Grounded in the belief that the best is yet to be, finance and accounting veteran Kay Lim derives the deepest satisfaction from the pursuit of completeness in life. 

“Promotions, titles, awards or certificates are not necessarily the benchmarks that I would chase after,” said the Chief Financial Officer of SGX-listed Nanofilm Technologies International. “My greatest sense of achievement comes from seeing myself advancing and developing as a more complete person, which is a lifelong journey.”

Lim, who graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor of Business Management summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Accountancy summa cum laude, has more than 13 years of experience in the finance and accounting industries.

He was appointed Nanofilm’s Business Adviser in 2019, and rose through the ranks to become the Group’s Chief Financial Officer a year later. Prior to joining Nanofilm, Lim held senior roles in ZACD Capital, OCBC Bank, Credit Suisse and DNB Bank.

“In the early stages of my career, I acquired the fundamentals, ranging from hard skills such as financial modelling, business valuation, accounting reporting, audit and risk management, to soft skills that included emotional intelligence, negotiation and outcome positioning,” Lim recalled.

“It was later on that I began to distil all the accumulated knowledge and integrate it with my personal experiences to form the core principles which would now guide me in leadership, management and strategy planning,” he added.

In fact, one of Lim’s key tenets is simplicity, because “simple is beautiful” in this complex world. “Think about it - how much information is actually lost in data, how much knowledge is lost in information, and how much wisdom is lost in knowledge?”

Likewise, at Nanofilm, it’s all about keeping things simple. The Group’s ethos has been distilled into a deceptively straightforward core value: Do the Right Thing and Do Things Right. 

“This motto is behind our vision of integrating nanotechnology in advanced materials and nanoproducts into our daily lives, and our mission to be the key catalyst enabling the advancement of our customers’ products in a sustainable manner,” Lim added.

“The maxim seems obvious, but it’s easier said than done. This is the secret sauce of how we’re able to create value for our stakeholders consistently, responsibly and sustainably.”

The Gold Standard

Nanofilm Technologies International, established in 1999 by Founder and Executive Chairman Dr Shi Xu as a high-tech spinoff from Nanyang Technological University, is a leading provider of nanotechnology solutions in Asia. 

It leverages its proprietary technologies and core competencies in research and development (R&D), as well as engineering and production, to provide solutions across industries that include computer, communications and consumer electronics (3C), automotive, precision engineering, as well as printing and imaging. 

Nanofilm has three business units - Advanced Materials, Nanofabrication and Industrial Equipment. Its Advanced Materials business unit is a provider of surface solutions based on its proprietary vacuum coating technologies. 

Its nanotechnology solutions are applied to mission-critical applications with attributes such as miniaturisation, increased durability, electrochemistry properties, corrosion resistance, thermal management and wear resistance. This enables customers to overcome functional and cost constraints presented by conventional materials and solutions. 

Currently, Nanofilm owns more than 70 patents and trademarks, not including over 20 applications, which are pending.

Listed on the Mainboard of Singapore Exchange in October 2020, Nanofilm is now a constituent of the MSCI Global Small Cap Indexes, FTSE ST Large & Mid Cap Index, FTSE ST Mid Cap Index, FTSE ST China Index and FTSE ST Singapore Shariah Index.

Today, Nanofilm holds the gold standard in the material science world. “We’ll continue to invest and build on our three core competencies - R&D innovation and product development skills, strong in-house engineering proficiencies, as well as solid production capabilities - to drive sustainable growth in an ESG-responsible manner,” Lim said, referring to Environment, Social and Corporate Governance principles.

“We’re confident that our proprietary, differentiated and versatile nanotechnology solutions, offered at compelling values to enable mass adoption by customers, will deepen our wallet share with existing clients, as well as attract new clients in existing end-markets, while penetrating new end-markets,” he added.

