Prepared by: AP. Dr. Rossilah Jamil
“Talent not technology” a statement that encapsulates the role of Mansor Harun (MBA 2015), Senior Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Digitalisation Department at the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC). MTDC has been the key player in technology commercialization for local companies in Malaysia. In line with MTDC active participation in Industry 4.0, he now spearheads the newly-established department and has laid a digital transformation roadmap that involves people, technology and process strategies.
Mansor has been in the venture capital industry for more than 20 years, assisting technology-based companies from start-up to growth-stage businesses by providing special funding assistance and advisory services. He is a certified Business Coach and HRDF Trainer and provides sessions for MTDC personnel and entrepreneurs on technology commercialization projects under its eco-system. Prior to his current position, he has led other portfolios in MTDC as the Head of Human Capital and Knowledge Management Department and the Head of Business Start-Up Fund and Growth Fund Unit.
According to Mansor, “commercializing technological product could not be implemented by focusing only on funding. It requires a complete eco-system equipped with necessary facilities, technical assistance and business support. At the same time, technology is nothing if people driving it do not have the right skills, attitudes and supportive organizational culture. Digital transformation never was nor will ever be just about technology. This is something that needs to be emphasized in techies”.
Throughout his years in MTDC, Mansor has assisted many start-up and growth-stage businesses by bringing their technology to market.
Mansor believes that passion, creative and trust are three fundamental values for his roles and responsibilities at MTDC. For him, every staff must be innovative and constantly invent new things or processes. The industry is looking for fresh ideas and uniqueness from a company. This includes adopting lean work-life management and capitalizing on emerging technology to support productivity. His crucial current projects involve creating programs and initiatives for MTDC business delivery via digital and people transformations.
Mansor enrolled in Azman Hashim International Business School (AHIBS) MBA under the MTDC’s Employee Assistant Program, one of the agency’s several initiatives to unleash employee’s potentials. He chose AHIBS for its professional and highly-respected educators who understand industry requirements, industry-relevant teaching modules, and good local-international demography of learners.