The coloured life of Tan Sri Gnanalingam: from military cadet to marketing guru, to starting Westports and becoming a billionaire.

Westports Holdings Bhd founder and executive chairman Tan Sri G Gnanalingam passed away on the 12th of July 2023, at the age of 78. "Tan Sri Datuk Gnanalingam was the founder of Westports and a source of inspiration; he touched our lives and the community with his compassion, generosity and kindness. His vision and stewardship of the Company have built and transformed Westports and Port Klang into the preeminent gateway port in Malaysia and one of the transhipment hubs in South East Asia," the company said in an announcement.

He attended the prestigious Royal Military College from 1960 until 1964 as a cadet before obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree from University of Malaya in 1968. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School in Boston, USA, having attended the School's Advanced Management Programme in 1983.

His efforts in growing Westports to be an international player were recognised when he was named Transport Man of the Year in 2001 by the Ministry of Transport. Tan Sri Gnanalingam was included in Forbes' 2021 billionaires list, with a net worth of about US$1.7 billion at the time.

Sixty years ago, G Gnanalingam led a small team from the Royal Military College (RMC) to climb Mount Korbu, the second highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia. They were among the first to achieve the feat, three days up and three days down, cutting their way through the treacherous mountain. One of the climbers, Yusuf Hashim, said: If you should ever find yourself at the trig point of Gunung Korbu, look for a small brass plate with our names nailed onto the trunk of one of the many dwarf oak trees around the summit. Having immortalised their names at the peak, some of them later pursued their professions with relentless energy, showing themselves to be brilliant, imaginative, focused and driven.

Yusuf was managing director of Shell Chemicals in Malaysia before he began living a life absorbed in adventure, criss-crossing continents as a wild-haired explorer. In paying tribute to Gnanalingam, who died on Tuesday, aged 78, Yusuf said: My dear friend was a much-loved and helpful person who was ahead of his time.

Tan Sri Gnanalingam first became an enterprising tobacco salesman, who defined sports marketing in the country, followed by a business pitching television and radio spots that made big money for Radio Television Malaysia (RTM). He was the man behind such projects like bringing live telecasts of footballs World Cup to Malaysian homes in the 1980s.

He then morphed into the genius who created Westports one of two terminals within Port Klang out of swampy land. Gnanalingam joined the privately held Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd (WMSB) in 1994 and was instrumental in steering the port into a leading cargo and freight player in Asia. Since 2000, he was the executive chairman of WMSB. Prior to that, he was the managing director from 1995 to 1999. Former secretary-general of Transport Ministry Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam remembers Gnanalingam as having valiantly led and contributed greatly to Westports and inspired us all with his many innovative initiatives!

Master Marketeer

The passing of Gnanalingam has reminded the country of a true trailblazer in sports business. While his achievements as an established port operator are well-documented, few know that he defined sports marketing in Malaysia. Veteran marketing and brand communications specialist Harmandar Singh said: He was a giant who moved things in the media industry. He rocked the show and reframed all legacy thinking before him. Advertising guru Rishya Joseph said: His loss to the media and the business community is immeasurable, and one that will remain irreplaceable. Joseph worked for seven years at Ted Bates Advertising with Gnanalingam when he was the marketing director at Malayan Tobacco Company (MTC), now British American Tobacco, Malaysia. It was while at MTC that Gnanalingam pounced on the golden triangle of sport, sponsorship, and the media to tap its vast wealth. In 1982, former sportswriters George Das and R Velu were languishing between jobs when Gnanalingam roped them in to manage the sports media and to publicise all MTC-sponsored events. This boosted MTCs public profile, and in 1984, he changed the sports scene in the country, said Das, alluding to the Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open Golf, the first such sponsor-titled event. It was a business without any competition, really, said Das. He also broke ground by placing cigarette logos in the sports pages of newspapers at a time when there was no restriction on tobacco advertisement.

Inspiring, innovative

He was a force in communications always inspiring, challenging and innovative, and leaves an indelible legacy in the world of sport, said Velu. He said at a time when sports sponsorship was still in its infancy in the region, Gnanalingam saw the incredible benefits of using sports sponsorship as a marketing tool to promote a brand. Local sports benefitted as he used different brands to sponsor many events, including football, badminton, hockey, golf, athletics, and motorsports. Football fans also gained from MTCs sponsorship of live telecast of the Fifa World Cup, while music lovers got to see famous entertainers at concerts in Kuala Lumpur, he said.

After he left MTC, he started GT Consultants to handle the airtime sales for RTM, structuring the sales in such a way that it brought in additional revenue to the national broadcaster. Velu said he joined forces with GT Consultants when his company, Inter-Sports Marketing, was bidding for the marketing rights to the 1989 SEA Games in Malaysia. He was told by the late Hamzah Abu Samah, then president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, the rights holder to the games, that he would have to team up with a bigger company to become the marketing agent. Gnanalingam agreed to get involved, and we packaged the games to give major companies a positive brand identity, said Velu. He said subsequent organisers of the biennial meet used the same marketing strategy to sell their games to sponsors.

Touching athletes, giving generously

World Cup golfer Nazamuddin Yusof said Gnanalingam was central to the development of golf in the country and had always placed the athlete at the heart of the business. He motivated me to go professional, and stood by me and my late teammate, M Ramayah, in our sporting careers. Further, he created many events, including a second-tier tournament for golfers, who could not make money at international level, to earn a living playing the sport, he said.

Former race and rally hero Hanifah Yoong Yin Fah said Gnanalingam was instrumental in bringing the first Malaysian motorcycle grand prix to Shah Alam in 1991 through Lucky Strike sponsorship. He was a living saint and a philanthropist, and I loved him as my elder brother and an adviser of life, said Hanifah, who was encouraged by Gnanalingam to join RMC because he was good in football, cycling and athletics.

Former Armed Forces athletics coach and Olympian Karu Selvaratnam said MTCs sponsorship of the Lumut Naval Base Sports complex in the 1980s left them flushed with funds that were used to support other sporting needs. He did so much for so many of us, and we should be eternally grateful to him, said Karu.

Malaysias sprint legend M Jegathesan said over the five decades he had known Gnanalingam, he admired his ability to convert his dreams into reality. He was always modest and down to earth and will be deeply missed by all those who have worked with him, and been advised by him, he said.

ASSIGNMENT TASK

Based on this case study, critique the approaches in leadership of Tan Sri Gnanalingam in terms of his:

1) Personality traits and discuss their perceived strengths and/or weaknesses.

2) The leadership behaviour that you believe he engages in.

3) Predominant leadership style and its impact at the individual and the organisational levels.

4) The bases of power he primarily uses and influencing tactics he employs to increase his powers.

5) Ethical practices at both the individual and organisational levels.

6) Would you employ his leadership style or an alternate style? Discuss.