.gif)
Yew Kai Chong had his work cut out when he joined Tesco Malaysia in 2002.
Not only was he starting his first managerial role, but he’d also decided to complete the final - and most difficult – part of his CIMA studies. 'It sounds a bit crazy now,' he says. 'But at the time it made sense to me. I'd taken some time out from studying to get more experience in the business world. Then, when I started at Tesco, it made sense to complete the course, because my studies would help my job and vice versa.'
Chong's plan worked well. Five years on, he has played a key role in Tesco's rapid expansion across Malaysia. In his role as Finance Manager – Appraisal, Analysis & Reporting, Chong was responsible for helping to assess how each store was performing and ensuring that shareholders received the right returns.
The CIMA qualification has played an important role in Chong’s career development. 'We had the choice of four qualifications when I was studying accountancy at college,' he says. 'But it quickly became clear to me that CIMA was the only one that has the business perspective I was looking for,' he continues. .gif)
'If I'd chosen one of the others, I probably would have ended up doing a lot of auditing. I knew that CIMA would give me a real insight into how businesses worked and how to analyse the numbers to help improve a company’s performance.'
Such skills are vital to Tesco’s programme of expansion. 'My CIMA training definitely made me a more attractive proposition for Tesco,' Chong says.
'They were looking for someone with analytical skills to help the company make better decisions. CIMA has a very strong thread of analysis running through the syllabus and it’s tailor-made for a highly competitive sector like retail, where you need to measure performance all the time and look for new ways to make efficiencies.'
Like Tesco, Chong has also progressed. He has just been promoted to the role of Site Research Country Manager. Looking back, he believes that his CIMA studies have enhanced his ability to see the bigger picture outside the finance function.
'CIMA has helped me to become a forward-looking person,' he explains. 'Because of my training, I always make sure I study the overall picture before I make any decisions.'
Five years after joining Tesco, Chong still has his work cut out, but he’s loving every minute of it. 'We've come so far and now we’re working hard on achieving even more,' he says. 'Being a CIMA member means that I can also keep up with all the latest developments in management accountancy, so I stay ahead of the game.'
