Building a multinational conglomerate requires more than business acumen—it demands a unifying philosophy that transcends borders and cultures. QI Group has achieved this through what co-founder Vijay Eswaran calls their “secret sauce”: a commitment to stakeholder capitalism and guiding values of sustainability, integrity, service, and leadership that began with two entrepreneurs in 1998 and now spans operations across five continents.
During the 1998 Asian financial crisis, most entrepreneurs avoided launching new ventures. Yet Vijay Eswaran and Joseph Bismark chose this turbulent period to establish QI Group, transforming an initial direct selling operation into a multinational enterprise spanning education, wellness and lifestyle, travel and leisure, luxury goods, and retail across more than 30 countries
The enterprise operates from dual command centers designed to maximize global reach while maintaining operational efficiency. This Hong Kong-registered organization coordinates worldwide activities through its corporate headquarters in Hong Kong, complemented by an operational center housed within Malaysia’s first Green Mark Gold-certified high-rise building.
“Leadership is not about telling people what to do,” Eswaran explained in a recent interview. “A true leader is one who knows how to serve.” This servant leadership philosophy has guided the company’s expansion from its founding to its current status as a diversified international enterprise.
Who is the CEO of QI Group of Companies?
The CEO-equivalent role at QI Group is held by Group Managing Director Kuna Senathirajah. He has been a member of the QI Board for over two decades and currently oversees the company’s global operations across all business units.
While QI Group does not use the traditional “CEO” title, Kuna Senathirajah functions as the company’s top executive, responsible for driving strategy, operational leadership, and long-term growth initiatives. His appointment reflects a governance model that emphasizes collective leadership and continuity, shaped by deep institutional knowledge.
The company is overseen by a Board of Directors, led by Executive Chairman Vijay Eswaran and Deputy Chairman Joseph Bismark, the co-founders of QI Group. Together, the Board provides strategic direction, upholds the company’s RYTHM philosophy (Raise Yourself To Help Mankind), and ensures alignment with its core values of sustainability, service, integrity, and leadership.
Where is QI Group headquarters?
QI Group is headquartered in Hong Kong, with an operational center in Malaysia’s Selangor state.
This dual-hub model allows the company to coordinate global activities efficiently while anchoring its sustainability goals in Asia.
- Hong Kong: Chosen for its financial infrastructure, strategic location, and international access
- Malaysia: Home to QI Tower, a 15-story green-certified office building that became the first existing high-rise in Malaysia to receive Singapore’s Green Mark Gold certification
This geographic structure enables the group to manage operations in 30+ countries across five continents.
What Industries and Companies Does QI Group Invest In?
QI Group’s portfolio demonstrates calculated risk distribution across multiple industries and geographic regions. The organization channels expansion through QI Capital, its dedicated investment division, which maintains active positions in companies throughout Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
These investments encompass financial services institutions, educational enterprises, telecommunications companies, luxury manufacturing, organic retail operations, hospitality management, and digital marketplace platforms.
Educational investment centers on Quest International University, QI Group’s Malaysian institution that has enrolled students from 50 nations since launching in 2011. The university’s financial stability received validation through a groundbreaking $21.48 million Sukuk Ijarah program—an Islamic financing structure that marked QI Group’s debut in Malaysian capital markets.
The company’s luxury market positioning relies on Swiss timepiece heritage. The company owns Cimier, a historic watchmaker that reached its 100th anniversary in 2024, alongside the Bernhard H. Mayer Collection, which traces its origins to 1871. These acquisitions provide QI Group with authentic luxury credentials in markets that value craftsmanship and tradition.
Its hospitality investments emphasize sustainable tourism through eco-certified properties. Operations span Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey, with flagship property Prana Resort Nandana earning Thailand’s Green Hotel Standard gold rating for comprehensive environmental practices
How Does QI Group Support Employees and Communities?
QI Group’s human capital approach reflects its international scope through deliberate diversity cultivation. The workforce encompasses individuals from approximately 50 countries, creating an environment where multiple languages and cultural perspectives inform business decisions.
Gender representation achieves near-parity, with women comprising 47% of total employees. Age diversity spans from 19 to 65 years, ensuring multigenerational perspectives influence long-term planning and operational execution.
“I am a proponent of management by consensus,” Eswaran explained in discussing workforce management. “If you want to create an environment that fosters creativity and innovation, then you need to allow diversity of opinions. It’s not about giving up control but about making an informed decision.”
Employee engagement extends beyond traditional workplace boundaries through community service. Staff members have accumulated more than 125,000 volunteer hours since 2013, participating in local environmental projects, educational initiatives, and community development programs. The 2021 Green Legacy program has established 25,000 trees across 11 countries, beginning with dedicated forests in Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines before expanding to Indonesia, Algeria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Morocco, and Malaysia.
Over two decades after launching during Asia’s financial turmoil, QI Group has created something unusual in the corporate world: a genuinely global organization where a genuinely diverse variety of backgrounds contribute to a shared mission. Their success suggests that servant leadership and stakeholder capitalism, concepts often dismissed as idealistic, can actually power sustainable international growth when applied consistently across cultures and continents.
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