" VINCENT TAN "

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan reveals the secrets of the billion-dollar break that helped him buy the Bluebirds

Reading a random magazine article put Tan on the road to making the riches that have allowed him to invest in Cardiff City and other projects

Friday 14th August 2015

Vincent Tan has revealed the secrets behind his billion-dollar break that put him on the path to his controversial ownership of Cardiff City – and it’s all because he read a random magazine article.

The Bluebirds face QPR in the Championship on Saturday, a fixture Tan has previously jokingly dubbed ‘a Malaysian derby’ because of the presence of compatriot Tony Fernandes in the Loftus Road directors’ box.

But the 63-year-old moneyman has told an audience in his home country exactly how he was able to get on the road to riches that paved the way for his 2010 Cardiff takeover and continuing backing.

And he has put his estimated $1bn fortune down to two big breaks in his life, including how he became his country’s burger king after starting out as an insurance salesman.

“My two big breaks were buying the McDonald’s franchise when I was 28 years old and then later getting the government to allow me to privatise Sports Toto (a Malaysian lottery-style gambling game),” Tan said to chief executives at the Malaysia Retail Chain Association, as reported by the Malaysian Star.

“While I was still in the insurance line in 1973, I remember reading a TIME magazine article, ‘The Burger That Conquered The World’, one day while waiting for a client.

“After that I started sending letters to McDonald’s over and over again, till one day they invited me to the opening of the first McDonald’s in Singapore.

“I thought I did not stand a chance back then, but they told me ‘We have met many people, but we like you the most because you are persistent and you never gave up’.

“I put in (£39,000) and they put in the other half, giving me 51% of the stake. And that’s how it all started.

“But really, I’m just one of the lucky ones. If you work hard, when the opportunity comes you will be lucky too.”

“Today, Berjaya Group is worth RM3bil and I myself can’t believe it.”

According to Forbes, Tan’s estimated wealth did suffer a $400 million drop last year as property and other investments made by his Berjaya Corporation fell.

However, Tan gave an insight on his determination to avoid failure in business and his strategy as a whole as he said: “I like investing in small businesses, because I believe they can become billion-dollar companies.”

He added: “I used to own DIGI and Prudential, but during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, I had to sell those two crown jewels to help build Berjaya Times Square.

“I had to. I did not want people to see a half completed building when they drive down Jalan Imbi and then think ‘Oh that Vincent Tan is a failure!”

He also advised the audience: “Your company succeeds because of you. I am the jack of all trades and a master of none. So, I tell all my CEOs to go be a master of their own trade.”

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

I just hope you are right. But I have a feeling that if he continues to suffer abuse despite reversal of the rebrand, he may bury us.

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

I just hope you are right. But I have a feeling that if he continues to suffer abuse despite reversal of the rebrand, he may bury us.

Where does he get abuse? since we were back to Blue?
We are all allowed our opinions on him

Plus as soon as he can get most of his money back,he will be off.
We are now getting our worse home crowds ever in the New stadium,fans have voted with their feet.

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

I just hope you are right. But I have a feeling that if he continues to suffer abuse despite reversal of the rebrand, he may bury us.

Where does he get abuse? since we were back to Blue?
We are all allowed our opinions on him

Plus as soon as he can get most of his money back,he will be off.
We are now getting our worse home crowds ever in the New stadium,fans have voted with their feet.

I think the fans and tan have gone it abit quiet recently all seems to have cooled off since we gone back to blue ,maybe tans has learnt by his mistakes and the fans are starting to forgive him ?

I don't think tan gets any abuse now or he shouldn't do.
Rebrand reversed, financially getting on an even keel, now let the manager do the business if he can't get someone who can.

Great businessman but clueless on football,

Great businessman but clueless on football,

This ^ totally agree

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

400m is huge! It's 40% of his wealth

Interesting article

I note the 'incidental' $400m drop in his company worth last year and it puts our own 'debt' to him into perspective!

Somehow, I don't think he loses too much sleep over it and it will ultimately simply be a case of him needing to be seen as a success (in business terms) when he eventually moves on.

Hopefully, that will be of benefit to all concerned; him, club and fans!

400m is huge! It's 40% of his wealth

I was referring to what is owed to him by the football club in comparison and I used 'incidental' with a little sarcasm due to it being an almost 'minor point' in the 'Forbes' article

I'm sure the Berjaya Corporation will remain strong overall and we must remember Cardiff City FC is a small dent in his overall business portfolio
But it may explain why he isn't seen around these parts so much in recent times, as I think he is