An interview with Mr Bill Padfield, CEO of Dimension Data Pacific Pte Ltd and Board Member of Halogen Foundation Singapore
What does it take to be a business leader? Where do values place in a company? Mr Bill Padfield, Chief Executive Officer of Dimension Data Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, shares his insights with us.
A specialist information Technology (IT) services and solution provider with total revenues of uS$4.5 billion, Dimension Data helps clients plan, build, support and manage their IT infrastructures. Founded in 1983, they are headquartered in Johannesburg and currently in 51 countries.
Mr Padfield comes from 34 years of experience in the IT and telecom industry in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, with the past 14 years being in Singapore. He is a member of the board for Asia Cloud Computing Association and Halogen Foundation Singapore. We at Halogen know him to be one who “puts his money where his mouth is”, so to speak. Supportive, down-to-earth and firm, he is someone who knows what is important to him, and acts on the work he believes in.
Halogen360 (H360): Having been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Datacraft Asia Group then and now Dimension Data for eight and a half years, what is your number one philosophy of being a business leader?
Bill Padfield (BP): The business is technology, so a leader here needs to know the industry. I then expect four things: integrity, knowing the strategy, operational skills and a hunger for success. My philosophy is to hire and nourish people who are smarter than me, then give them the freedom to do what they do. This approach has, so far, never failed.
“…a leader here needs to know the industry. I then expect four things: integrity, knowing the strategy, operational skills and a hunger for success.” – Bill Padfield, CEO of Datacraft Asia Group
H360: We have seen cases where companies lose sight of corporate ethics due to the pursuit of profits. How do you balance profit and values in your organisation?
BP: There is a constant tension between right and rich. The relentless drive for growth and profits can make people do unusual things; the newspapers and the courts are full of them. The ethics and the culture of the company are mainly led by the tone from the top. I set a tone that success is a given, but fraud or not adhering to our values is unacceptable. It must come from the top, it cannot be “do as I say, not do what I do”. You must be the role model.
H360: What is one piece of advice you have for young entrepreneurs
BP: Use other people’s money. There is a wealth of capital out there, the challenge is knowing how to tap into it.
H360: You are currently a board member of Halogen Foundation Singapore that is dedicated to youth leadership development. Why did you agree to be on the board?
BP: I was inspired by listening to one of your previous board members speak at the Forbes CEO event in Malaysia. I approached her after the event to try and get involved. I’ve been developing my own and others’ leadership skills for over 30 years in most regions of the world. The biggest challenge is to attract and retain leaders. If only there were more people that aspire to lead. Therefore, focusing on the young makes huge sense. Halogen is a great vehicle for this, led by people that share the same vision. It was a no brainer.
H360: Who was the leader in your life that impacted you the most?
BP: There have been some negative ones in my life, and some very wonderful leaders and role models that “appeared” at the right time in my life and career. I’ve been incredibly lucky. However, the role model outside of my own career that has always inspired me is Steve Jobs. The passion, the cheek, the inspiration, the manic focus on detail, the eye for a winner, and having the faith in himself all inspire me.
Article by Lin Xue Hu
