Supaluck Umpujh is chairwoman of The Mall Group, a company she joined in 1982. Under her supervision, the Thai retail operator founded by her father, Supachai Umpujh, has opened world-leading shopping malls such as Emporium, the country’s first world-class luxury-retail complex. She is now chairwoman of The Mall Group, The Emporium Group and Siam Paragon Retail Co Ltd and continues to believe that great experiences, place-making and thinking outside the box are key to running a successful business.

Here, she shares insights from her four decades working in retail, the lessons that stuck with her and why she almost gave up her chance to join the top table of Thai business to become a pharmacist.

Today you run a successful business, though that success was never guaranteed. Tell us about how you started.
I studied pharmacy and thought that I wanted to become a doctor. I had no idea about retail. One day my father asked me to go into business with him. I said, “Are you nuts?” I came from a science background and didn’t want to open a mall. I was a very shy woman back then, the new kid on the block. Now I want to inspire people to believe in themselves and show others that they can achieve their goals, even if they seem impossible.

What did your father teach you after bringing you into the business?
I learned many things from him. Number one, dream big and never give up. Number two, be a leader and not a follower. Number three, some people see opportunities where others see mountains. Four? It’s better to give than to take. Five – this one is essential. If you’re smart and a hard worker, you’ll find money easily but if you lose your reputation, there is no amount of money that can buy it back. This is perhaps the most important thing that my father taught me – and I make sure to remind myself of it on a daily basis.

Can you share a problem that you encountered on your road to success?
I was 23 when I opened my first mall. Now I’m 69 and have a lot more experience. I knew nothing then and – sorry – neither did my father. As such, the escalator was built incorrectly, the parking didn’t feel right and there was no good merchandise. I cried all day and all night after we opened. I had to apologise to the tenants for losing their money. I asked them to give me one more chance.

Did they? How did you react to the initial disappointment?
Yes, they did. The next time when I tried to open a shopping mall, I said to myself, “I just want to create a place that makes people happy.” I had to think outside the box. With few parks or shaded areas in Bangkok, people just wanted to go somewhere air-conditioned. I looked around for inspiration but other malls felt like lifeless boxes. So I decided to build the first retail-and-entertainment complex in Thailand: I fitted it out with an ice-skating rink, a cinema and a waterpark. I did everything that I was told would be impossible. I then opened two more complexes, both of which were very popular. By that time, I had established myself as a successful businesswoman. Fortune magazine even called me the “Iron Butterfly”. But I wanted more; I wanted to get involved with luxury retail. I was jealous of Hong Kong and Singapore.

Fast-forward to today. You must have achieved what you set out to do. What advice do you have for others?
Don’t just think about the numbers; think about what you can do. The money will come later. I talk about my passion and that’s why people believe in me. I also think that every problem, from the 1997 Asian financial crisis to the coronavirus pandemic, presents an opportunity. No matter how big the storm, there’s always a rainbow at the end.

As told to Tyler Brûlé

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