Dato' CM Vignaesvaran currently is the Chief Strategy Officer for UMPER consulting & training which he started in 2019.

Academic and Professional Qualifications
After helming the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) which operates under the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia, Vicks (as he is fondly known) decided to take a break from his corporate career in 2018 to further his study and later graduated from Herriot Watt University obtaining a Masters in Business Strategy, Leadership and Change in 2019. This further strengths his other qualifications both academic and professional ones that he has obtained. Notable academic qualifications are his degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from the National University of Malaysia in 1997, Public Employment Policy from Waseeda University, professional certifications on leadership from Judge Business School (Cambridge), Cranfield University and also from ESMT (Berlin). Later realising the importance of Industrial Revolution Four he has also expanded his knowledge in the realm technology by attending professional certifications from Harvard Business School, Judge Business School (Cambridge) and ESMT (Berlin).

Business Philosophy
His passion in pursuing excellence and obtaining desired results in the world of business, makes him a no stranger to controversies. His favourite quote is "if you want to make everyone happy, sell ice cream". Sizing up an opportunity, later breaking it down to an executable manner and driving it through until it reaches its desired results are his major strength. Sometimes he might be seen as adopting the "Machiavellian" approach in getting the job done.

Career

Early years
He always proudly claims that he started his career as a tea stall helper to his mother in late 1970's. In almost every talk, he will talk about how his mother walked two kilometres carrying 50 Nasi Lemak (Malaysian Delicacy) packets to sell. His formative years in his schooling life was shaped by assisting in the business that the family started. Which ranges from the tea stall, video rental store, mini mart and also restaurants.

The skills he obtained from here, made him to be resilient, willing to do what it takes to get the job done and most importantly is humility. No job is too little to be ignored.

Graduate Years
In order to finance his studies in University, Vicks juggled his study life with his studies, social work, love life with his financial commitments. He ran tuition classes, build computers to be sold, later supporting in maintaining the computers he sold. On his financial achievements while studying in National University of Malaysia (UKM) is working in the team and later helming cultural shows which had a profit of almost RM20,000. He was also elected to be the President of Hindu Society, the student representative for his college council and was advisors to many of the student movements. He also won the election by garnering more than 95% of the votes.

After Graduation
He started his career after graduation in Shaari Trading (A part of Usaha Cerakin Group). He describes his years in this organisation as "one leg kick all". Since one of the share partners was his uncle, he was involved in all aspects of business. The group had businesses from construction, telecommunication, power industry, oil and gas, transport and also an event company. Some of the notable projects under this group was KLIA, KLCC, Segari Power Plant and Sungai Udang refinery.

Salesman
Exiting Shaari Trading during the Asian financial crisis, opened up a new chapter in his life when he became the Digital Sales Specialist with Inchcape Marketing which later turned into Ricoh(Malaysia). His selling skills, negotiation skills, business presentation skills was further developed during his tenure here. Later he left to join Digi Telecommunication for a short stint before returning to Ricoh(Malaysia).

Tech and Leading a Team
After Ricoh(Malaysia), Vicks was offered a position in Sharp Roxy Sales & Services as Network Specialist where he was supporting the sales team in both pre and post sales of the digital copiers. His tenure here brought him to Japan for trainings in enhancing his knowledge in Computer Networking (All Network Protocols), AS400 and IPv6. He ended his career by leading the marketing and network support teams. He also had his first experience in managing a large pool of diversified team which shaped his business leadership capabilities.

Under Sapura he was leading a team of engineers which was stationed throughout the country supporting a leading Malaysian petroleum company in their downstream activities. This involves in maintaining the POS system, credit card communications, petrol pump maintenance and the infra work that comes with it.

HR world
Vicks involvement in HR world started of in JobStreet.Com were he was the Marketing and Operations Manager. He had his first taste of an Ivy League University experience happened when Interns from MIT business schools tenured there gave classes. Working for a leading tech company that had a totally different work philosophy was an eye opener for Vicks. Details were emphasised and "Doing it Rigth the First Time" was the mantra that he picked up here. He also had the bittersweet experience of organising clinics for the jobless here during the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

Government and National Policy Formulation
Starting as a General Manager in the Grants Division HRDF, Vicks was involved in formulation of policies in Training and Development which was focused in increasing the productivity of the nation. Slew of policies was reviewed to improve the delivery of the fund and many of the archaic laws was repelled to make way for faster decision making. Running special projects worth of almost RM100 million posed a different challenge. Planning and executing the projects with proper governance with government rules posed a new experience. Later handling objections and complaints from those who did not succeed in the bids, further strengthened the resolve to ensure all "t's" to be crossed and "I's" to be dotted mentality.

Promoted to the position of Deputy Chief Executive, brought in new experience where the Operations part of HRDF was put under the purview of Vicks. The National Human Resource Centre was further developed and enhanced by providing assistance to SME's in Malaysia. A special programme to enhance those who have work experience but without proper academic qualification was introduced (Recognition of Prior Experience Learning RPEL) to assist them to achieve high income as envisioned by Government. (Minimum Wage Policy) which was introduced was supported with training programs to enhance productivity. The first involvement in setting of the National Budgets and Malaysian Plan happened during this tenure. EMPATHIC was introduced as an initiative to enhance the income level of the Indian community in Malaysia.

Human Resource Minister later appointed Vicks to be the Chief Executive of HRDF after he was put up as an Acting Chief Executive to asses his capabilities in performing and handling the pressure. HRDF disburses almost RM800m (2017) as financial grants. After Vicks helmed HRDF he doubled up the collection of levy thus doubling the profits of HRDF. Under this tenure the 1MalaysiaGrip program was launched to support the enhancement of Malaysian workers through certifications. Industry Revolution4 IR4 trainings was introduced by partnering with Harvard Business School to ensure Malaysians will be equipped with the latest technological happenings in the market. Onslaught of studies was launched to understand the issues of Malaysian workforce and to find remedies to further enhance the productivity of the workers thus increasing their wages. 1MalaysianOutPlacementCentre was formed assist those who are displaced due to structural unemployments. SPICE programmes were launched to enhance the B40(Lowest Income Group) community financial capabilities. A programme to assist the graduates to be easily employed GENERATE was also launched.
An allocation of 30% from collected levy into a Pool Fund was launched despite heavy protest from the industry as it was seen as an empowerment of the workers. World Bank was commissioned to produce Human Capital Development Blueprint (2015 - 2025) which the study further strengthen the role of HRDF by confirming that the industries that was under HRDF were better in productivity than the companies not in the realm of HRDF. Internally, leadership development programme was designed to ensure that there will not be vacuum of leaders in future for HRDF.

Some of the projects which was shelved as a result of the political change in 2018 was Regional Centre of Training (ASEAN), Big Data Analytics Centre for Asia and Exporting of HRDF model to Other Nations.

Post HRDF
In UMPER he is now consulting CEO's and business owners in technology transformation. Reshaping their strategies in order to fit the new challenges that the industry is facing.

Changes Leadership Style
Decentralising powers of decision making is vital in moving your company to the next stage. "One leg Kick All" and the "Firefigthing" CEO will definitely burnout after a while. Strict monitoring, appointing people with a diverse of knowledge and acknowledging own bad breath area is vital. Later empowering and training the appointed people to level desired by CEO. Most importantly a CEO must spend 70% of the time in strategy formulation and future proofing the organisation.