Posting Bt12.59 billion in revenue for the 2018 fiscal year, Oishi prides itself as being No 1 in the Japanese Restaurant Food and Beverage Business despite the period’s challenging circumstances.

Its green tea business, after all, has faced heavy impacts from the increased excise tax, reduced purchasing power of customers and decline of the ready-to-drink green tea market.

Half of Oishi Group’s revenue for 2018 fiscal year, which concluded on September 30, came from the group’s restaurants with the remainder from its beverages business. Its beverage revenues sank by 15 per cent in 2018, while the restaurant food sales grew by 1.7 per cent.

Despite the significant revenue, data gathered by The Nielsen Company (Thailand) Ltd showed Oishi held strong with a 45.4 per cent market share in Thailand’s green-tea market between October 2017 and June 2018. It is also that sector’s market leader in Malaysia and Cambodia.

“We will expand further as we pursue our ‘Vision 2020’,” Oishi Group (PLC) president and CEO Nongnuch Buranasetkul reported at a press conference last week.

In pursuit of that vision, Oishi group plans to open 19 new restaurants in the coming year, enhance, enhance its delivery services, as well as strengthen its presence in overseas markets. Its products are now sold in at least 34 countries across the globe.

“Our strategy focuses on innovation that accommodates megatrends such as tech-dependent lifestyles, healthy eating, the aeging society and the ‘Asian Century’ on an ongoing-basis, and extends our reach into Asean through the application of synergy within our Group,” Nongnuch said.

Jesdakorn Ghosh, EVP, Beverage Business Group, said while Thailand’s green-tea market was hit hard, her firm’s exports of beverages grew by 59 per cent in the past fiscal year.

“We rolled out new products that were well accepted by local consumers, such as Oishi green tea [with] pomegranate flavour in Cambodia, and Oishi green tea [with] Kyoho grape flavour in Laos,” she pointed out.

The plan for 2019 is also solid, with Oishi Group already taking up a “young generation-centric” approach. It has recruited the hugely popular girls’ group BNK48 as its presenter.

The BNK48 band is a Thai sister-band in the style of popular Japanese idol band AKB48. “BNK48 represents the younger-generation group. They are known for being fun loving – the very brand DNA of Oishi, and they have quickly won the hearts and minds of our targeted customer group,” Jesdakorn said.

Oishi Group has also used BNK48 as presenters to promote its beverage products in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

“We’ve set our sights on seriously tapping further into CLM plus Malaysia,” Jesdakorn added.

The group’s beverage business boasts a Bt700 million annual marketing budget to reach both Thai and overseas markets.

Paisarn Aowsathaporn, EVP, food business group, said that while |Oishi food business group had achieved all its objectives for the past fiscal year, it intended to work harder in 2019.

“We are improving our online and delivery system to reduce customers’ wait time from 45 to 30 minutes,” he said.

According to Paisarn, at least six branches have already succeeded in reducing waiting time for delivery services to below a half-hour.

“We’re focused on better delivery system to respond better to changing consumer behaviours,” Paisarn said.

Mekhala Nethipo, EVP, packaged food business group, said her unit also has an ambitious plan for 2019.

“We will do rebranding and restructuring,” she said.

That decision recognised the many potential business opportunities arising from the packaged food market becoming integral to urban people’s lifestyles.

“Oishi also has ready-to-cook and the ready-to-eat businesses. In 2019, we intend to rebrand the Oishi packaged food image to strengthen it and make it better-known among the public,” said Mekhala. “We should see results by the second quarter of fiscal year 2019.”

Up to Bt5.3 billion of the proceeds from the planned issuances will go towards re-payment for issued debentures expiring in 2019. The balance will be invested in business expansion to boost its net profit by 10 per cent next year from an estimate of Bt5 billion this year, Chutidej said.

