Interpreneur Spotlight: Kelvin Zin — A Startup Ecosystem Catalyst from Singapore
The Interpreneur Spotlight is a 10X Innovation Lab series that dives into remarkable individuals who embody the qualities of an “interpreneur”. An interpreneur is 10X’s riff on the words entrepreneur, intrapreneur, and international. An interpreneur is someone who manifests the global mindset and cultural EQ to be a successful international businessperson.
In this series, everything that budding international professionals (and those with global business aspirations) need to know about running a global organization and expanding a business will get insights from leading interpreneurs all over the world.
Kelvin Zin heads operations at the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Singapore for the western half of North America, from Texas to California. EDB, the lead agency of Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, is on a mission to create sustainable economic growth for the city state. Kelvin drives strategies to enhance its position as a global hub for business, innovation, and talent.
As part of overseeing EDB’s West Coast operations, Kelvin monitors and evaluates new tech and business trends for impact on global economic growth, and collaborates across a spectrum of Fortune 500 CEOs and high-growth startups to co-create business strategies for Asia. Kelvin is a US-educated engineer by profession and holds several patents under his name. Prior to EDB, he worked with engineering teams across Asia and Europe for the semiconductor industry.
Q: Describe a formative experience in your life that shaped your mindset and career in international business.
A: I started my career in the Semicon industry, arguably the most geographically interconnected industry in the world. My job was to develop new Semicon processes for n+2 chips (next gen), then to transfer the technology to various high volume locations in Asia and Europe. Science is straightforward. But working with various teams across different time zones and backgrounds is not easy. Each local constraint is unique. We all have biases based on our experience, so video calls alone are not enough.
It was important that we actually go down to each site to understand the challenges properly and to build trust with the local team. There was one case where there was a long standing persistent low yield on the product line. The team checked and rechecked all the parameters and found nothing amiss, causing frustration.
With a site visit and some time to build enough relationships with the team to talk about their other tasks at hand, we came to find out there was new equipment that that team was tasked to test out. It emitted significant EM (Electro Magnetic) interference which was distorting the process on our side. We installed extra EM shielding and everyone was able to move on.
Q: What's a culture shock or lost in translation moment that has happened in your career?
A: I spent almost a year in Japan in 2006. Coming from a laid back US work culture, I was shocked by the amount of discipline and Protocol that Japan R&D has in place. First, there is a chime for the official start of work, lunch, and official end of the work hours. Last time I had a chime to dictate my schedule was in high school! Before the morning chime, the entire team gathers and when the chime strikes, we all stand, gather and attendance is taken!
At the same time, safety briefing and status of lab equipment announcements were made. This regimental approach was quite difficult to adjust for a US trained R&D engineer but in retrospect, it instilled a sense of team bonding, and allowed everyone to prepare for the day ahead. The info dissemination was also clear and put everyone on the same page. This is reflected in the productivity of the team but would be hard to implement in many countries which prefer a more free form approach.
Q: What is the thing that most differentiates companies that are successful at scaling globally (“The Global Class”) from those that fail?
A: By definition, scaling globally requires embracing global talent. This is easier said than done. Global talent brings varying worldviews, priorities and values. One example would be that most Asian culture values teamwork – community above self. A compensation and promotion structure that reflects this value would be needed in order for a company to thrive in those markets.
Encouraging competition within the team may work in some countries may be seen as an unhealthy environment in others, which in turn would impede a company from attracting talent. At the same time, a good CEO needs to balance such idiosyncrasies with the overall mission and objectives of the company. This balance is hard to strike but once managed, the company would then be able to tap on global talent for its growth.
Q: What is the most important skill needed to be a successful international business leader?
A: Communication. It’s not just about stating grandiose visions, it is a two-way street. On one hand, a leader has to be able to break it down into bite-size for every employee across the globe to be able to state how each role is contributing to that vision. Many leaders who are able to do that thrive as they are able to inspire a wide swath of employees.
Reciprocally, it’s also about listening and adjusting to the needs of the employees. People who feel heard and that their voice matters do better than those who just follow orders. The single most important thing a leader can do to demonstrate everyone matters is to show that the leader listens and hears everyone.
Q: What one piece of career advice would you give to your younger self?
A: Always reinvent yourself. Past successes don't guarantee future ones. The world is changing and we need to continually learn and adapt to it.
Q: What is one prediction you have of how global business will change in a post-pandemic world?
A: Regionalization and localization will become more pronounced. There are three major drivers – First, supply chain resiliency. Companies are moving from “just in time” to “just in case”. COVID exposed some of the weaknesses of the current supply chain and they will look into that.
Second, carbon footprint has become a major consideration. Consumers demand that companies are carbon neutral or efficient. Having products and components shipped all over the world, while may be cheaper due to labour and regulation arbitrage, will not be carbon friendly. Lastly, the global taxation structure is changing. The old ways of optimization based on specialization may no longer be efficient for companies.
7. Any favorite quote and why?
“I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” I love this quote for 3 reasons:
1. It's simple for everyone to understand the message.
2. The ability to act only comes with practice and experience.
3. It’s perennial and applicable for all of us at any point in our life.
It is worth noting that 10X is writing a book on international expansion. They have crafted coveted strategies and frameworks based on interviews with executives from big tech companies like Google, Salesforce, Amazon, Slack, Microsoft, and more. The book is slated to be published in 2022, so watch out for it.