Take Five - time out with #TeamISG: Boon Hau Tay
In our latest ‘Take five’ interview, we caught up with Boon Hau Tay, project manager at ISG in Singapore who shares his experience working at projects across Asia and the key learnings along the way.
Did you always want to have a job like yours?
I have always been intrigued by construction and from a young age I was quite keen to pursue a career in this sector. This has led me to study interior design at the Malaysian Institute of Art, and my initial introduction to the industry were from a design perspective. However soon I was inclined towards project management and was getting more involved in operations.
Please share few sentences outlining your current role at ISG.
Project management is a multifaceted role and encompasses different responsibilities to ensure all internal and external stakeholders’ tasks are aligned. At ISG, as a project manager we are involved from the early days of project’s tendering, design to procurement, managing sub-contractors, cost and risk management, liaising with clients and consultants, while ensuing everything is completed within our HSQE standards. To sum it up my role is to ensure we handover the project as per set expectations, and this is not an easy task with all the variables that come in play during the execution phase.
What’s been the proudest moment of your career?
Throughout my career I had the opportunity to work on amazing projects across different sectors, however the ones that strike me the most were the Grand Hyatt hotel in Kuala Lumpur and the Capella Waterfront hotel in Bangkok. The intricate designs of these projects were made by renowned architects, and the attention to detail was impressive. We used new materials which I’ve never worked with before, and we pushed the boundaries with some creative solutions and new work techniques to meet clients’ expectations while staying true to the designs.
"Having worked on over 70 projects across my career, I have seen my share of challenges and complications, but I always found my way around them using the experiences that I’ve compiled in my previous roles."
What are the key wins taken from the projects you’ve worked on? What advantages have you been able to bring?
Before settling in Singapore, I was very fortunate to have worked in different countries including Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Dubai in UAE. I learned about different cultures and traditions worked under different construction laws and regulations. I got introduced to different tools and ways of managing projects, and people. Because of this regional experience I now speak English, Chinese, Malay and Thai, which is extremely useful living and working at ISG in Singapore’s multicultural scene.
Having worked on over 70 projects across my career, I have seen my share of challenges and complications, but I always found my way around them using the experiences that I’ve compiled in my previous roles.
What do you do for fun?
I really enjoy going on long walks and hikes, and Singapore is home to beautiful parks with amazing trails for trekking. I go on expedition across the country to learn of new areas and experiment new flavours and foods.
What is on your bucket list?
Well, I’d like to explore as many new cultures and visit new countries as possible, and I hope I will get to explore new territories.
If you could have any superhero power in the world, what would it be? And why?
I sometimes wish I can predict the future with the best use of technology and find ways to improve our lives as human beings.
