Managing a business ethically burnishes reputation

SAC CAPITAL Private Limited is a reputable corporate finance company whose co-founder and chief executive officer, Mr Ong Hwee Li, lives by the motto "Excuses are for losers". He was inspired by the investors who financed the setting up of SAC Capital - they taught him the value of responsibility by guiding him to plan and execute his work conscientiously. SAC Capital focuses on offering reputable companies to the capital markets, earning the trust of its investors.

Before venturing out on his own, Mr Ong, 46, had worked with various financial institutions where he handled corporate finance advisory work. That's where he met the future backers of SAC Capital who were his clients then. They were confident of his potential and advised him to strike out on his own. The founders included two passive investors, and former Member of Parliament, John Chen, who sat on the board of a listed company belonging to Mr Ong's client. Dr Chen has been chairman of SAC Capital since its founding.

After receiving the corporate finance advisory licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Mr Ong recruited a team of five to kickstart SAC Capital's operations. As he lacked a strong business network, he built the business organically with the little resources he had. Through referrals from his friends in the industry, SAC Capital got the ball rolling for more business opportunities, generating revenue - and survival in the early years.