Techno can have positive impact on lives

Malin graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy (International Programme) at Thammasat University.
While at university, she participated in numerous activities, including leading efforts in case competitions in places such as Spain, New Zealand, Singapore and Serbia, and building Thailand’s competitive reputation by winning several international awards.
Moreover, she was an exchange student at the University of Texas in the US, which allowed her to develop a robust international perspective.
She then worked at the British consultancy firm LEK Consulting before accepting a position at McKinsey & Company, where she has gained expertise in hi-tech innovations that will impact the real-estate and housing markets.
Malin understands the importance of technological progress and wants to disseminate knowledge regarding the future of home-building.

May I ask your educational background, and how you fit in that background with your career?

I am a finance major from BBA Thammasat. However, educational background has little to do with how a person fits into consulting, as it is a career that truly welcomes diversity. To me, it is more about whether a person is intellectually curious, and has the drive to make a difference.
 
What were your criteria in selecting your field of work? Why were you interested in joining the consulting business, and why McKinsey?

My career has to help me be at the forefront of the business world as quickly as possible. I want to steer important decisions, understand many industries, and personally grow in the process. During my university years, I enjoyed problem-solving, working in teams, and presenting findings to top executives through case competitions I participated in. Consulting is almost an exact replica of what I did in a case competition, but on a larger scale, more complex – and with real impact.
I chose McKinsey for three reasons: the vast resources at my disposal to ensure maximum impact is generated; the unparalleled opportunity for me to serve and learn about interesting companies across a wide range of industries; and McKinseyites – McKinsey consultants – are truly fascinating to get to know and work with.
 
Turning to the potential of the hi-tech/lifestyle home in Thailand and Asean, is the market ready for such behaviour?
Let’s focus on Thailand. The market as it stands is not ready. On the demand side, there are a few hindrances to adoption: lack of awareness, prohibitive cost and technological complexity. The good news is that residential developers like PACE, Sansiri and Magnolia are taking a lead in doing something about it.
As the real-estate market is supply-led and highly competitive, behaviour will definitely shift. Some Internet of Things applications will have faster adoption than others, but the key is for early adopters to experience and understand how IoT can be integrated and benefit their lives.
I became interested in the smart home when my family installed real-time cameras at my grandmother’s house in Betong, where she decided to stay despite her illness and the distance from most of her children. My family were definitely not the most tech-savvy people around, but there are definitely times and places where such technology can solve problems – be it security concerns, people connectivity, convenient lifestyle, or enhanced entertainment, for example.
If more Thais understand the benefits of smart homes, I have no doubt that we will see an increase in the adoption rate.
On the supply side, though, we are ready – there are more than a dozen suppliers of entire smart-home solutions for consumers to choose from.
In the US, the journey to popularisation has been similar to what Thailand is about to embark on now – very much developer-led, but with an extra push from tech companies who let consumers experience their products first-hand.
 
What is your preferred lifestyle, and how do you balance your work and lifestyle?
 
There’s nothing I like more than a productive day – and that extends to my personal time.
In terms of balancing work and lifestyle, I always do two things. First is to I find a few energy boosters in a tiring week. I find joy in helping people navigate their career path. I have been mentoring people of the same age as me and younger for a while, so I have that set of people who ask me for advice and whom I check in on once in a while. Doing so gives me energy to continue with a tough week.
Second is to be explicit to my team about what is off-limits: no extra work on the weekends. Most of the time, people respect that.