NASIMUDDIN : USAHAWAN UNGGUL

Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin (born 1955) is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Naza Group of Malaysia.

The Naza Group, formed in 1974, has 14 business divisions including motor trading, bikes, manufacturing, transport services, machine tools/parts, engineering, plantation, cigarette distribution, credit & leasing, water crafts, properties, hotel operation and insurance agency.

However, Naza is more famous for its automobile business. Naza Group currently holds the Malaysian franchise for South Korea's Kia vehicles, and France's Peugeot vehicles. It also holds the import permits for Mercedes Benz and Mazda vehicles.

Nasimuddin is known for being low profile in the malaysian business industry . However Judging by last year’s sales volume, his automotive empire should have registered revenue of ~4 billion ringgit. In Malaysia, a highly profitable car company is valued at roughly the same price as the revenue figure. Since Naza has been in talks to buy a 40% interest in Proton and is building a 1.2 billion Ringgit factory in Bertam, It's predictible that Naza is a very profitable company awash in cash.Therefore the market value of Naza automotive divisions as well as TTDI Development and his hotels can be estimated at approximately US$2 billion.

Beginnings

Born in 1955, Nasimuddin was always interested in cars and the automobile industry. He studied at Sekolah Menengah Tuanku Muhammad in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan.

When he was 21, he had RM80,000 in his bank account which he saved from his remunerations from helping out his contractor father. A year later, he made his first million. It was 1975 and he did it by applying for government-issued Approved Permits (AP) to import cars for bumiputras.

In retrospect, Naza Group of Companies boss Tan Sri S.M. Nasimuddin S.M. Amin felt he did it because he was already married at such a young age and was keen to venture into business on his own.

His advantage was that he was, and still is, a prudent and simple man who saved every sen he received from his parents since his school days, and from what he earned helping his father in his construction business and later from his job as a clerk.

With the RM80,000 he bought 20 APs and then flew to Japan. He spent three months there and brought in his first 20 units of used Japanese cars, which he sold in three months.

Nasimuddin started his automobile business with a shoplot in Taman Maluri selling 10 to 15 units of cars each month. In 1979, he opened a branch in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur doing retail and selling 40 to 60 cars monthly.

His rise in the auto industry was as fast as the cars he loves. “I have always loved cars since my teenage years. That is why I am in this business. My father’s construction business was not my cup of tea,” he said.

During those years, Nasimuddin had already shown his business acumen when he decided to import used Japanese cars at a time when Japanese cars were popular with Malaysians.

He faced some challenges, including financing and how to convince customers to buy used cars when many were then not keen on foreign cars. But his passion and faith in the business drove him to success.

“To succeed you must love what you do and you must know what you are doing. You must plan ahead and have direction,” he said. “In business you must start from small, study everything and go step by step.”

Naza has now also become the biggest and most prominent importer of luxury high-end vehicles in the country with endeavours such as Naza-Brabus.

Despite being a highly successful and wealthy businessman, Nasimuddin says he has not changed much. “The only difference is that I started off with five employees and now I have about 4,000,” he claims.


Awards and Recognition

In appreciation of his enormous services and contributions, he was bestowed with several awards, which among others, include the federal award Panglima Setia Mahkota (P.S.M.) by His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries the title Tan Sri.

Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin received one of South Korea’s highest awards for his contribution to the automotive industry. He received the Presidential Award industrial service medal from South Korean ambassador to Malaysia Son Sang-Ha, on behalf of the President of South Korea, at a ceremony at the embassy in Malaysia. He is the first Malaysian to have received the award.

(sumber : Wikipedia)