Chee Nian Tze

General manager of group human resources

Robinsons & Co. Singapore

What was your first HR job?

My first HR job was with Housing and Development Board (HDB) twenty years ago.

Why a career in HR?

Looking back, I fell into it by accident. When HDB recruited me, it was for a corporate planning role. And then there was a change in CEO and the new CEO didn’t believe in having a corporate planning department and dissolved it. So we were asked where we would like to go, and looking at the options at the time, some of the jobs were too administrative. I thought HR would be something that you can learn in, and your skills would be relevant whichever organisation would go to. So I chose to go into HR.

After HDB, I joined Sime Darby and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts.

What is your favourite HR function?

My favourite HR function is staff development. Because if you want to add value to the organisation, this is the area that you can value-add by making your staff better.

What do you think HR will be in five years time?

I think in five years time, HR will probably shed more of the administrative roles that are associated with HR. HR will also probably be smaller but more strategic.

If you could have one personal item on your desk, what would it be?

It would have to be the Blackberry. As the business goes more globalised, communication tools become more important.

What words would you use to describe your colleagues in Robinsons?

They are passionate and dedicated to the business.

If you weren’t in HR, what would you be doing?

I would probably be working in the service industry. I like the vibrancy of the service industry and the fact that there is a lot of face-to-face contact and it’s very personable.