GSM Alumni Stories: Where It All Began 🎓
At IIUM Graduate School of Management, every alumni has a story and for our MBA Class of 2016 graduate, Saiyid A Syakir Al-Edrus, FCCA, it’s a story of professionalism shaped through consistency and high standards.
During his time pursuing an MBA at IIUM Graduate School of Management, Saiyid described himself as a typical student. However, his peers often entrusted him with the role of group leader and editor for assignments, recognising his “strict quality control and eye for detail.”
For Saiyid, it was never just about completing tasks, it was about upholding professionalism. He believed in delivering work that was complete, refined, and of high quality. As he puts it, submitting half-baked work was never an option, just as he would not deliver anything less than his best to his bosses and clients today.
This mindset, nurtured during his MBA journey, continues to define his professional approach and commitment to excellence. Below is the thought shared by him on our MBA programme.
1. Where were you in your career before joining GSM, and where are you now?
I was a Tax Specialist in Axiata Group Bhd in May 2013 when I was accepted. Currently I am a licensed tax agent and Executive Director of boutique tax firm, Morison LC Tax Sdn Bhd.
2.What part of the GSM experience had the biggest impact on you?
Networking with fellow experienced students from various backgrounds and expertise (eg engineering, IT, marketing, management etc). The diverse views from fellow students helped me in understanding nuances of leadership among astute peers and taking lead in group studies and projects.
3. How did GSM shape your values, mindset, or leadership style?
GSM provided the Islamic grounding, where each action is an ibadah and governed with ethics, which starts from niat or intention. From there, my personal values of “Integrity, Honesty & Compassion” and leadership naturally form a style of compassionate, attentive yet firm approach when I lead my department today.