For this E&E guy, it was time to come home

For Malaysians working abroad, one of the concerns they have about returning home is that Malaysia still lacks career opportunities that suit them. However, for S. Purushothuman Kesavan Swaminathan, his time overseas reaffirmed his belief that there were not only opportunities for growth back home but also a chance to nurture Malaysian talent and develop Malaysia’s Electrical & Electronics (E&E) sector.

With 27 years of experience in the E&E industry under his belt, this Vice President of Operations of Flextronics Technology in Penang has a remarkable knowledge of the industry. Fondly known as K7 to some of his colleagues, Kesavan’s career took him to places like Singapore, China, India and Vietnam. It also provided him with opportunities to learn more, not only about the industry but also the start-up environment and overall operations within an organisation. 

“I began to understand the commercial part of it, the legal entity, while also looking at the overall financial mechanism – I had the opportunity to learn different things from each of the countries I worked in.”

Being Malaysian, he felt, gave him an advantage over his non-Malaysian peers. “It was a very good learning experience for me, with a lot of advantages coming from a multicultural environment and getting into different countries. I adapted much easier compared to my counterparts who came from the US or Europe.”

As with all returning Malaysians, the pull of family was a big reason for his return home. But for Kesavan, it was also because he wanted to be able to contribute towards nation-building. 

Rather than simply perusing my knowledge and skills outside of the country, I decided to come back and help our fellow Malaysians as the point is becoming rather critical. We need to strengthen our overall skill sets rather than being complacent about where we are right now.”

While appreciative of his international experiences, Kesavan is glad to be home, and grateful for the opportunities that his return has given him. He noticed significant improvements in the E&E industry in Malaysia and believes that activities in Malaysian plants are “picking up in terms of investment”.

“The industry has grown to be stronger than what it was many years back with renewed product inceptions and new opportunities,” he shared. 

Kesavan also wants Malaysian talents to know that now is the time to take that next step and come home, not just for their families or careers but to help the country reach its full potential.

There are a lot of opportunities in Malaysia and contributing to our own country is the way forward.”