Innovation is crucial for a company’s growth, performance, and value. It involves harnessing new, value-adding ideas from employees and partners, customers, suppliers, and external stakeholders. At QI Group, innovation and a commitment to excellence permeate every management level, starting at the top.
Guided by a diverse, multinational board of directors led by founders Vijay Eswaran and Joseph Bismark, the QI Group benefits from the broad perspectives of 10 directors from six different countries, each tasked with overseeing a strategic area of the organization. Eswaran, who is also executive chairman, said, “All of our businesses are about helping people live better lives and/or empowering them to do more.”
The QI Group is a global conglomerate with business interests in education and training, wellness and lifestyle, travel and leisure, luxury goods, retail, logistics and property investments. Expanding into education, the corporation acquired Quest International University in Malaysia. The corporation has also broadened its portfolio to include the hospitality industry, investing in spa resorts and boutique hotels in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Turkey. The QI Group is an active World Economic Forum partner and has collaborated with the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute.
Who Is the Owner of QI Group?
The QI Group has flourished under the dynamic leadership of its founders, Eswaran and Bismark. Since the company’s inception in 1998, leaders and owners have exemplified visionary entrepreneurship and ethical business practices, driving the group to remarkable heights in various sectors.
Eswaran is a Malaysian entrepreneur, speaker, and philanthropist. His academic path led him to the London School of Economics, where he graduated with a degree in socioeconomics. Later, he obtained an MBA from Southern Illinois University in the United States. During his studies, Eswaran was introduced to the direct selling model, which later became the cornerstone of the firm’s business operations.
Upon returning to Asia in the early 1990s, Eswaran began to see the vast potential for establishing a direct selling network in the region. In 1998, amid the Asian financial crisis, a period marked more by its economic challenges than by its opportunities, Eswaran and Bismark established the QI Group. This bold decision showcased Eswaran’s strong belief in the potential of Asia’s emerging markets, his resilience, and his forward-thinking approach.
Bismark is the dynamic co-founder of the QI Group. He has significantly contributed to the company’s rapid growth, leveraging his spiritual background shaped by his early education in an ashram. His unique upbringing endowed him with expertise in diverse disciplines, including martial arts, music, Vedic studies, and bonsai cultivation. As a 3rd Dan black belt in taekwondo, Bismark has also served as a coach for the Philippine national team.
A dedicated advocate for healthy living, Bismark follows a strict vegetarian diet and has practiced yoga for over 40 years. With his distinct perspective and experiences, he has led the international corporation’s expansion into wellness and organic foods.
“A leader is never attached to position or power; rather he leads because of his genuine concern to help others achieve their goals,” Bismark posted on X.
Together, Eswaran and Bismark built a business empire that integrated Eswaran’s sharp business strategies with Bismark’s unique management philosophies. This model emphasizes the importance of service to others and is predicated on ethical practices and sustainable growth, which have been vital to the company’s success. The QI Group’s operations now span more than 30 countries globally, with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiaries in different parts of Asia, Europe, USA, and Middle East.
Social Responsibility
The QI Group has achieved substantial business success and has significantly impacted corporate social responsibility. The RYTHM Foundation (Raise Yourself To Help Mankind), the group’s corporate heartbeat, reflects its commitment to social responsibility. Through this foundation, the group undertakes various initiatives aimed at community development, including disaster relief, children with special needs, and community well-being.
“What it means is that we empower people to raise themselves, so that they can go out and help their communities. It’s a ripple effect. In addition to our foundation, that is formally involved in a number of community development projects all over the world, we also inculcate in our employees a culture of giving back. Every month, different groups of employees from different countries take up a particular cause one weekend — be it cleaning a beach, planting trees, volunteering at a home for the elderly, or helping out at soup kitchens,” Eswaran stated. “Philanthropy can never be a PR activity. It must be built into the organization’s DNA. We only have this one planet and it is up to us to leave it better than we found it for future generations.”
Since 2005, over 135 global partners have collaborated with the RYTHM Foundation on approximately 75 strategic projects. It has positively impacted 63,000 women and young females through more than 15 projects. Over 17,000 youth and children have benefited from its flagship initiatives and community programs.
The partnership between Vijay Eswaran and Joseph Bismark has been pivotal to the QI Group’s growth. Their leadership is a beacon of innovative and ethical practices, inspiring thousands of employees and millions of independent representatives around the globe.
