Entrepreneurship, when driven by a mission to enhance the human condition, ceases to be a singular endeavor and instead becomes a shared venture. For Vijay Eswaran, who’s been named by Forbes as one of Malaysia’s richest men, entrepreneurship was never about personal profit. Eswaran’s journey to entrepreneurship, as he describes, was born from necessity rather than a lineage of business acumen. Yet his career—spanning an impressive 25 years—is marked not by self-serving pursuits but reflects a deep focus on uplifting others and forging a legacy in education.
Eswaran, the child of a schoolteacher and a civil servant, never envisioned a future filled with the rush of saving failing companies, building global brands, and employing thousands of people. Yet, his varied experiences, including a nomadic early life due to his father’s job, equipped him with adaptability and people skills, preparing him for a future in the business realm he never anticipated.
After working odd jobs to finance his studies in economics and political science in the UK and graduate studies in the US, Eswaran went on to work in prominent international companies in North America, before returning home to Asia after a 13-year sojourn. Back home, he continued to build a successful corporate career, turning around an ailing publishing company, only to be replaced by a new management when the business changed hands.
“This was the catalyst that set me on a path to take charge of my life. I never again wanted to be in a position where someone else could dictate my life. I had always wanted to do something of my own but was unnerved at the prospect of leaving the safety of a corporate job.” Eswaran recalls.
He established his company, now known as the QI Group, amidst the Asian economic crisis in the late 90s, with no business contacts, or funding. Since then, Eswaran has shaped the QI Group into a multinational conglomerate with ventures in education, direct selling, retail, financial services, luxury, and hospitality. The journey, however, has not been without its challenges.
“To me, success is as much interwoven with challenges, just as light is to shadow… success and failure are both elements of the same path for growth,“ Eswaran once shared.
Eswaran’s professional journey taught him valuable lessons that transcend the traditional corporate mentality. One of his fundamental beliefs is that it’s not companies that succeed, but the people within them. He explains, “I’ve learnt to shift my focus from the universally academic approach of business plan, capital, skills set, etc. to identifying, recognizing and attracting people of a like mind.”
This people-centric approach coupled with his ambition to use his business as a force for good led to the creation of the RYTHM Foundation, an initiative spearheaded by his wife, Umayal. The foundation, which gets its name from Eswaran’s philosophy of RYTHM, an acronym for “Raise Yourself To Help Mankind,” has implemented more than 75 projects in approximately 20 countries in the developing world, in the areas of education, economic empowerment for youth and women, and environmental preservation, earning Eswaran recognition on Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy list.
While Eswaran is a man of many causes, the core of his passion lies in education. As he rings in the 25th anniversary of his business empire, his focus is set on molding a brighter future for upcoming generations. He plans to do this through Quest International University (QIU), an institution he established in 2011 in Malaysia with the aspiration of transforming it into Asia’s equivalent of Harvard.
His vision? To disrupt the degree mill practices common in some traditional Asian institutions while curating a more practical curriculum focused on experiential learning and real-world problem solving, ultimately nurturing innovative thinkers who would bolster Asia’s global presence.
Eswaran’s commitment to instilling change doesn’t stop at academics; it stretches into personal development too. His personal discipline extends to a practice he calls the “Sphere of Silence“, a 60-minute daily routine that has become his secret weapon against the chaos of the world. This practice, Eswaran believes, is key to staying grounded, focused, and productive.
Over 25 years, Vijay Eswaran has lived many lives—as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author. With each chapter, he has learned to navigate the currents of life, continuously seeking ways to better himself and positively impact others. His enduring vision is to leave a precious legacy of education, aiming to transform QIU into a bustling eco-friendly city.
Through his endeavors, Eswaran illustrates the power of unwavering determination, self-belief, and commitment to service. His story serves as a compelling reminder that success isn’t measured by personal gains but by the positive impact one leaves on the world.