The company reported a total revenue of Bt15.74 billion and Bt3.91 billion in net profit for the first nine months, up nine per cent and 65 per cent respectively from the same period last year, according to the company’s report to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

“We will issue one to five-year debentures next year as we believe the Bank of Thailand will soon raise the interest rate by at least 0.50 per cent. The new issuances will carry an interest rate of no more than 3.3 per cent, compared with the current level of 3.1 per cent,” he said.

The company has so far issued Bt45 billion in debentures, of which Bt5.3 billion will expire in 2019. Krungthai Card’s debt to equity ratio currently stands at 3:1 and the company expected a rise to no more than 4:1 next year with issuances of the new debentures, Chutidej said.

It will invest up to Bt30 million, from 2019 to 2021, in the development of robotic process automation (RPA) to streamline the company’s operation. It will first be implemented in the accounting department before other areas to speed up the overall business process by up to 70 per cent, as part of the company’s drive for sustainable growth, Chutidej said.

With plans set for next year, the company expects a 15-per-cent rise in card spending among its customers, partly through the launch of new marketing activities and credit card products, said president and chief executive officer Rathian Srimongkol. The company also aims to expand the base for personal loan to over one million customers and targets a 10 per cent growth in new lending next year, he said.

“Despite the general election in February, we are confident that the next government will continue the current policy on investments in infrastructure projects and boost domestic spending to push the country’s economy growth,” he said.

To further drive business growth, the company plans to enter the nano-pico finance segment and has submitted a proposal to Krungthai Bank and the Bank of Thailand. It is looking to a licence from the central bank, Rathian said adding that Krungthai Card is ready to intensify marketing efforts in all business areas.

Songtham put behind him that disappointment of not realising his childhood dreams on the national stage of badminton and opted to study computer science in the United States.

It was a decision that has paid off for Songtham, who has since risen to become executive director of IOT Business Group at True Corporation.

Songtham, who had enjoyed success for many —years on the court with his badminton club in Chon Buri, left for Alabama to make good on his ambitions for a career in technology. After graduating with a bachelor of science (computer science) from the University of South Alabama, he returned to Thailand looking for an entry-level job.

“I had chosen to study computer science since I did not want to read textbooks all that much,” he recalls. “I always liked mathematics more than reading textbooks. After I graduated and came back to Thailand, I submitted application forms for work with every IT business located in Silom Road and other areas.”

IBM invited him in for an interview and his salary expectations for a raw recruit had been low, at around Bt10,000 a month. He was pleasantly surprised when he was told that the starting salary at the US technology giant was Bt15,000 a month.

What followed was a two-decade rise through the ranks that saw Songtham serve as country general manager and managing director at IBM Thailand from 2001 to 2003.

He says that during his time at IBM – working as an “IBMer” as he and his colleagues called themselves – he gained experience in every department and business unit. He had been keen to gain an understanding of how every business department worked as took on increasingly senior executive roles in the organisation.

Songtham went on to work his way up over 20 years to reach the post of managing director at IBM Thailand. It was then that Suphachai Chearavanont, group chairman of the executive committee of True Corporation, invited him to join True Multimedia as a director in 2003.

“I had worked at an international company for 20 years. I thought that, as I am Thai, I should create value for a Thai company or Thai business. I also thought of it as a challenge for me to manage and reorganise the business at True,” Songtham says. “I am an athlete that likes a challenge and joining True presented just such a challenge.”

In his first year at the company, Songtham served as a director at True Multimedia, which provides IT services and solutions to support private sector, state enterprises and government agencies. The firm had gained revenue of around Bt6 billion. For this year, with him serving as executive director of IOT Business Group at True Corporation, he says the company has pulled in around Bt13 billion from about 5,000 businesses.

“I have been working at True for many years and the revenue from IT services and IT solutions is still enjoying continuous growth,” Songtham says. “We also set up a new S-curve business to support the private sector, state enterprises and public sector in their efforts to transform themselves and improve their businesses and organisation in the digital era.”

