Page 26 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL2

“When you buy gold, you’re actually buying trust, it’s about buying and selling a large amount of money.”styles of management at a well known commercial bank. The experience taught him the kind of leader he wanted to become. At MTS Gold Group Keeradit encourages his employees to approach him with their problems to create the genial vibe he feels the company needs. This openness breaks down barriers they may have.The same holds true at the company’s executive level. While important meetings at high-revenue businesses are rarely a civil affair, things are different at MTS Gold Group. The board is served by Keeradit’s family. And most issues are settled through a vote. “Because we know it’s a family business, everybody is very positive,” says Keeradit. “We want to make things better. We just have different visions and ideas of how to do so.”Of course, in business as in life, mistakes can be costly. And even the most sure-footed executives stumble. Keeradit is no exception, though he possesses a formula for such blunders. “I cry,” he jokes, before adopting a more serious tone. “I accept that I24 Elite+lose,” he says. Keeradit remembers how his worst mistake left him broken. He knew how much it had cost the company and how easily it could have been avoided. “My father was quite angry,” he admits. “But in the end he understood. People make mistakes. I have learned from mine.”With such high stakes, there is little room for error. “When you buy gold, you’re actually buying trust,” he explains. “It’s about buying and selling a large amount of money. Some people come in and say, ‘I want to buy 100kg of gold,’ which is about 100 million baht, and they’re literally bringing cash in a suitcase.” Prudence, says Keeradit, is key.It is almost closing time at the MTS gold shop, but a few customers remain hunched over trays of necklaces. As we weave our way through them, the executive casually divulges his dreams. Like his grandparents before him, Keeradit has always wanted a business of his own, perhaps developing real estate in growing towns. But the ideal venture for him would be a cosy coffee shop, where customers can lounge in private or discuss ideas, all whilesipping his quality brew. “A coffee shop is one of the places where I get ideas,” he confesses. “I used to go to Starbucks every day. Or I’d have to ask my messenger to get it for me. But nowadays I make my own coffee. I bought some crazy machines...” Here he trails off, doubtless dreaming of a deserved cup he will make in the evening.“I just want to see how hard it is to build something from scratch and see how far I can go,” he concludes. The determination in his eyes has been passed on through generations. And it may prove pivotal to the empire.