Business

Saturday October 24, 2009

Up Close and Personal

By TEE LIN SAY


GLOBAL management consultancy Booz & Co, which boasts a 95-year heritage, is back in Malaysia after an eight year absence. It is looking to assist multinational companies seeking to penetrate the Asian market including Malaysia, as well as assist emerging Malaysian corporations extend their footprint at home and abroad.

Booz & Co recently opened its office in Kuala Lumpur, its 10th office in the Asian region after Bangkok, Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi, Tokyo and Seoul.

The Kuala Lumpur office opening was attended by over 150 captains of industry and top management from government linked companies, corporations and public listed companies.

So meet Booz & Co’s chairman of the board Joe Saddi, who flew into Malaysia to grace the opening ceremony. Based in the Middle East, Saddi is a senior partner with more than 20 years of consulting experience in strategic, organisational and restructuring services.

He leads Booz & Co’s activities in the Middle East and was recently elected chairman of its global board of directors.

Over the years, Saddi has led major privatisation programmes in sectors such as oil and gas, mining, steel, automotive and consumer goods; advised Middle East governments on sector deregulation and sector policy, and led the reorganisation of national oil companies and large corporations.

He also works closely with large family-owned companies to help design governance and portfolio strategies. With the hectic schedule that he leads, Saddi spends half of his time flying. He is of dual Lebanese–French citizenship, and speaks English, Arabic and French fluently.

A consultant all his life

Born in Lebanon, Saddi and his family moved to France when he was 17 because of the social and political unrest in Lebanon.

Upon completing his MBA in Cornell University, Saddi worked in Europe and the United States at consulting firm Bain & Co in 1986 before joining Booz & Co.

Saddi was posted at Bain & Co’s office in Paris for seven years. During that time he gained a wealth of experience and intensified his passion for consulting through his many travels to the US, Italy and Scandinavian countries.

In early 1993, Saddi felt it was time to introduce management consultancy to the Middle East. It was also at this time that he joined Booz & Co.

Not long after, Saddi and his partner Charles Elhage opened Booz & Co’s first office in Abu Dhabi. From there, the consultancy firm flourished and eventually, the partners opened another four offices in the region. Hence, you could say Saddi and Elhage are the founders of Booz & Co in the Middle East. Saddi says Booz & Co’s differentiation stems from its support to its clients, which is immense and all encompassing.

“We truly stand by our recommendations and we’re very systematic. The spirit in which we work together with our clients is very close,” he says.

Saddi’s attitude towards work is one of passion, commitment, rigour yet approachable to staff.

“It is not just about getting the paper report out. It is the results that matters. In a survey by our clients, they have defined us as the ‘practical strategist’ as we deliver results in a practical manner,” says Saddi.

Saddi says transformation in a company happens even in good times. He says the driving force of Middle Eastern companies currently is to be more global in nature. Hence, the current global recession offers lots of opportunities.

Saddi is confident Booz & Co will value add Malaysia as the firm brings people who have experiences from all across the globe.

“Our people have global knowledge yet also understand the local culture. We have expertise in navigating how the public and private sector interact together to form a more productive partnership,” he says.

Saddi is also excited over Malaysia’s potential. “Malaysia is established quite strongly in certain sectors. It is an example that many Middle Eastern countries want to learn from. In the Middle East, many governments and companies always ask how Malaysia succeeded as an economy. They look up to Malaysia,” he says.

With Malaysia being an Islamic nation, Saddi sees synergies and possible business potential with the Middle East. As it is, he says Malaysia is already being promoted quite aggressively as a tourist spot among the Gulf citizens.

Saddi is stoic in his desire to leave a legacy behind for the company. “I want to leave behind a company that me and my colleagues can be proud of. It is a privilege that I have been made chairman. So it is now my duty to make Booz & Co successful. I also want to raise my daughter in the best way possible. I want her to be proud of who I am,” he says.

Life is about people

Saddi married relatively late at the age of 45 in 2004. Now this wasn’t because Saddi was opposed to the idea of getting married.

“I was waiting for the right person to come; someone who could understand my life and work commitments, and bring balance to my life. I always knew I wanted to have a family,” he says.

Ironically, for this jetsetter who spends half his time on airplanes, it was only apt that he met his future wife in an airport!

And sure enough, while on holiday to Egypt, he met his future wife in the airport gate. She was a friend of a friend who was also going to Egypt with Saddi.

They got to know each other during the holiday and started dating soon after. The fact that his future wife (of Lebanese-Canadian heritage) already had two children of her own was never an obstacle for Saddi. He was more than happy to embrace the children as his own.

After 1.5 years of courtship, the couple married. Today, they have a daughter, four year old Cristina whom Saddi absolutely adores. “The birth of my daughter was life changing. Now I behave differently. I become more cautious in certain aspects,” he says.

In a way, Saddi says he regrets not having children earlier. He adds that marriage is a challenge, however it is worthwhile making it work.

“You’ve got to renew yourself and the relationship. For instance, I never show I am tired when I reach home. And on the evenings that I come home after an overseas flight, I will make it a point to go out with my wife that evening itself no matter what,” he says.

On this note, Saddi makes it a point to take trips with his family two to three times a year.

Saddi’s biggest hobby right now is boating. He owns a boat and his greatest pleasure is when his children invite their friends over to play on the boat.

“Being Cancer (his horoscope), I like the water. I like the serenity and calmness of the sea,” says Saddi, who also jogs, water ski and plays table tennis and tennis.

He is presently reading The Associate by John Grisham and The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

Happiness for him is having a happy family and good friends around.

He describes himself as a family-oriented person who values friendships, loyalty and generosity (not just in material things).

Saddi would like to be remembered as a loving dad, a good friend and a good husband. Asked if he would change anything if he could, he says: “No.”

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