You may know this already, but there is serious shortage of talent in the local ICT industry.
Fujitsu Malaysia had to source MDeC for their next country chief, but the bigger story here is that the top posts at SAP, Cisco, HDS, NetApp and one or two other global MNCs have been left vacant; and SAP for already over a year. There are even murmurings that a few more heads of global IT brands want to follow suit.
Update: SAP has had Kowshik Sriman as Malaysian (and Singapore) country head since last year. Apologies Sir Sriman! Updated update: Rumours are swirling around that SAP Malaysia is still on the look out for a country chief, with a handful of possibilities already identified
The result is some pretty aggressive head-hunting of the less than handful execs who have clocked in the necessary years, with the battle scars to prove it. One of them (who shall remain anonymous) had shook his head when queried about it, his expression and words giving away nothing more than that he is taking a leaf from this dire industry situation, to train up his Number 2.
What does this lack of calibred people say about our ICT industry? Are they just staying away because they deem it ‘not worth it’? Or do these global companies place sky high (sales) expectations, in a very tough and saturated market, without offering the needed support and flexibility to achieve them?
Malaysia is right next to Singapore where a majority of MNCs are headquartered at… is the lack of autonomy and/or alignment, disillusioning Malaysian counterparts?
In the span of over 10 years, I have seen countless execs and managers come and go through a few of these prestigious companies’ doors. In other words, the lure and enticement of global brand prestige had lost its shine for them. And loyalty can be easily bought by Singapore Dollars.
IBB! says: Instead of trying to create a pipeline for steady output of skilled workforce, shouldn’t we start finding out causes for ‘leakage’ of this talent pipeline, and the ways to ‘plug’ it and keep our young talents around long enough for them to earn needed experience and apply it in the LOCAL industry, not abroad?
