Sunday Emails from a Chairman

Building People provides a glimpse into the mind of one of Asia's keenest and most effective business leaders. Before becoming Chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong, author Mun Leong Liew was named Best CEO in Singapore, Best CEO in Asia, CEO of the Year, Outstanding CEO of the Year, and more—but his successes are not based strictly upon the numbers. This book reveals the personal and professional philosophy behind this extraordinarily effective leader, in the context of frank and insightful emails to his staff. Touching on everything from honour and potential to training and mentorship, these messages paint a clear picture of the difference between good and great leadership. Effective leaders build companies, but legendary leaders build people—by strengthening the heart of your organisation, you enable robust growth and dynamic stability from the inside out.

These emails go beyond mere public relations to lay open the true nature of a man who is honestly, deeply committed to his job, his responsibility, his organisation, and most of all, his people.

• Learn why work-life balance is not a zero-sum game
• Discover what pragmatism and commitment truly mean in business
• Realise the importance of good partnerships and unsung heroes
• Manage change effectively and employ it wisely for sustainable success

By eavesdropping on a CEO's communications with the people he serves, you get a real sense of the man behind the success. Great leadership is rooted in a philosophy of "building up" instead of tearing down, and motivated by the sincere belief that we bring our own purpose into everything we do. Building People brings great leadership to life, and inspires action over theory through the insights of Mun Leong Liew.

LIEW MUN LEONG is Chairman of Changi Airport Group, Surbana Jurong and Temasek Foundation Nurtures. He serves on the boards of Singapore Exchange Limited, National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, Human Capital Leadership Institute, Chinese Development Assistance Council and Singapore China Foundation Ltd. Mun Leong is also pro bono Provost Chair Professor (Practice) at NUS Business School and the Faculty of Engineering, as well as Chair of the China Business Centre.

With over 45 years of experience in the construction and real estate industries (locally and overseas), Mun Leong was the Founding President and CEO of CapitaLand Group from November 2000 to 31 December 2012. He was also President of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) from 1997 to 1998. For his exceptional contributions to Singapore, Mun Leong was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the President of Singapore in 2011. And in 2016, Mun Leong was conferred France's National Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Legion d'honneur), with the rank of Knight.

Mun Leong also won numerous awards during his tenure in CapitaLand. In 2006, he was named "Outstanding CEO of the Year" in the Singapore Business Awards, and "CEO of the Year" in The Business Times' Singapore Corporate Awards the following year. In 2008, he was named "Asia's Best Executive of Singapore" by Asiamoney and "Best CEO in Asia (Property)" by Institutional Investor. In 2011, he was named one of the top 25 most powerful business people in Asia by Fortune Magazine, as well as "Best CEO in Singapore" by FinanceAsia.

A registered professional civil engineer and a graduate of the University of Singapore, Mun Leong has published four books titled "Building People: Sunday Emails from a CEO, Volumes I, II and III"; and "Up Close with Lee Kuan Yew".