Loui Lim, the youngest son of Malaysian billionaire, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, looks poised to carry on his family’s legacy. At just 29, he’s the Director of Dream Cruises Holding Limited, Dream Cruises Management Limited and Genting Dream Limited and also the Vice President, Brand Strategy, Marketing and Communications of Dream Cruises.
Gafencu reporter Suchetana Mukhopadhyay talks to Loui Lim about his Dream job and beyond…
You had quite an unusual childhood…
I actually grew up across three different continents. I was born in Australia, spent much of my early childhood in Malaysia and was then educated in the UK. Many of my earliest memories are of painting. I was quite artistic as a child. I’d spend a lot of time in the garden with a pencil and a sheet of paper, doodling away at whatever caught my fancy.
Given your diverse experiences, is there any place you are particularly attached to?
I spent my formative years in the UK, so it holds a very special place in my heart. When I first arrived in London, I was particularly drawn to the cultural contrast between the very posh neighbourhoods of West London and the very gritty, very hipsterey feel of East London.
As the son of a successful businessman, do you feel a particular pressure to excel?
Children born high-profile families inevitably feel a certain kind of pressure and this obviously intensifies if you are working for the family business. I know my father faced a similar pressure from his own father when he first joined the business. It is his success that inspires me.
Given that you have management positions across several family businesses, how do you ensure you have enough time for everything?
It can, indeed, be difficult to manage you time when you have a multi-faceted role to play. You need great organisational skill, something I am still trying to master. Overall, though, there is no clear answer and you just have to attack everything head on.
With the cruise sector becoming ever more cluttered, how does Dream Cruises manage to stand out?
Dream Cruises is uniquely focused on catering to Asian guests, with World Dream in Hong Kong/Guangzhou to service to the China and North Asian market and Genting Dream in Singapore for the Southeast Asian market.
Our itineraries encompass popular destinations around the region from the islands of Okinawa to Phuket and Ko Samui in Thailand, Halong Bay in Vietnam and North Bali, Indonesia.
We offer all the home comforts and services that Asian people have come to expect. As a company of Asian origin, I believe we understand the needs of our customers far better than any of our competitors.
Tell us a bit more about another of your businesses – Crystal Air Cruises…
It’s been an exciting year for Crystal Air and we have just stared operating a Boeing 777 service. As you know, Boeing 777s are commercially-proportioned airplanes and would normally accommodate up to 300 passengers. We, however, have customised it, optimising its use for just 88 travellers. It now offers leather flatbed seats, gourmet chefs, multilingual attendants and executive-class comfort.
With luxury travel booming right now, how are you looking to capitalise on this?
There is, indeed, a surge in demand for luxury travel at the moment. People are not just looking for a generic experience, they want something unique and inspirational. And they’re willing to pay for it. Our businesses are very well positioned to capitalise on this trend as they can provide genuinely immersive and inspirational experiences. On Dream Cruises, for instance, we frequently invite motivational speakers, wellness gurus and similar inspirational individuals to come onboard.
We’re also planning to launch two more global-class ships, both of which will harness the very latest in artificial intelligence, voice and facial recognition technology and many other digital innovations. These ships will offer a state-of-the-art VR experience, as well as water parks, amusement areas and even a roller coaster. Come 2020, we will launch the world’s largest mega-yacht, purpose-built to sail to Antarctica.
Do any of your recent travels stand out as particularly memorable?
Well, we organised a special New Year’s itinerary for Crystal Skye. This saw us fly our guests to Sydney to watch the New Year countdown fireworks over Sydney Harbour. Then we flew them back in time, travelling across continents so they could experience the New Year countdown again, this time on the sandy beaches of Honolulu. That was an incredible experience and one I will never forget.
In term of your charity work, are there causes that particularly appeal to you?
There’s this great charity, Impact Hong Kong, which helps get homeless people off the street. It finds them jobs, provides them with accommodation and gives them a second chance in life. It’s a great cause and I am planning to get more involved with it. Not so long ago, I’d attend social events for a number of charities, such as amfAR. Now, though, I’d much prefer to get involved at a face-to-face level, so that I could actually see that I was making a difference.
Thank you.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photos: Neville Lee