Text Jinn Chong
Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin.
In 1989, Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin made a decision that would change his life forever. After climbing the corporate ladder at Arab Malaysian Merchant Bank, he chose to leave a stable career in banking to join his family business. “I worked at the bank for eight years and wasn’t tempted to jump jobs just for a raise. For me, it wasn’t only about the money. I had great bosses who guided me, who were willing to share their experiences, and supportive colleagues across departments. But I asked myself: is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?” he recalls.
The decision was not an easy one, but it was a calculated risk. He was fortunate that his wife, Datin Wira Dr. Siti Hawa, had a steady salary as a university lecturer, providing the safety net that made the leap possible. What made the transition remarkable wasn’t the capital he carried—there was precious little of that. Instead, his late father bestowed something infinitely more valuable: a name steeped in credibility and trust. This legacy dated back to 1957, when his father, Mydin Mohamed, opened the family’s first store—a small wooden shop in Kota Bharu, Kelantan—originally selling toys and general goods.
It was this reputation, built on years of unwavering integrity—especially in paying creditors on time—that opened doors for the fledgling business. Trusting the elder Mydin’s good standing, suppliers extended credit generously, allowing Ameer and his siblings to stock shelves and gain a foothold without hefty upfront investment.
“Basically, with that name, we had what we needed to get the goods on credit,” he explains. “It proved invaluable for a small business owner starting from scratch.” Empowered by this inherited trust, Kuala Lumpur’s first Mydin store opened in an 800-square-foot space in Masjid India, running with just one employee alongside Ameer himself. It was at this pioneering location that the power of reputation became currency for the next generation.
Getting Schooled in Business
Ameer says his entrepreneurial spirit was forged in the most unlikely place—a primary school playground. He recounts how, at just seven years old, he received his first lesson in business. “My father never gave me pocket money for school. Instead, I was handed a packet of toys and told to sell them to my classmates to earn money to buy meals,” he remembers.
The arrangement was simple but profound: sell the toys, return the original cost to his father, and keep the profit as allowance. This childhood commerce taught lessons no MBA programme could replicate. “I learned how difficult it was to earn money, and hence I became more cautious with spending. When you earn money this way, you automatically become frugal,” he adds.
“Don’t worry about legacy. Do good things for the world and live a peaceful life.” – Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin
“People say easy come, easy go—if you win money from a lottery, it’s often gone within five years because you didn’t earn it.” The experience instilled a fundamental understanding that would later shape Ameer’s entire business philosophy—the difference between money earned and money given.
“Nowadays, we often shower children with gifts and tell them it’s okay to have them. But my father was a very strict man who taught me the value of money and what it took to earn your keep,” he reflects. This early exposure to sales, profit margins, and customer relations planted seeds that would eventually help him lead Mydin.
Leadership in Action
The measure of a leader isn’t found in the boardroom—it’s revealed in moments of crisis. For Ameer, that moment came in 2008 when political upheaval in Nepal left his employees stranded in Kathmandu, unreachable for days. Without hesitation, he boarded a flight to Bangkok—the only route into the troubled nation—and travelled alone to help his staff get home.
“I didn’t want to take other staff members with me as I didn’t want them to get stuck if something went wrong,” he explains. Despite the serious situation, the journey took an unexpected twist: when he arrived at the hotel, his employees had checked out that very morning, leaving on the same flight he had arrived on.
This episode symbolised a philosophy Ameer holds dear: treating employees as family rather than mere resources. “I make it a point to ensure our Human Resources department delivers a basket of fruit to ailing staff,” he says. “Think with your head but decide with your heart.”
This hands-on leadership extended to even greater challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. While medical advice urged those over 60 to stay home, Ameer and his brothers, all over that age, visited stores daily. “As the leader, you should be the one to take the first bullet.”
Adaptation Over Reinvention
As our conversation drew to a close, Ameer reflected on his journey as an entrepreneur. At 70, retirement was not in his vocabulary. “Entrepreneurs never retire; they drop dead,” he says with a chuckle. Work, for him, is a holiday; weekends are mere interludes before diving back in. Yet he tempers this fervour with wisdom: rest is essential, and carving out quiet moments for reflection is key—especially in an era where smartphones steal attention from the ideas blooming around us.
“I learned how difficult it was to earn money, and hence I became more cautious with spending. When you earn money this way, you automatically become frugal.” – Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin
Innovation, in his world, springs from curiosity and adaptation rather than radical reinvention. Travelling remains his greatest muse—visiting countries like Pakistan, India, China and Indonesia to observe how businesses operate abroad. He then brings these observations home to Malaysia, adapting them for the local market.
Take the humble brooch: originally earrings spotted overseas, reimagined for tudung-wearing customers by adjusting shapes, sizes and colours to suit local tastes. “Copy, tweak, paste,” he advises. “Why reinvent the wheel when you can refine it?” This philosophy has kept Mydin agile, meeting customer needs by embracing change without stubborn resistance. “If I insisted on doing things the old way, we would be finished.”
Letting Go and Doing Good
On legacy and succession, Ameer’s perspective has softened with age. A decade ago, he might have obsessed over preserving the family name and ensuring continuity. Now, maturity brings freedom: “Don’t worry about legacy. Do good things for the world and live a peaceful life.”
Challenges will arise, but he is at peace, trusting that proper foundations allow others to excel—perhaps even surpass him. After all, a leader’s true weakness is believing no one else can do it better. Wealth, in his view, isn’t about how much money you have but about compassion—helping in small ways that ripple outward.
As Mydin navigates the future, it is this blend of innovation and empathy that defines Ameer’s enduring vision: a retail empire built not just on commerce, but on connection, adaptation, and the simple joy of doing good. “In the end,” he muses, “True success is leaving the world better than you found it—ready for the next generation to soar even higher.”
Photography Edmund Lee.
Art Direction Amos Yip & Khairani Ramli.
