KUALA LUMPUR: Knight Frank Malaysia Group Executive Chairman Sarkunan “Sarky” Subramaniam has launched his memoir, The Other Side of Obstacles, chronicling his journey from overcoming academic setbacks to becoming one of Malaysia’s leading figures in the real estate industry.
Launched at Knight Frank Malaysia’s headquarters here, the memoir reflects on Sarky’s four-decade career in real estate while sharing the personal challenges that shaped his leadership journey.
Describing the book as more than a corporate success story, Sarky said it was written to inspire aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs and individuals navigating career setbacks in an increasingly fast-changing world.
“The Other Side of Obstacles is not a corporate success story. It is a candid recollection of accidental leadership, the daunting pivot from technical valuer to high-stakes estate agency professionalism and the counter-intuitive philosophy of elevating Knight Frank Malaysia into a market leader,” he said during the launch recently.
The memoir traces Sarky’s unconventional path from obtaining a near-failing Aggregate 38 in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination to eventually becoming Group Executive Chairman of Knight Frank Malaysia.
It recounts how he worked as a hospital cleaner and taxi driver in Melbourne to finance his studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), before gaining professional experience at Victoria’s Valuer General’s Office while balancing full-time work with evening classes.
Structured into four sections comprising 26 chapters and a photo gallery, the book explores his formative years, university life, entry into the property profession and his career with Knight Frank Malaysia.
The launch was attended by more than 100 guests, including university students, lecturers, business associates, colleagues, friends and family members.
Also present was Datuk Seri Dr Michael Yam, former president and patron of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA), who wrote the foreword for the memoir.
The Other Side of Obstacles is available for purchase through Sarkunan’s official website at RM50, with a RM10 delivery fee for orders within Malaysia.