He says the company has also set up True digital group to run the S-curve business, which covers seven areas: Big Data and analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) platform, cyber security, blockchain, digital advertising, smart retail with smart vending machine to be rolled out nationwide and robotics.

Songtham says the company is on the lookout for promising startup and other businesses in Thailand and abroad for possible investment in terms of mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures in order to expand the business.

As part of his efforts to better get to know his team, Songtham takes his lunch at the staff canteen every day. He also either rides the MRT system to work or drives in by himself. Throughout his career he has never neglected exercise and keeps up a fit

ness routine in the morning at the office as well as playing guitar to help relax before his hectic schedule of meetings.

On the weekends you can find him riding his bicycle with his two children and friends.

As for the secrets to his success, Songtham has utilised transfer knowledge as well as other forms of know-how such as those relating to commissions, process management, mobile office and a creed of business ethics from his time at IBM. He has implemented these practices at True.

Songtham, looking back on his time at IBM, says he had been responsible for 20 middle-level executives and had created a business with revenue of Bt500 million. He recalls with pride how that made him feel happy and successful.

Now, he is responsible for more than 1,000 employees. He says he will step down when the True Digital Group businesses have bedded down sustained growth and when business such as the IoT operation can achieve revenue of Bt500 million and True digital group can reach Bt1 billion. He expects this to happen by the end of next year.

“True is a big company and covers various business areas. It is stimulating to collaborate with people in each of the business areas as we support each other,’ Songtham says. “I also have a passion to give opportunities to my staff and the new generation of workers.

“I am happy when my workers and team members enjoy success and rise up. This means that I have to manage the business and the organisation in the right way. I think that I have had the kind of success that has exceeded my expectations.”

As for the future, he will pursue a dream to set up an academy for the transfer of knowledge and know-how in order to enhance IT literacy and support the goals of the technology-boosting Thailand 4.0 scheme.

The company also said it is focusing on “4Line Learning” which is considered to be the most effective learning approach with the launch of its first model “YourNextU”.

The company believes it can increase its customer base by 300 per cent by year-end and the business growth of over 100 per cent.

Arinya Talerngsri, Chief Capability Officer & Managing Director of SEAC (South East Asia Center), Asean’s first and only lifelong learning centre, said: “With our determination to develop and elevate modern organisations in order to catch up with the changes in the new millennium through our programmes and thinking process related to Leadership and Innovation, we have received positive feedbacks from both public and private leading organisations in the country which also include banking and finance, real estate, FMCG, energy and healthcare businesses, to name only a few.

“Altogether there are 30,000 people taking up the programmes with 40 service offerings. Currently, SEAC has a major business plan to bring us to the next level by becoming Asean’s first and only lifelong learning centre under the belief that every human being has a potential to develop and learn at any stage in their life. This is an important step for SEAC to infuse people with a lifelong learning mindset and curiosity to discover boundless possibilities and build lifelong learning ecosystem and culture for Thailand and Asean.

“With 27 years of experience, we are aware that many people do not fully understand and are not able to distinguish between the context of learning and studying, making it difficult for them to access true learning methods that could help them reach their potential. Some are entangled in their own traps to the point that they believe they do not require further learning and development. Therefore, it is the responsibility of SEAC to create a turning point by offering a new “learning” alternative and to go full speed towards building public awareness and setting a strong foundation to change people’s mindset.

“We are to change people’s attitude that once associated life success only with high academic degrees and turn such a thought into a New Learning Mindset under the Lifelong Learning Concept wherein learning continues at all stages in their life. The world is changing rapidly, so people should never stop learning new things or acquiring new skills.

“Our programmes are to expand to more people, whether they’re in the work force looking to developing new skills to advance their careers, fresh graduates discovering their own selves to build their own future, or even operators of small- and medium-sized businesses looking for stability.”

Arinya added: “With our experiences in learning and human development, SEAC has created a highly effective learning approach called “4Line Learning” in order to meet the requirements of each individual while at the same time, to stimulate their desire to learn and apply what they learned to their life and work amidst aggressive changes.

