It is easy to write off anyone who is born into a business empire but Nur Nadia SM Nasimuddin seems to have a good head on her shoulders and the competence to continue the work of her late father.
FOR all her youth, Nur Nadia SM Nasimuddin is beginning to walk the talk as she strives to become another force behind the Naza brand.
“I have always been interested in the family business,” says the youngest child of the late Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin, who in 1975 started what was to become Malaysia’s biggest importer of luxury cars and which eventually evolved into a giant conglomerate with about 30 companies.
Nadia, 24, is the director of Naza Hotels and F&B Group, and oversees five hotels and two restaurants.
During a one-hour interview, Nadia talks about how she always knew her primary calling in life.
“When I was studying, my dad had mentioned the hotel business. And I knew earlier on that this was what I wanted to do,” she says.
Nadia has been in the family business since graduating in management studies from the University of Nottingham almost three years ago.
She would go to the United States about once every two months for business trips to inspect the two hotels in California owned by Naza.
“It’s a tough business, but I have a passion for it,” she says.
Her work philosophy is all about pleasing the customers and providing consistent service.
“We want to build trust. It has been a learning curve for me and I have a good support team.”
She gets down to details, too, as she notes that one of her pet concerns is the cleanliness of the hotels.
“I would even check the toilets. I would be upset if I find that things are not clean. Things like these are not tolerated in my hotels,” she stresses, referring to the three Naza Talyya hotels in Johor Baru, Malacca and Penang.
As the boss of about 210 staff members, Nadia describes herself as someone quite strict yet understanding.
“I discovered that I have a drive to motivate people. They feel that they can work with me.But questions on the so-called “lifestyle of the rich and famous” draw few comments from Nadia who prefers to talk about being at home with her family.
“I don’t really go out at night.”
There is, apparently, no nightlife nor parties for this young woman, which perhaps explains why she has largely sidestepped the public spotlight or scandals usually associated with the wealthy.
Asked where she would “hang out”, she names KLCC and Pavillion but even then, it would mostly be for lunch or dinner with business associates or family members.
During the interview, she appears hesitant, even tentative in her replies. One can only surmise that she is not entirely at ease being in the public eye.
What comes through, however, is a seemingly sensible and well-brought up young woman who cares deeply about family ties, the family business and reputation.
Where does she shop for clothes? “Zara, Topshop,” she replies. Her wedding ring was purchased from Habib Jewels.
That isn’t entirely expected from someone who is part of an empire that has been estimated to be worth at least RM3bil.
Her upbringing has to be credited for that.
According to Nadia, her parents had been strict with her and her four older siblings, drilling into them that they should not squander the family fortune.
“We were taught to control our expenses and not to splurge. We are mindful of the hard work that my dad put in to build the empire.”
She recalls her father bringing them to the orphanages so that they would appreciate what they had.
“During Ramadan, he would host buka puasa for orphans. In fact, he had always wanted to take us to India so that we could see how different life is for others.”
As a child, her parents would tell her off when she used up her pocket money faster than she should have.There were no compromises, too, where their studies were concerned.
As a result, Nadia had excelled in school; first in Sri Cempaka, then at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ).
Does she like cars? “Yes, but not the way my brothers like them!”
She does not own any vehicle and would hop into any car that the chauffeur brought in the morning.
In July, Nadia married Hamzah Alang, 26, the son of the Holiday Villa Hotels owner.
Going by the murmurs in the blogs, the wedding was one of those things she had indulged in as the reception had been a grand affair.
“I knew him during our days in KTJ. We were just friends then.” They dated for about a year before they got married.
Shortly after Hari Raya, the couple headed off to Hawaii and French Polynesia for their honeymoon.
Asked about her daily routine, Nadia says her day would usually start with breakfast with the family. “I would see my brothers and update them on the hotels.”
There is no sibling rivalry, she insists. “We are all in the business, doing different things.”
Naysayers will think that she merely serves as a garnish in her father’s massive empire.
“People tend to judge you, thinking that those born with a silver spoon don’t even have to finish their studies,” Nadia confides.
But with her resume, she knows she has the last word.