Vijay Eswaran is a Malaysian entrepreneur, author of In The Sphere of Silence, and founder of the Qi Group of Companies.
Background
Vijay Eswaran was born to a modest family in Penang, Malaysia on 7 October 1960. His mother, Pushpavathy Chinnaiah, was a teacher and his father, Vijayaratnam Saravanamuthu, worked with the Malaysian Ministry of Labor. As a result of his father’s work with the Labor Ministry the family moved quite frequently, setting up residency in various parts of Malaysia throughout Eswaran's childhood. Eswaran is quoted as saying he went through at least 9 schools throughout this schooling life, all over Malaysia.
Education
Vijay moved to the UK for tertiary education on a government scholarship initially and later took on a number of odd jobs including being a black cab taxi driver in London to help fund his higher education. It was during this time, he was introduced to the concept of direct selling, which he dabbled in, to supplement his income.
He graduated with a degree in socioeconomics in 1984 and went on to obtain professional accreditation in 1985 from Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in the UK.
Like many young graduates, Eswaran took a gap year to tour Europe, taking odd jobs to support his travels. During this time, spent a month in Italy as a lay monk in a Franciscan monastery. Vijay then moved to the United States to earn his MBA from Southern Illinois University in 1986.
Career
Vijay Eswaran is a Malaysian entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of the QI Group of Companies, a multinational conglomerate with headquarters in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. His wife, Umayal Eswaran, is Chairperson of the RYTHM Foundation, the social impact initiative of the QI Group.
Vijay spent over a decade working for prominent companies in the US and Canada in senior positions. During his time in North America, he encountered new direct selling opportunities and decided to get involved in this business on a part-time basis. At one point, he realized the income he was making off of his direct selling business was a lot more than his corporate job paid him. However, he was not yet ready to make it a full-time career.
After 13 years in the West, he realized he was hitting the glass ceiling as an immigrant and decided to return to Asia. After returning to Malaysia, he joined a failing publishing company as the General Manager and turned the business around in barely a year. Soon after, the company was sold, and Eswaran decided he no longer wanted to work for someone else.
He went back to dabbling in direct selling and started building a successful team. His skills drew the attention of the Cosway Group who asked him to join the team to launch their business in the Philippines.
In 1998, following an unpleasant experience with an American direct selling company they were associated with, Eswaran and his partners decided to launch their own company. Asia was experiencing a major economic crisis, opportunities were scarce, and people were looking for ways to make a living. The new direct selling company established by Vijay Eswaran used a then revolutionary combination of direct selling and e-commerce. This company which would eventually become QNET. Within 12 months, the company became a leader in the industry in the Philippines and subsequently in several South-East Asian markets, supporting a growing network of entrepreneurs. By the mid-2000s QNET was the dominant direct selling network in the Middle East, and in recent years has led the industry’s expansion into Africa.
By 2004, Eswaran diversified his business interests and established the QI Group of Companies to oversee a wide variety of investments including real estate, education, retail and hospitality. The QI Group today has regional offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, and operations in over 30 countries through a wide range of subsidiaries. The group employs more than 2000 people and has trained and empowered over one million entrepreneurs across the world’s toughest and most prominent emerging markets. Though Eswaran is no longer directly involved in QNET’s operations, he continues to host V-Convention, a motivational, training, and networking event for entrepreneurs with over 20,000 attendees.
Eswaran’s passion for mentoring entrepreneurs led him to establish and chair Quest International University (QIU). He understands the power of education as a progressive and modernising force, essential to the continued prosperity of the region. The university was founded in 2011 and is jointly owned by the State Government of Perak and the QI Group. With experienced, passionate and industry-savvy educators from Malaysia and abroad, the university provides quality academic courses while maintaining affordability. It has an international advisory board comprising renowned academicians and prominent public and business figures.
QIU is today is one of the fastest growing in Malaysia, with over 2000 students from 31 different countries as of 2017. The QI Group is currently constructing a full-fledged university campus, which will serve as the new headquarters for QIUP. Eswaran has been one of the leading voices in the drive for better quality of higher education in South East Asia, and his aim for QI University is to be known as the “Harvard of the East”.
Vijay Eswaran is a highly acclaimed author whose books have been translated into several languages and reviewed widely in different parts of the world. In his most recent publication, Two Minutes from the Abyss - 11 Pillars of Life management (2016), Eswaran explains how you can find your purpose and take back control of your life.
Through stories, humor, personal insights, and dozens of practical tips that Eswaran has learned from experience, he cleverly teaches the principles of success. Through his first book, In the Sphere of Silence (2005), Eswaran shares the practice he has termed “the Sphere of Silence.” It is a modern-day tool for achieving success and is the secret behind his own enduring success. Vijay has synthesized the tool from ancient wisdom, which stems from the Vedic concept of practicing silence. However, it is not oriented to any one religion. The Sphere of Silence can be applied to any field or endeavor, but it is especially effective in the arena of management and leadership.
In the Thinking Zone (2010). A compilation of inspiring and thought-provoking observations and quotes that were hand-picked by him. The book also contains stunning and picturesque images captured from various parts of the world shot by Vijay Eswaran himself. In the Thinking Zone is a motivational book that encourages individuals to courageously overcome challenges in their everyday lives, to accomplish their goals and achieve their dreams.
18 Stepping Stones (2011) is an introduction of the 18 concepts which he calls the 18 Steps “A” Plan to Life. Written as a compass to help individuals recharge and realign their lives, the book is well suited for people of all ages and backgrounds. On the Wings of Thought (2011) is another collection of inspiring reflections from Vijay Eswaran. Following the format of In the Thinking Zone, the book contains quotes on success, motivation, leadership, communication and values, all set against a backdrop of breathtaking photographs taken by Eswaran during his numerous travels.
Vijay has turned his business success into a passion for mentoring entrepreneurs and philanthropy. He has made service and sustainability core pillars the QI Group’s culture and has nurtured an environment of giving throughout the organization. A proponent of value-based leadership, Eswaran has committed 10% of group profits to philanthropy and instituted a company-wide vegetarian policy.
In 2005, he established the RYTHM Foundation which serves as the QI Group’s social impact initiative and invests in the communities in which the Group’s businesses operate, through strategic partnerships, employee volunteering and community service. RYTHM Foundation strives to enforce the QI Group’s aspirations and responsibility in playing a pivotal role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Foundation through its Malaysian chapter has also established TAARANA, a school for children with special needs. Eswaran was listed in Forbes Asia’s list of 50 most prominent philanthropists in the region in 2011.
Eswaran ensures that the QI Group incorporates environmentally friendly design features into many of its properties and businesses. All of the global offices follow eco-friendly procedures that emphasize recycling, saving energy, and going paperless. The 15 story QI tower in Malaysia is a certified green building that operates off the water grid, and the luxurious Prana Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand harnesses solar power for electricity. He also enforces a strict meat free policy in all QI offices and events for the positive role a plant-based diet plays in the environment, and human health.
Eswaran uses the recently acquired Malaysian Football team PJ City FC to promote the social well-being of Pentaling Jaya City. QI has operated in Pentaling Jaya City for over 20 years and the goal behind the acquisition was to create a sustainable social impact by giving back to the community through sports.
The QI Group is also a member of the Business Council for Sustainability and Responsibility Malaysia (BCSRM) and the UN Global Compact. Its various contributions to the global community have also been recognized by the Hong Kong Council of Social Services through the Caring Company Award.
