As an avid home cook, Greg Hiroaki Kobayashi, Assistant Vice President of Project (Infrastructure), remembers suggesting with Joane, one of his team members, “Let’s prepare a ‘buffet spread,’” when she came to him for help with a proposal for management. Over the years, he has learned that offering a variety of options often leads to better outcomes. As a result, Joane created a detailed proposal that allowed stakeholders to mix and match their preferences. Her hard work paid off, earning her well-deserved praise and significantly boosting her confidence.
His journey began at Nihon University, where he earned a degree in Architectural Engineering. He spent 20 years at Shimizu Corporation managing regional projects and 14 years building his consultancy firm, Kinkaizsan. Along the way, he has shared his experiences by lecturing at the Singapore Contractors Association and SIM University. His time at Tiong Seng Contractors helped him develop expertise in energy-saving technologies, lean construction, and digitalization, all of which he brought with him to JP.
When he joined JP, he made it a priority to understand his team’s interests and strengths. They come from different backgrounds and have varied experiences. Just as he connects with his seven children, aged 7 to 24, he has learned that to motivate someone in their unique way, he must first understand them. Thus, he chose to sit in close to the team to foster stronger bond with them.
He likes to start his Mondays by catching up with his team, learning about their families and how they spent their weekends. As Head of Project Management, he understands the importance of work-life balance, often reminding them, “Overtime on Mondays is too exhausting after a weekend of family time. Plus, it’s just the start of the week!”
He is excited to dedicate time to the Jurong Port Academy, where he will conduct courses for young engineers and operations executives. However, he believes it’s not just about teaching; he will also learn a lot through ‘reverse teaching.’ This culture of mutual growth and knowledge sharing is something he deeply values at JP, and he is looking forward to growing together with his team.
