5/12/05 (The Star) - IT'S a clear-cut task for Datuk Mohd Bakke Salleh, the newly appointed Felda Holdings Bhd group managing director.

He aims to take Felda group of companies to the next level of unprecedented success with better positioning in the global map and the ability to benchmark itself against the best oil palm-based players in the world.

On his first day at work last Thursday, Bakke told StarBiz: “The potential for the Felda group to grow into a more formidable organisation with a strong international presence is immense and tremendous.”

He described the Felda group, one of Malaysia's success stories, as a unique organisation that has done extremely well in terms of its operations locally and abroad, as well as its solid financial performance over the past 50 years since its establishment.

“However,” he said, “like any other organisations in the world, there is a lot of scope for further improvement and enhancement for performance within the Felda group.

“If we put our hearts into this goal, the sky's the limit ... God willing,” said Bakke, who was Tabung Haji chief executive officer over the previous four years.

Initially, he plans to inculcate a performance culture which is more customer focused and commercially orientated.

“This will be the kind of work direction and approaches that the group is going to look into, so that we can benchmark ourselves against the best in the industry,” Bakke said.

He added that the group needed to create more leaders as opposed to managers, by giving more freedom of management to individuals to rise to their full potential and display their capabilities.

Bakke said: “Everything must be measured, determined and driven by a strong performance culture. One will need to create the right operating environment and infuse the right culture with the proper standards.”

When everything is well in place, he said, “there will be no reason why the Felda group cannot be a much improved and highly efficient organisation.”

In addition, since the group's business operation is becoming more globalised, Bakke said the work culture should also focus on improving the bottom line. 

“I shall look forward at improving the numbers and optimising the group's asset values to get the best returns from the assets that we have deployed in our operations,” he said.

Under the Felda group's new five-year business plan (2005-2009) unveiled last August, the plantation giant is targeting to boost its pre-tax profit to RM3bil on a turnover of RM13bil by end-2009.

An estimated RM3.89bil in capital expenditure will be allocated over the next five years to achieve the targeted profit.

According to Bakke, it is also important to harness the group's human resources. 

“For me, human resource is central to everything,” he said. “If we believe that we are capable of achieving all these goals, our actions will later translate into improved figures.”

He hoped to adopt an open management style whereby all Felda group employees must be enthusiastic and passionate about coming to work. 

”For now, just let me sink my teeth into the job. It will be better to finish the first 100 days. Perhaps, after that, I'd be able to share the approach and business direction (for Felda), going forward,” Bakke added.

Commenting on Bakke's three-year contractual appointment, Felda group chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Yusof Noor said: “This is the first time Felda has appointed someone outside the organisation to head our group of companies.”

He said this was a new approach to better position the group in the international arena.

“The Felda group has indeed achieved its goals over the past 50 years. 

“However, we cannot stop here and must continue with this (business) journey in Malaysia and also overseas,” added Yusof.

The Felda group comprises 27 subsidiaries, 12 joint-venture companies and 10 associate companies locally and abroad. 

Felda Holdings is 51% owned by Felda Investment Co-operative and 49% by the Federal Land and Development Authority.

He said the Felda group was also willing to work with foreign professionals on certain areas in future to ensure the smooth improvement in its operation.

Yusof said the next exciting move by the group would be its venture to set up palm biodiesel plants as part of its effort to be the biggest palm biodiesel producer in Malaysia and the world.