Looking back, what inspired you to found M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd?
Although I am a lawyer by profession, I would say I am, first and foremost, an entrepreneur. Further to law, I ventured into various businesses as well and it was the success from these ventures that armed me with the knowledge and finances to start M101. Every business venture that I was involved in was somehow related to property – from conveyancing and land deals to investments and marketing. Insights into the property sector from various perspectives, and living through the full cycle of its ups and downs shaped me to be a prudent yet aggressive developer who understands market needs.
What do you regard as crucial for you to stay on top of your game?
I believe that a sustainable business strategy is the main factor to staying on top because it serves as the back bone of the company. At M101, we champion property tourism as our business strategy and we differentiate ourselves by partnering with brands such as Studio FA Porsche and Hasbro for a horizontal brand penetration. Guided by our business strategy, we are always doing something different to break out of the norm. For instance, we have the world’s first integrated development with a Ferris wheel on the 52nd floor, the world’s first Monopoly-themed hotel, the Monopoly Mansion, and Asia’s first Planet Hollywood Hotel.
Dato’ Seth Yap, Ceo And Founder Of M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd
What do you foresee are the game-changing challenges facing your industry?
The property industry will definitely evolve. As the market grows and develops, people will become more sophisticated in their purchases as well as became more brand conscious, especially in Kuala Lumpur. This is why so many international brands are starting to build a presence in this region. In order to tackle the future, M101 is championing property tourism as our core business strategy. Instead of building just another integrated development, we are building a branded development that fits the market’s needs and further elevate Malaysia’s tourism industry. With Skywheel, as well as our other developments, we want to build an icon that is well-known across all target markets and industries. We are also confident that the development contributes to the redevelopment of Kampung Baru – creating a ‘twin city’ in KL City Centre, with M101 Skywheel being one of the twins and the other KLCC Petronas Twin Towers, to bring about the success of property tourism. We also envision similar results with Monopoly Mansion. Not only is it poised to be the first Monopoly-themed hotel in the world, we also want to bring a new flavour to the hospitality industry.
Single out a leader in the corporate world listed in the Fortune Global 500 you wish to emulate.
I think it would be unfair to single out just one company. To be listed in the Fortune Global 500 itself is already a fantastic achievement and I believe that there is something that we can learn from everyone. The main contactor for M101 Skywheel, China Railway Construction Company, is one of the companies that made it on that list and it is definitely an honour to work with them.
What most excites and worries you?
M101 is perceived as a new developer championing innovative new development that no other developers have done before. We have the advantage of being the trendsetter but the disadvantage of being a newbie. However, I believe that by being persistent and believing in our abilities to deliver, and together with the support of our team, we will overcome these challenges. We have already completed our maiden development, M101 Dang Wang, which is now operating as RED by Sirocco hotel. M101 has also been recognised in several highly acclaimed awards such as the Starproperty.my Awards and being listed in Hurun Report.
What are your strategies to make M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd the most successful company in your industry?
Like I mentioned earlier, what is unique about M101 is our sustainable business strategy. Further to being a developer, we take one step further by managing our own hotels via our subsidiary, Sirocco Hospitality Group, thus ensuring the success of our development and maintaining the quality of hospitality services. We believe that our business strategy will not only drive our company’s success, but also elevate both the property and the tourism scene of Malaysia internationally.
