Management Profile

Y.Bhg Dato’ Yusof Jusoh
Executive Chairman

Like many other Entrepreneurs, Dato’ Dr. Yusof bin Jusoh, has his own history before embarking to join the Business World. Although his father was a businessman, he only became an entrepreneur in his 40s. However, he had his business exposure at the early age of seven spending most of his younger days learning about business from his late father. He made his first hard earned money while he was studying in the university.

He had his early education in Penang and never plans to go to the University at all. He was very much motivated by his dad in business. Much to the disappointment of his late father who wanted him to be a Businessman, he enrolled himself to the Teachers Training College in Johor, as his late mother wanted him to become a teacher. His late mother wanted a “balance” in the family. During his college days, he was curious why some of his friends were missing classes. He found out that they had left college to further their studies in various Universities. He was very curious of what attracted them there. Out of that curiosity he immediately enrolled himself into University of Malaya after finishing the teaching college. He kept this secret from his late parents. However, his secret came out when his face appeared in the newspaper as the best student in his faculty, obtaining a First Class Honours Degree in History and International Relations.

After graduation, he had a deep thought, whether to go back to join his late father or to explore his potentials in other fields. After discussing with his few best friends, he decided to join the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), a prerequisite to, entering the Administrative and Diplomatic service with the Government of Malaysia, which was at that time the premier profession in the country as private sector is only for people who did not do well in the university. Once again he proved to be the best student and was awarded the coveted Prime Ministers Award by INTAN in the Diploma of Public Administration. He later went to study at Harvard University and obtained his MPA. He also participated in the Strategic Leadership and the Negotiation Programmes at the Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Dato’ Dr. Yusof served the Government of Malaysia for 15 years before taking his optional retirement at the age of 40 to enter the business world. He had served the Public Service Department, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of International Trade and the Ministry of Finance. He was chosen by the Government of Malaysia to be the Deputy Permanent Delegate of Malaysia to the United Nations (UNESCO) in Paris for 6 years.

Dato’ Dr. Yusof did not take over his late father’s business but decided to chart his own path. However he made his late father his mentor, financier and advisor. During his early days as an entrepreneur, he was involved in property development, transmission lines and distribution, and also in the manufacturing sector. His earlier success includes the completion of the East Grid Transmission Lines in Sabah, connecting Sandakan and Lahad Datu. The transmission lines project worth about RM400 Million was completed in good time. He was able to do it despite being a non-Engineer. Dato’ Yusof is known among his banker’s friends as “a man who makes things happen!” He was also one of the shareholders of a PLC, Malaysia Pacific Land Berhad. He became the Chairman for a few years but opted out to be a full time Entrepreneur, as he found out that the latter was more interesting and challenging.

With his Business background and the networking he had cultivated at the national and international level, together with the working experience he has had, Dato’ Yusof is able to lead the Proven Group of Companies (PGC) to a greater height. He is the man who believes in growth and expansion. The PGC is already across the border having its presence in Thailand and Indonesia. PGC is the only Malaysian property developer that investing in Jakarta at this moment. It completed the Ciledug Central Business district in 1 and 3/4 year ahead of time (actual contract was 3 years).

According to him, the real progress ahead will require Fresh, Creative and Innovative ideas. As a Developer/Contractor he believes that PGC should have its own Building System. The group now has a complete building solution and has been active in supporting the Govt. and the government agencies in the development of properties and training of Industrialised Building System to contractors. Proven IBS has speed and one of the recent achievements in Malaysia is the completion of Uniciti Alam, turning the paddy field to a new township in Perlis. A few of his projects has caught the attention of the world. The Proven Group of Companies has won 14 International awards in 2013 and Dato’ Yusof himself was awarded the Entrepreneur of Year 2013 by the Malaysian Business Assembly and The Socrates International Award by the European Business Assembly at Oxford.

It is interesting to find out that Dato’ Dr. Yusof seems to like almost everything in life. His hobbies are plenty, ranging from reading, travelling, golfing, driving fast cars, sports and music. He is currently appointed as the Professor Adjunct by the School of Engineering and Innovation, UNIMAP due to his experience in the business world. He also has been appointed as a board of director at Small Medium Enterprise Development Academy (SMEDA) under the Ministry of Education since October 2014. TERAJU also has appointed him as a member of the advisory council of industry for Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN) and recently The Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia also has appointed him as a Core of Expertise (CoExp), in Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2015 – 2025 (Pendidikan Tinggi).