CEO Insights Magazine

The way leaders think about people, culture, and workplace practices has shifted dramatically. They've realized that excellent "People" leadership and systems are key drivers of operational and financial success. As a result, there is growing recognition that the background, skills, and competencies of the CPO position are critical components to the overall success of the business, and that an alarmingly high percentage of current HR/People leaders lack the necessary skills to lead their organizations in the future.

Ramon Chelva joined Edotco Group as Chief People Officer (CPO) in July 2019. Ramon brings to the table extensive expertise in numerous senior management positions, including Chief Human Resources Officer, VP Organization Development Asia Pacific, and VP Group HR for global and regional enterprises. He was an Executive Director at PwC SEA Consulting before joining Edotco Group. Further, Ramon also specializes in large-scale HR transformations, merger and acquisition integrations, global talent programme development, strategic workforce planning, and assisting firms in becoming Employers of Choice.

In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights Asia Magazine, Ramon Chelva CPO at Edotco Group walks us through his professional journey along with the unique traits of the company:

Could you enlighten us about Edotco Group's impact and presence across the Telecommunications sector in Malaysia?

We are proud to be Asia's first and foremost comprehensive telecommunications infrastructure services provider, with a portfolio of over 50,000 towers spread across 9 countries. Since our inception eight years ago, we have risen to become a global top six player, and Credit Suisse recently named us one of Malaysia's three domestic unicorns.

We specialize in end-to-end tower services solutions such as co-locations, build-to-suit, energy, transmission, and operations and maintenance (O&M). Despite the fact that the TowerCo industry has historically been known as a grass and steel sector, what distinguishes Edotco Group is our dedication to ESG, the community, and our people.

We are constantly pushing the boundaries in coming up with more innovative and sustainable solutions, such as our bamboo tower and carbon fiber solutions. As a progressive organization, we have an aggressive target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Tell us about the vital lessons you have inculcated from your previous career experiences and how do you find them helpful in your current role and operations?

Three vital lessons that have served me well throughout my professional career have been to always maintain a growth attitude and strive to avoid stagnation, to prioritise connecting with others, and to focus on developing and utilising our skills (sharpening the saw). This is something I learned from the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks. Find out what you enjoy doing the most and work on improving your skills in that area. Remember that no one becomes an expert overnight, and that we will have to work hard to go where we want to go. While anyone with enough hard work can be good at something, those who take pride and happiness in their work will succeed more than those who do not.

What has been your success mantra helping your operations so far?

“Teamwork wins championships, individuals win medals,” is my success slogan. I am a fervent believer that cooperation and collaboration distinguish excellent from exceptional enterprises. I'm also continually instilling the "Championship" mindset in all of our personnel. Gilbert Enoka (New Zealand All Blacks Leadership Coach) was appointed as our Championship mental coach to keep our people managers focused on the Championship aim. Gilbert is in charge of teaching championship mental models and inspiring our people to achieve our Global Top 5 goal. He consults with our entire Middle and Senior Management team of over 300 people.

What are the goals you wish to achieve in your future roadmap?

My goal is to make Edotco Group a talent magnet and to propel the TowerCo business forward, competing with more mature industries (banking, digital companies, and more). To help realise this goal, we created the Bionic Organization', a forward-thinking people approach. Our "Bionic Organization" strategy can be broken down into three thematic areas: becoming Fitter, Faster, and Far Better without sacrificing the human soul, believing in the power of digital to make work and people experiences more intuitive and connected, and harnessing the power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to drive innovation and collective wisdom.

It has been a fruitful and rewarding journey so far over the past 3 years I have been in Edotco Group. In the recent Employee Experience Awards 2021, we were awarded the overall Champion, taking home 12 medals competing against leading organizations across the region. It is definitely a sign that we are progressing in the right direction.

Based on your professional experiences, what would be your advice to individuals stepping into this space?

My advice to prospective HR professionals is to focus on the intrinsic parts of human nature, such as offering a strong sense of purpose, more autonomy, opportunities for competence development, and developing meaningful workplace connections. Always be genuine, believe in authenticity, and add genuine value. In this day and age of digitalization and hyper connectivity, it is critical to incorporate the human touch into everything we do in HR.

Finally, keep in mind to work hard and play even harder. This greatly contributes to the team's positive attitude. While we are committed to attaining our Top 5 Championship ambition, we also believe in having fun at work. We aspire to be Champions

Ramon Chelva,Chief People Officer,Edotco Group

Ramon Chelva was appointed the Chief People Officer of Edotco Group in July 2019. Previously, he had experience in various senior management positions, having served as Chief HR Officer, VP Organization Development Asia Pacific, VP Group HR for global and regional organizations. He also has extensive international exposure having worked across 13 countries in Asia Pacific.

• Hobbies: Racing, music, extreme activities

• Favourite Cuisine: Western, Japanese, Thai

• Favourite Book: Anything related to change, innovation and self improvement

• Favourite Travel Destination: Japan, Southeast Asia, Turkey

Awards:

1. Employee ExperiencWe Awards 2022 – Most  Inspiring Leader

2. HRD Asia Most Innovative HR Team in Asia Year 2022

3. Employee Experience Awards (EXA) 2022 Champion of the Year 2022

4. Top 10 Best Chief People Officer in Asia 2022

5. Employee Experience Awards 2021 – Most Inspiring Leader

6. HR Excellence Awards 2021 – HR Leader of the Year

7. HRD Asia HR Team of the Year (Asia) Year 2021.