Malaysian entrepreneur Datuk Seri Vijay Eswaran and his company, the QI Group, have experienced significant growth over the past 25 years. The QI Group is now headquartered in Hong Kong and has regional headquarters in the green-certified QI Tower in Petaling Jaya. It operates in over 30 countries and employs over 2,000 people worldwide.
The QI Group has diversified interests in sectors such as direct selling, travel and leisure, retail, financial services, real estate, and education.
Vijay Eswaran, who was born in Penang, founded and has served as the executive chairman of the QI Group since its inception. He initially left Malaysia in search of opportunities but eventually returned to strengthen the local presence of his business.
As the QI Group approaches its 25th anniversary, Vijay reflects on the company’s beginnings in Manila during the Asian economic crisis in 1998. He and a small group of people decided to start a business to support the nearly 2,000 individuals who depended on them for their livelihoods.
“We started with hope, prayer, belief in ourselves, and the Lord’s hand,” Vijay recalls. “If someone had told me back then that we would be celebrating our 25th anniversary, I would have laughed. In those early days, surviving the first 12 months would have been a milestone.”
Vijay emphasizes the foundation of the QI Group’s success, which is its mission called RYTHM (Raise Yourself To Help Mankind). He believes in the importance of this mission and the strong belief in what they were doing and in each other.
Throughout his career, Vijay has taken on numerous roles, including entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, speaker, and thought leader. He has written best-selling books and has been recognized for his philanthropic initiatives.
In addition to the direct selling business, the QI Group now encompasses various businesses such as a heritage Swiss watch brand, a supermarket chain in Hawaii, hotels and resorts, and Quest International University (QIU) in Ipoh.
Vijay established QIU to provide quality and affordable education, reversing the trend of Asian students seeking education overseas. QIU has welcomed approximately 7,000 students from nearly 50 countries and focuses on nurturing curiosity, industry relevance, and environmental consciousness.
The QI Group recently embarked on the Sukuk Ijarah program, which will fund the construction of a new QIU campus in Gunung Lang, Ipoh. This initiative aims to create an ecosystem that fosters holistic learning and innovation.
Vijay and the QIU leadership are dedicated to shaping the next generation of leaders and intellectuals, evident in QIU’s academic achievements and research excellence. QIU has been recognized as one of the top Malaysian universities listed in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021.
Vijay is committed to sustainable practices in the QI Group’s operations, implementing policies such as meat and plastic-free offices. The company’s employees have also contributed over 100,000 volunteer hours to ecological and social causes.
The QI Group’s social impact initiative, RYTHM Foundation, focuses on education, empowerment, and the environment aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The foundation has collaborated with over 135 partners and executed over 75 transformative projects.
As the QI Group celebrates its 25th anniversary, Vijay acknowledges the importance of the company’s team and believes in finding value in every individual’s contributions. He looks to the future with hope and optimism.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
