellery, a company under the Royal Selangor group and eventually moved to Royal Selangor. He has not looked back ever since. From making fine jewellery pieces to managing stock, carrying out sales and marketing duties to setting up and managing factories locally and overseas, he has never missed the opportunity to try something new.
One of the companies he set up was Selcraft Sdn Bhd which specialised in the production of gypsum figurines. Experts from the United Kingdom were drafted to teach Roy and his team the basics, from casting the gypsum from moulds, painting the products to packing them.
“When we urgently needed 12 to 20 artisans, I arrived early at newsstands so I could persuade the vendors to insert my printed ads into the newspapers. I ensured job vacancy flyers were featured on bulletin boards at 7-11 stores and placed in the letterboxes of the flats in surrounding areas. I also devised my own test methods so I can choose skilled artisans,” said Roy. His can-do attitude was put to the test when he was called on by the company to turn around Seagull Pewter, Canada. It was located in Nova Scotia, known for its scenic beauty and blistering nor’easter snow storms.
“One of my most memorable moments was being part of the Seagull Pewter acquisition team, 2 days before 9/11. I had to do due diligence and feedback to PK Yong, the Managing Director of Royal Selangor back then to see if it was feasible to buy over the company,” he added.
"Then, I was sent to Amherst where I had to work alongside the Malaysian and Canadian teams to fix the company. I felt very satisfied when we managed to successfully turn it around very quickly and help the community.
Canadian winters were freezing. There was a time when the temperature went down to -35ºC. Every morning, I had to shovel a lot of snow before getting out of the garage. But there were good times too, such as the weekend trips to the Bay of Fundy.
After 17 months, I returned to Malaysia,” he reminisced.
“Opportunity is always there, whether we want it or not. I am an optimistic person and I view problems as opportunities. Having this mindset helped me a lot when I had many heavy responsibilities. The sense of accomplishment I feel when I have completed a project outweighs any financial reward!” he commented.
Roy's approachable demeanour and positive mindset has helped him engage with cross-cultural teams and people of different backgrounds. His stories have inspired the young and old.
He is an embodiment of how work can be fulfilling in so many ways.
This Labour Day, Royal Selangor pays tribute to Roy and others like him. Their persistence, passion and commitment are embodied in Anne M Mulcahy's words, "Employees Are a Company's Greatest Asset".
Having received a few job offers, he chose to make his mark at #Selberan Jewellery, a company under the Royal Selangor group and eventually moved to Royal Selangor. He has not looked back ever since. From making fine jewellery pieces to managing stock, carrying out sales and marketing duties to setting up and managing factories locally and overseas, he has never missed the opportunity to try something new.
One of the companies he set up was Selcraft Sdn Bhd which specialised in the production of gypsum figurines. Experts from the United Kingdom were drafted to teach Roy and his team the basics, from casting the gypsum from moulds, painting the products to packing them.
“When we urgently needed 12 to 20 artisans, I arrived early at newsstands so I could persuade the vendors to insert my printed ads into the newspapers. I ensured job vacancy flyers were featured on bulletin boards at 7-11 stores and placed in the letterboxes of the flats in surrounding areas. I also devised my own test methods so I can choose skilled artisans,” said Roy. His can-do attitude was put to the test when he was called on by the company to turn around Seagull Pewter, Canada. It was located in Nova Scotia, known for its scenic beauty and blistering nor’easter snow storms.
“One of my most memorable moments was being part of the Seagull Pewter acquisition team, 2 days before 9/11. I had to do due diligence and feedback to PK Yong, the Managing Director of Royal Selangor back then to see if it was feasible to buy over the company,” he added.
"Then, I was sent to Amherst where I had to work alongside the Malaysian and Canadian teams to fix the company. I felt very satisfied when we managed to successfully turn it around very quickly and help the community.
Canadian winters were freezing. There was a time when the temperature went down to -35ºC. Every morning, I had to shovel a lot of snow before getting out of the garage. But there were good times too, such as the weekend trips to the Bay of Fundy.
After 17 months, I returned to Malaysia,” he reminisced.
“Opportunity is always there, whether we want it or not. I am an optimistic person and I view problems as opportunities. Having this mindset helped me a lot when I had many heavy responsibilities. The sense of accomplishment I feel when I have completed a project outweighs any financial reward!” he commented.
Roy's approachable demeanour and positive mindset has helped him engage with cross-cultural teams and people of different backgrounds. His stories have inspired the young and old.
He is an embodiment of how work can be fulfilling in so many ways.
This Labour Day, Royal Selangor pays tribute to Roy and others like him. Their persistence, passion and commitment are embodied in Anne M Mulcahy's words, "Employees Are a Company's Greatest Asset".
