Flowing water: Ngo Chiaw Tan
Water is a stressful topic in Singapore, which is so heavily dependent on rainfall. But Jacobs Solutions’ Senior Director of Projects Ngo Chiaw Tan is attracting top talent to its water projects by championing a culture of respect, honesty, collaboration and autonomy in order to pave a brighter future.
When renowned engineering firm CH2M was acquired by Jacobs Engineering in 2017, the resulting company shot to the top of industry rankings the following year – and stayed there. Stronger together, Jacobs Solutions beats with the heart and experience of its people and delivers acclaimed solutions in even the most challenging jobs.
Among the wealth of experience at Jacobs is Ngo Chiaw Tan, Senior Director of Projects, who joined CH2M in 1996.
"They were hiring the best," he tells The CEO Magazine. "The founders of CH2M actually came to Singapore to recruit. I was employee number one, and I never looked back."
"It’s one company, but many careers."
Initially a part of the Water–Asia division, Tan rose to Managing Director, a role he held for over 20 years. Post-acquisition, he says he’s never felt the need to roam.
"It speaks volumes about the company, from the people I work with to the job satisfaction, that I’ve been at the one place for so long," he says. "It’s one company, but many careers."
While Tan may not have moved, the nature of the work has. Today, Jacobs counts NASA among its illustrious clients.
"We’re in the entire value chain of engineering, but my projects largely focus on Singapore and on water," he says.
Company culture
While the problems Jacobs faces in Singapore are local in nature, the company culture is distinctly American.
"Americans don’t like hidden agendas. You have to be truthful and honest, respectful and genuine. Fortunately, this aligns very closely with my own values," Tan says.
"As I always say, it’s not how much you make for the company, it’s how you make that money. And if you’re doing it with full respect for everything around you, that’s how you sleep well at night."
The Jacobs portfolio befits a company so respected. The firm provides end-to-end services to the tune of US$12 billion annually and covers sectors from energy and transportation to national security and life sciences. Tan’s wheelhouse is water and has been since 1996, making him and his team the first stop in Singapore, a nation with a water scarcity problem.
"Singapore is looking for the world’s best water experts to take them out of this conundrum," he says. "We are the best water company in the world, and I have to keep it that way by hiring the best people.
"My motto is hire the best people and stay the hell out of their way. Don’t micromanage and don’t look over their shoulder."
This approach has proved particularly successful with the next generation of engineers, who respond well to autonomy.
"They just need a few pointers. We’re in the industry of talent, and my biggest challenge is finding the best and paying them," he explains.
One vision
Tan has fought hard for higher pay for his team, and that fight has paid off with the consistency of excellence Jacobs enjoys. He’s also fought to have the best external allies at his side, be they international companies or local firms such as Singapore construction house Swee Builders.
"None of this work we do is one person’s job," he says. "We work with multinationals with very different value systems, and we have contractors who were farmers last week and construction workers overnight. You have to harmonize them under one vision."
With the client on one side and this cultural melting pot on the other, Tan may be stuck in the middle, but this is where he thrives.
"We’re always trying to please two parties," he says. "You have to walk the tightrope of good, cheap and fast."
"My motto is hire the best people and stay the hell out of their way."
If Tan feels any pressure, it’s to maintain Jacobs’ world-beating standard no matter the project.
"Especially in Singapore, if you’re not the best, the client will choose someone else. I can’t afford to do things Mickey Mouse and then fail," he says.
To avoid this fate, Tan has kept a keen eye on the future, even at the beginning of his career.
"I remember, 30 years ago, climate change was a whisper," he says. "Now it’s just accepted, but back then one of the first major summits to address climate change was held in Brazil, and we had a big presence there.
"In Singapore, where water is that much more precious, we have run projects that teach children the importance of engineering when it comes to collecting rainwater, for instance."
Sustainability is a major part of Jacobs’ work in Singapore, and Tan says it ties in neatly to the company’s considerate values.
"You have to leave this world a better place for the next guy, don’t you?"