“The learning approach comprises of four major components. First is ‘online learning’ which focuses on learning through video clips and visuals. Second is ‘Inline learning’ where learners are encouraged to participate in classes and courses, arranged at a suitable duration – mostly short – of no longer than half a day. Third is ‘Beeline learning’, underlining experience and data exchange with experts, speakers, prominent business operators, thought leaders as well as through special activities that best suit each learning topic, and fourth, ‘Frontline learning’ where learners are allowed a full access to downloadable materials and data.

“In this initial step, SEAC is collaborating with the world’s leading institutes in setting up a learning curriculum entitled “YourNextU” which comprises over 100 Online Learning courses, 40 Inline Learning programmes, 40 Beeline Learning activities and Frontline data archive allowing unlimited downloads. The programmes include, but not limit to, Design Thinking: Empathising to Discover Opportunities, Creative Connection: 7 Creative Problem-Solving Strategies, New Me New Land: Overcoming Change Resistance, The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Yourself, Strategic Thinking: Business Modeling, Step In Leader: Problem Solving & Decision-Making or HR Academy.

“Also, there are courses that have been set up to catch up with the world such as Business Management 4.0, Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cloud computing and Web Service, to name only a few. All these are expected to be officially implemented by February 2019.”

In terms of investment, SEAC has invested in over Bt600 million covering the development of a learning platform which incorporates the “4Line Learning” approach that will be consecutively updated over the course of 3-5 years, the search for world-class partners for the development of the courses and curriculum to fulfil all aspects of learning for all age groups, translations of contents into Thai and selected Asean languages as well as the construction of the lifelong learning centre.

The company said its marketing strategies embody Personalised Marketing, paying attention to data and the development of Learner Persona so that courses created perfectly meet the demand of learners and at the same time are able to catch up with the fast moving world. “At the beginning, we will target towards the organisational level both in Thailand and Asean and will also spread out our message to create perception and awareness to draw attention from those who are interested and have the passion for learning and development to join SEAC in the future. We are certain that SEAC will generate 90,000 clients and a business growth of over 100 per cent by 2020,” the company said.

Wansit Chatikavanij , chief executive officer of LoxSim, unveiled a new collaboration between Loxsim) and MI on developing truck drivers, logistic, and supply chain managers knowledge development on economic driving and green freight in the GMS; Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Yunnan of China.

The new Memorandum of Understanding is a two-year collaboration of knowledge sharing and research collaboration on Truck Driving Simulator to enhance logistics and supply chain knowledge for companies focusing on “Fuel-efficient driving” “safe driving” and “environmentally friendly” concepts, according to its press release.

“Fuel-efficient driving techniques” will allow fleet managers and drivers to understand different ways to become more efficient and environmental friendly especially in reductions of fuel consumption and the release of carbon dioxide through better driving habits and mindset.

In keeping with the principle of eco-driving and green logistics, change in driving behaviours, operating within the speed limit to avoid harsh acceleration and specifically harsh braking will ultimately result in more efficient fuel consumption and fewer damages to the vehicle. In addition, this techniques and mindset, green logistics education will in turn help to support the environment through reductions of excessive carbon emissions.

Wansit said the current collaboration with MI will serve also as the first step towards regional market opening, which includes encouragement and education for entrepreneurs in Thailand and neighboring countries on awareness regarding to Green Logistics.

“Most operators focus on the technology of their vehicles, but forget that the key factor is the driver. Driving simulator can exposed drivers to dangerous driving conditions in a realistic, simulated virtual environment which would not be possible in real life. Thus, this solution is seen as a convenient tool for trainers to train at any time in a safe virtual environment”.

Wansit said, “Next year, LoxSim will begin to look at the medical emergency and disaster management market. Moreover, Loxsim will emphasize cooperation with various educational institutes by bringing in new simulator technologies to produce research for further improvement of both professional training and education.