While speaking with Goodrich Global’s Group CEO, Benny Lim, I discover a long-held secret. Though the luxury car and commercial vehicle veteran spent 25 years working with the likes of Audi, Volkswagen and MAN, since his university days he has always quietly aspired to run his own interior renovation business.
“I have never shared that secret with anyone except my wife,” says Benny. “During my school years, I invested S$5,000 in a friend’s interior renovation business. Initially, it was a very small company, with just myself and my older friend investing, and a couple of employees.
“We managed to secure some projects for small renovation works in commercial offices and condominiums, as well as some residential projects. However, due to cashflow and customer payment issues, the company was forced to close down after less than a year.” Finding himself out of pocket S$5,000, which he had borrowed from his father, Benny had to take up additional part-time employment to pay it back.
25 years in the automotive industry
After spending 6 years in the military as an army officer, Benny worked for a local company for another few years before joining Volkswagen Group Singapore as country manager for Audi.
Subsequently, he was successfully selected from a pool of candidates to attend an international executive development program with Audi AG in Germany, and after its completion he chose to stay on with Audi, and subsequently Volkswagen, working for 10 years managing the Group’s distribution network in the Asia–Pacific region.
“The work offered me many international opportunities and took me from Singapore over to Germany, China, Korea and Malaysia where I helped to establish the wholesale and retail businesses for Audi and Volkswagen,” he says.
Following this stint, Benny spent another few years with a global engine manufacturer and a luxury commercial vehicle manufacturer – MAN Truck and Bus in China, another brand from Volkswagen Group. “I was the president and regional head, responsible for the business operations in China and North Asia,” he notes.
Following this, Benny took up a new role as the Group general manager for Audi and Volkswagen distributor in Qatar. In early 2013, Benny joined SMRT Corporation, a leading multi-modal land transport operator in Singapore as its managing director for Road Business.
“All in all, I spent 25 years in the automotive and transport industry prior to switching to my current role as a Group CEO for Goodrich Global.”
Benny Lim forges a new path into interior furnishings
When he was approached in late 2015 by an international headhunter for Goodrich, Benny considered the leading role with a global interior furnishings distributor with both excitement and hesitation. He saw a new path to follow his long-held dream. But as the old
adage says, once bitten, twice shy.
Benny wanted to first be sure he wouldn’t be burned a second time, so he conducted his own research and analysis, finalising his decision. “I thought, the industry is already saturated and the products are becoming more like a commodity, meaning the sector mostly competes based on price. Furthermore, there had been a labour shortage, especially in Singapore, with people not wanting to take on installation jobs in the interior furnishing industry,” explains Benny.
I felt that, through new technologies and innovations, I could grow the company beyond the traditional markets.
“After more research, I was convinced that there were still growth and opportunities in the industry. I felt that with innovative products and services, new technologies, an enhanced distribution network, a motivated workforce, and inroads into new segments like healthcare and commercial offices, I could reconstruct the market boundary and grow the company beyond the traditional markets. “So I decided to follow my passion and pursue my dream. I joined Goodrich Global as Group CEO in mid 2016.”
A Global vision
Since its inception in 1983, the company has grown to carry a long and comprehensive list of wallcovering, fabric, carpet and flooring to meet its diverse customers’ needs and expectations across its 11 countries of operation, with more than 40 regional offices and galleries.
Goodrich Global’s vision is to be the leading global brand in interior furnishings by enriching the habitat where people live, work and play.
“We strive hard to meet this vision and have built our team with this mantra in mind. To achieve our long-term goals, we have devised 5 strategic thrusts: improving customer experience, strengthening workforce health, entrenching organisational excellence, enhancing operational performance, and, last but not least, ensuring sustainable growth,” says Benny.
Restructuring Goodrich Global
Since being appointed Group CEO, he has restructured and transformed the company’s operations to ensure greater integration and consolidation to optimise costs and efficiencies, enhance distribution capabilities, strengthen product management, and establish a high performance and people-oriented workplace culture.
This has included expanding its footprint into new markets, introducing more automation, and rolling out a multimillion-dollar enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
“It’s been more than 10 months now since I joined Goodrich Global and things are changing. We’re making good progress already to bring the company to the next level of growth and development. We are committed to setting many more new trends and finding innovative ways of adding value to our customers.”
Goodrich Global rolls out iMatch
Outside of the restructuring efforts, Benny has successfully led the company through the beginnings of a digital transformation, with collaborations with government agencies, technology partners and interior design companies. This has resulted in the development of a 3D-scan visualiser in 2016. “Together with our iMatch capability – available in web format, android and iOS – this will definitely improve our customer buying experience,” Benny continues.
Goodrich Global has launched both the iMatch and 3D scanner in Singapore, and is in the process of rolling the innovations out to other countries in the region. Meanwhile, the launch of the Goodrich Global Innovation Hub in China in 2016 is expected to continue to generate more new ideas and efficiencies.
“By leveraging on the technology and innovation, we are trying to change the way the designers, customers and our employees work. It gives them an innovative and productive way of working,” Benny concludes.