Brandon Kok

Sometimes, all it takes to ignite a great passion is a very small, seemingly insignificant spark. For a young boy from Singapore, it was simple aeroplane videos and games that started the journey. Brandon Kok’s fascination with everything to do with aerospace and aviation has never dimmed.

He realised very early on that he would not make a career in this industry as an engineer or a technical genius. ‘I was always much more interested in how a technical brand works, what needs to be done to increase brand awareness and what aircraft customers expect from service, repair and maintenance teams. I wanted to experience and help shape the human and communicative side.’

When he spotted a job opportunity in the human resources department of Liebherr-Singapore two years ago, he didn’t need to think twice: ‘I had never come across Liebherr as a company in Singapore before. When I found out that the aerospace and transportation systems product segment’s work was related to parts and components for the Airbus, I was really fired up for the prospect of this new role – it was exactly my world,’ he enthuses.

The 28-year-old is now part of the HR and Recruiting team at Liebherr-Singapore, handling all levels of recruitment based on the company’s requirements. What he likes best about his job is that he meets different people every day, and can talk to them to get a feel for their needs and expectations. He himself is often amazed at just how well he manages to do this on a day-to-day basis. ‘I was rather shy as a child, couldn’t look people in the eye and tended to avoid conversation rather than seek it out myself. Today it’s the other way round.’

Finding his role as the only man in an otherwise all-female team was something he couldn’t really have imagined at first. ‘But if you think in terms of possibilities rather than limitations, any initial reservations quickly disappear. We work really well as a team, complement each other and come up with lots of ideas together,’ says Brandon.

As an HR and recruiting expert, Brandon has developed a keen appreciation of the importance of a corporate culture being embodied. ‘After all, we want the application process to attract people who really suit our team, with whom we can take the company forward and secure our future .’ Working at Liebherr always means getting involved with other people, recognising their needs and promoting a sense of community. ‘For managers, this interaction is called “walk the talk” – those who engage in dialogue with employees also make them feel valued. This creates a trusting environment in which everyone can develop to their full potential.’

Brandon makes it clear that working in the engineering industry always involves highly demanding tasks and a great deal of responsibility. ‘That’s why the recruiting team takes a very close look at who is a good fit for Liebherr’s corporate culture.’ But this task is also becoming increasingly demanding. As everywhere in the industrialised world, the shortage of skilled workers is also clearly in evidence in Singapore. ‘This is why it is becoming increasingly important during the application process to use the interview to find out who is suitable as a future employee and who is prepared to actually embody Liebherr’s values. This includes never giving up, always improving and making customers happy. Because that is exactly what the Liebherr story is all about.’

He certainly won’t run out of arguments in Liebherr’s favour, Brandon assures us. However, Gen Z today is also very selective in its job decisions and thinks much more short-term than previous generations. ‘We have to adapt to this through what we offer and the selling points of Liebherr as an employer. It is helpful that Liebherr was recently able to hold its own in times of crisis, for example during the pandemic when lockdowns and stressed supply chains had a severe impact on the economy and trade. The resilience of a stable global company is also recognised as an advantage by young applicants today,’ says Brandon. ‘And who knows, maybe it only takes this one push to ultimately find a job for life. In that regard, I like to set a good example.’