Liu Shaw Jiun of Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd wins Executive of the Year - Residential Product Manufacturing at the SBR Management Excellence Awards 2018

Over the last 50 years, Daikin Singapore has grown and progressed its business in line with Singapore’s own development. 50 years later, they continue to develop, shape and lead the market.

In order to have sustainable operations in a matured Singapore market, Liu Shaw Jiun, managing director of Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd, sought to introduce new products and services. But these new products and services needed to comply with the National Environment Agency's (NEA) more stringent standards and the increasing demand for environmentally-friendly practices. In order to adjust to the evolving market and environmental requirements, Liu transformed the company from being an equipment provider to a solution provider. The result was Daikin Singapore's highest sales in FY17 in its 50 years of history. Because of this, Liu clinched the Executive of the Year-Residential Product Manufacturing at the SBR Management Excellence Awards 2018.

Moreover, Daikin Singapore has popularised the ‘5 Ticks Energy Efficient’ air-conditioning in Singapore. When NEA came out with the revised energy rating system which is more stringent than before, Liu was quick to react and worked closely with the factory to launch the 5 Ticks SMILE Series within just one year. He conceptualised not just the strategy but also the entire marketing campaign. Key advertising platforms were dominated by Daikin Singapore's 5 Ticks advertisement in this integrated campaign. The SMILE Series was introduced at various retail channels, including the company's one-stop specialist store Daikin Proshop. Its popularity has made it the best-selling series amongst the HDBs.

To address the increasing demand for more environmentally friendly practices, Daikin Singapore also launched the first R32 Multi-Split system in Singapore. R32 refrigerants have two-thirds less Global Warming Potential than R410A refrigerants and have zero impact on ozone layer depletion. In addition, Daikin Singapore also introduced the Daikin Super Multi HW, a hot water system that provides greater savings in utility bills. It boasts an innovative recycling technique that uses discharged heat during air conditioning operation to heat up the water for showers.

With Internet of Things and Big Data becoming increasingly vital for future business, Daikin Singapore expanded into smart solutions. With its smart home solution D’SmartHome, users can control not only their aircons but also other appliances such as air purifiers with indoor air quality sensors, digital door locks, motorised curtains, and many more. This would be further integrated into its Smart Community apps to enhance its booking facilities and enable households to provide feedback on common areas.

Through Liu's leadership, Daikin Singapore has set trends that competitors will find difficult to follow. His strategic marketing strategy also made Daikin Singapore a proud winner of the Readers Digest Trusted Brand Award for 17 consecutive years. The company was also voted as ‘Singapore’s Favourite Aircon Brand’ in the SuperBrands Research Survey.

The Singapore Business Review Management Excellence Awards was held on November 22, 2018 at the Conrad Centennial Singapore. The award honours the country's most outstanding business leaders, including trailblazing individuals and teams whose initiatives have brought tangible business gains for their company's operations.

The 2018 nominees were judged by a panel consisting of Henry Tan, Managing Director at NEXIA TS; David Chew, Executive Director, Risk Advisory Deloitte Southeast Asia, Lim Wei Wei, Partner, Practice Leader, Governance, and Risk at Baker Tilly TFW; Pardeep Singh Khosa, Director of Dispute Resolution at Drew & Napier; and Yang Eu Jin, Partner and Co Head of Capital Markets Practice at RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP.

If you would like to join the 2019 awards and be awarded as one of the most outstanding management executives of Singapore, please email [email protected].