Marketing Guru And Westports Founder Gnanalingam Dies At 78
His career began in 1968 and from there he became a self-made billionaire.
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Tan Sri Gnanalingam Gunanath Lingam, founder and executive chairman od Westports Holdings Bhd died yesterday afternoon (11 July) at the age of 78.
His death was confirmed by the company in a notice on their website. Extending their condolences to Gnanalingam’s family, they described him as an inspiration to many, and a kind and compassionate person.
“Tan Sri Datuk Gnanalingam was the founder of the Company and a source of inspiration; he touched our lives and the community with his compassion, generosity, and kindness. His vision and stewardship of the Company have built and transformed Westports and Port Klang into the preeminent gateway port in Malaysia and one of the transhipment hubs in Southeast Asia.”
Marketing guru
Gnanalingam was a self-made billionaire and made the Forbes‘ 50 Richest Malaysians’ list this year at the 13th spot with a net worth of US$1.45 billon.
He was also regarded as a marketing guru following his 19-year tenure as the marketing director of the Malayan Tobacco Company (now British American Tobacco).
Gnanalingam, a highly respected figure in the transportation and logistics industry, began his journey with Westports in 1994 when he secured the concession to operate the port.
Under his leadership, Westports flourished, establishing itself as Port Klang’s leading terminal operator and a key player in global maritime trade.
His dedication, strategic insights, and unwavering pursuit of excellence propelled Westports to new heights, as reported by The Malaysian Reserve.
On 1 January, 2009, Gnanalingam was appointed as a director of the company and went on to be named as the executive chairman on 1 September 2013, as reported by The Straits Times.
He also served as the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s (WMSB) executive chairman since 2000. Prior to that, from 1995 to 1999, he served as managing director of WMSB.
Gnanalingam was born in Singapore in 1945 but grew up in Negeri Sembilan. He attended the Royal Military College (RMC) and later University of Malaya where he completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree.
He also attended the Harvard School of Business to further sharpen his skills and later attended the Advanced Management Programme in 1983, which helped him advance his knowledge of business management.
His career began in 1968 with the British American Tobacco group and eventually led to the founding of G-Team Consultants Sdn Bhd, a successful marketing consultancy.
His most significant achievement came in 1994 when he secured the concession to operate Westports, setting in motion the transformation of the port into a global logistics hub.
Throughout his illustrious career, Gnanalingam received numerous accolades and recognitions for his exceptional contributions to the transportation and logistics industry.
He was honoured as the Transport Man of the Year by the Ministry of Transport in 2001, and in 2007 with the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Platinum Award and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia Achiever of the Year Award.
He was also admitted as a Chartered Fellow by CILT, UK, and received the Outstanding American Alumnus Award in logistics and transport from the American Universities Alumni Malaysia in 2017.
Gnanalingam’s remarkable legacy extends beyond his professional accomplishments, as he served as a non-executive director of Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bhd and as a director of Westports Foundation.
His son, Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, now assumes the position of group managing director of Westports Holdings.
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