As a result, the road ahead holds great promise, Lim said. “We’ll continue to walk this path to execute a well-defined development roadmap to expand our technology channels to the commercial world, where Nanofilm serves as a deep-tech launch pad.”

Future markets and channels under development include New Energy, Biomedical, Aerospace and Internet of Things (IoT) optics. Another core focus would be value-chain integration across products. 

“This will be achieved by selectively entering into the design, manufacturing and assembly of vital components and modules in industries where our advanced materials are key enablers, and through increased customer engagement, leveraging synergies across our business segments to offer integrated solutions,” Lim added.

Green Energy Economy

ESG remains a core area of emphasis for the Group, with sustainability and societal impact being key considerations. 

“Our goal is to achieve the betterment of our society at large, and Nanofilm’s contribution to the world’s sustainability is often underplayed,” Lim noted. “Our green-labelled, mission-critical applications adopted by global supply chains reach end-consumers worldwide, which amplifies the impact of our solutions on society and the environment.”

In April, its proposed partnership with Singapore government investment agency Temasek Holdings, through the establishment of joint-venture company Sydrogen Energy Pte Ltd, marked Nanofilm’s foray into the hydrogen energy economy. 

By applying the Group’s advanced materials and nanotechnology to critical components in fuel cell and electrolyser systems, Sydrogen is poised to bring about a tipping point in the mass and widespread commercial adoption of these technologies. 

“In this venture, we will be a critical supply chain player in the hydrogen economy, contribute to carbon neutrality, and offer a sustainable energy source for the global economy,” Lim noted. “As the most abundant element in the world, hydrogen offers a sustainable energy source at zero carbon emission output.”

Meanwhile, COVID-19 has presented new business opportunities as well as risks. 

“Our nanotechnology solutions are adopted in multiple end-industries that have benefited from the increased acceleration towards digitalisation, connectivity, smart data and mobility with a lower carbon footprint,” Lim said.

At the same time, the financial impact from the pandemic cannot be ignored. “We remain focused on group-wide efficiencies and cost controls, managing our cash flows, and being prudent and selective in our capital expenditure,” he added. 

Other risks include volatility from the Group’s 3C business. “It's an oxymoron that our 3C business is both a cash-cow and source of erratic growth - while we’re unable to control fluctuations in end-consumer demand, our strong technology and operational ecosystem has allowed us to excel in this market,” Lim pointed out.

However, Nanofilm is not resting on its laurels. “We’re constantly innovating and improving to meet the ever-changing needs of this industry. We’re also hopeful that our newer markets - Automotive, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Nanofabrication and New Energy - will expand to a stage where they can become pillars of growth, and eventually be on par with, or overtake our 3C business.”

And when Lim is out of the office, he’s focused on his family, which includes a son, eight, and daughter, 10. 

“I always tell my kids and staff - learn to accept the things you cannot change, but have the courage and strength to change the things you can - for the better,” said the 38-year-old with a smile.

“And above all, develop the wisdom to know the difference between the two!”

Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd

Nanofilm is a leading provider of unique vacuum coating technologies in Asia, leveraging its proprietary technologies and core competencies in R&D, engineering and production, to provide technology-based solutions and products across a wide range of industries, including precision equipment, consumer electronics and automotive. Nanofilm’s solutions serve as key catalysts in enabling its customers to achieve high value-add advancements in their end-products in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The company website is: www.nti-nanofilm.com

Click here for the company's StockFacts page.

For the year ended 31 December 2020 financial results, click here.

 

About kopi-C: the Company brew

Text: Jennifer Tan-Stanisic
Photo: Company file

kopi-C is a regular column on the SGX Research website that features C-level executives of leading companies listed on Singapore Exchange. These interviews are profiles of senior management aimed at helping investors better understand the individuals who run these corporations.

For previous editions of kopi-C: the Company brew, please click here.  

For more information, or if you would like your senior executives to be featured on SGX Market Dialogues, please send suggestions to jennifer.t@sgx.com.