All you can be, and more

AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes talks about Apprentice Asia, writes Subhadra Devan

TAN Sri Tony Fernandes’ apprentice stands to gain more than just a job. Given the tycoon’s winsome combination of a logical approach to business, no-nonsense management, streets smarts and a passion to succeed, the winner of reality show Apprentice Asia, will get some life lessons as well.

In fact, according to the Forbes Asia 2010 Businessman of the Year, humility is one characteristic Fernandes is looking for in the winner of Apprentice Asia.

“Success is hard to get. But sometimes you forget how hard the success is, so humility is important,” says the AirAsia Group CEO.

Other factors are communication skills, ability to innovate and make decisions quickly, and someone who can adapt to a modern world with different businesses.

Fernandes says he is also looking for an apprentice who can handle change management as “the hardest thing is to change halfway through a plan”. The winner must also have the will to succeed as “too many give up too quickly”.

“I fought for seven years to get the Kuala Lumpur and Singapore routes. I did it because it’s my job. If we had given up before starting, before the first rejection, the airline wouldn’t be what we are today. You must fight for what is right.”

Fernandes, 47, is best known for turning around AirAsia to become Southeast Asia’s No. 1 budget airline. His businesses now include a hotel chain, a mobile phone provider and a Formula 1 racing team.

He helms AXN’s Asian adaptation of The Apprentice, which host and co-executive producer multibillionaire Donald Trump made famous for his signature line, “You’re fired!”

By the way, this isn’t the first time Fernandes has appeared on screen. In 2008, he had a cameo in the local movie, Cuci, which he co-produced with Hans Isaac. The cast included Awie and Afdlin Shauki.

Fernandes says he had turned down Apprentice Asia show a few times.

“I didn’t think I had the right personality for it, after having seen a bit of Donald Trump on the show. The producers kept coming back. Then they squeezed the filming schedule so that we finished in one month and mostly in countries I wanted it to be. It’s a bit of a record,” he adds.

Apprentice Asia, set for broadcast on AXN in May, is filmed mainly in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The call for contestants went out late last year and, of the 30,000 forms downloaded from the website, 12 contestants were selected. The winner, after 13 episodes, gets a year’s contract to work at one of Fernandes’ companies.

The winner, adds Fernandes, will be based “wherever I am and who knows where that is”.

“They have to follow me and be mobile. I’ve never had an apprentice before. This show has spoilt me, someone does my hair, makeup… The enthusiasm I see in the contestants is phenomenal. I can tell you this person (who becomes his apprentice) will have to learn a lot. (But) I will bring out qualities you never thought you had,” he says.

“I myself learnt much from the contestants. They’d gone through a lot to be on the show. What they had to do in the show was tough. They were locked in a room. They couldn’t talk to each other…

“My own life hasn’t been about learning from one person. Life to me is one big apprenticeship.”

Appearing with Fernandes on the show are AirAsiaExpedia  CEO Kathleen Tan and Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester.

His key elements on being a good employer includes the ability to listen and to practise what you preach. “You also need to understand everyone’s job. You can’t make effective decisions unless you go down to the bottom and understand what’s going on. So sitting in an ivory tower or your big office… you won’t know what’s going on,” he explains.

“Finally, you must be able to look at them, not just at what they came in to do but to turn them into diamonds, which we have been good at doing.”

On how he may fire people on the show, Fernandes jests with: “The Tony Fernandes Asian style. I may send an email.”

But he adds that he’s not very good at firing people although “the show has made me better at it”. And is there a line? “You have to watch the show.”

 

Tan (left) and Lankester will appear with Tony on the show.

All you can be, and more