EC World Reit riding e-commerce boom

ASK Alvin Cheng to define his management philosophy, and he will tell you it's all about being entrusted to add value.

The deputy chief executive officer of the manager of SGX-listed EC World Reit places a premium on the values of humility, gratitude and positiveness. "The more responsibility you take on, the more humble you need to become," said Mr Cheng, who has more than three decades of experience in corporate finance and Reit management. "Every success you achieve should be seen as a gift to be treasured, not to boast about or flaunt, but as an opportunity to build your career."

Mr Cheng, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours degree in Naval Architecture & Shipbuilding from University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, went on to do a double Masters degree in Ocean Systems Management and Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He describes his time in the prestigious American university as an "eye-opener". "Being in MIT taught me how little I actually know, and how much there is to be learnt, and there are many others who will be intellectually superior," Mr Cheng recalled. "MIT was where I learnt the word 'humble'."