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Ron Goh,
President,
South Asia Region,
EMC
 “You can take a man out of the army but you can’t take the army out of a man.” The military man in Ron Goh is hard to miss especially when he shakes your hand very firmly and looks at you square in the eye.
Goh started his career as a commissioned officer with the Singapore Air Defense Command (SADC) and was one of the first recruits in the newly formed force. SADC, now known as the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), was formed after the British announced the withdrawal of all their troops in 1968.
“I have always been a career-oriented guy, and a career in the air force was my dream. Also, at that time, the opportunity to go to Britain for training existed for young boys like me,” he recollects. After completing his high school, Goh appeared for the entrance exam and realized his dream.
Army life instilled the values of discipline and camaraderie in him. “At times my present colleagues get irritated when I become fussy about discipline,” he adds with laughter. Could he share any particular incident that happened during his stint in the air force? “Oh, there are many of them.There were occasions when I knew that my life was at stake, but each time I emerged a winner,” he says with pride.
Then one day he decided that it was enough. After working for 10 years in the air force, Goh thought of exploring other opportunities. “Air force life is good as long as you are young. But as you get older, it is not the same. The job becomes more administrative,” he explains. Another reason for leaving the force was the retirement criterion. “The Singapore air force has a policy of retirement once you reach 45 years of age. Then what does one do? I had to fend for myself and I didn’t want to wait till then to make a change,” he recalls.
He became a salesman, and after that there was no looking back. In retrospect, Goh admits that he regrets not watching his children when they were growing up. He lived his life out of his suitcase, making business plans and strategizing deals. “But the career shift was not a selfish motive...it was for the family. I would have liked to have a more balanced life, but life’s demands cannot be controlled by us. If you are ambitious you have to take this in your stride.”
Ask him about his plans (apart from the hectic business schedules) and prompt comes the reply, “I want to spend time with less-privileged children and set up schools for them in emerging countries.”
The former soldier’s parting shot? “The ability to decide in a split situation has always helped me.
Train yourself, and you will find that at the time of making a decision, the first thought is right. 9 times out of 10.”
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