How has your father empowered you to succeed as a leader in the workplace?

I think it’s his level of constant entrepreneurship and innovation. He demonstrated a lot of innovation in his day when he started Kurnia, and that’s how we took the lead as an insurance provider in the market.

The whole notion that 'change is constant' is really from him. That same inspiration drives me as well. Another thing that inspires me is his grit and the fact that he always has the courage to do something different. I would say my courage comes from him, and the ability to say ‘Don’t worry, let’s do this, let’s go forward!’.

What’s the best advice your father ever gave you?

To stay humble in everything you do. And that respect isn’t a given when you’re a CEO; it's something you have to work on, something you earn from people. That translates to working hard and taking nothing for granted.

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Growing up, how did your father encourage you to excel in sports?

My dad would share stories from his playing days. We would also watch football together regularly. He gave me the space to pursue my interests, whether that was in sports or life, and to me, that was the best encouragement.

What's the best lesson you learned from your father?

I learned the value of working hard and believing in your dreams. He taught me that by setting an example. He went after his ambitions despite having nothing and persevered through the challenges he faced. That showed me that anything is possible.

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How did your father, Datuk Farish Rashid, encourage you to excel in life?

My dad has always inspired me with his ever-growing ambition to keep pushing the boundaries. In his younger days, he was stationed in the jungles of Sabah and then transitioned abruptly to the corporate world in Kuala Lumpur. He has proven that success can be achieved with the right intention and ambition.

How has your father influenced how you see yourself?

My dad has this famous ‘godfather’ type persona where he taught me two things: you can do anything but never go against the family, and never let anyone push you around.

But he has always protected me and given me this sense of pride, which has influenced the way I carry myself. Moreover, he has never let me believe there were any limits to what I could achieve.

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