Designs on Excellence

When Nicholas Shang (Class of 1999) now visits the open-air walkways of JIS, he is still in awe of the Cilandak campus’s all-surrounding greenery and university-standard facilities. But this time, he’s not just admiring the school through the eyes of a former student. Nicholas is returning as a parent, excited for his son, who is set to start Grade 8 in the new academic year, to experience the same globally minded education and culture of excellence that shaped his own journey.

“I think one of the great things about JIS is that it's very international and multicultural. You learn about so many different nationalities, and you learn about the differences between different people, even in the sports programs. I guess that is something that I've always felt was important going into schools,” he says. “I'm excited to have my children go here. I was happy to have been part of it as well.”

As Operations Director of MOIE, a supplier of luxury home furnishings, Nicholas draws on that global perspective and respect for cultural nuances every day. He and his wife, who is also his business partner, work with designers, suppliers, and clients from around the world. They share the belief that understanding diverse backgrounds is an essential part of their company’s success. 

“I've always found that, especially as our world is getting smaller and we're all coming from different backgrounds, it's important to understand the nuances and different cultures, such as ways to be more polite, what would be a good way of showing more respect, or how to build closeness with a potential client or even a supplier; knowing that culture.”

In his leading role at MOIE, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, Nicholas oversees the operational side of the business, from ordering products to making sure they are delivered on time and arrive in perfect condition. He has been with MOIE for 20 years, but concedes that it wasn’t the niche corner of high-end home furnishings that drew him to the job.

"As an operations guy, it's not so much the luxury or the interior design for me,” he says with a laugh. “For my undergraduate degree, I studied computer engineering [...] and then I did a master's in business. I really like solving complex problems. It just happens that the vessel that's in my hands is luxury furniture and interiors, but I love business and engineering problems in general.”

Guiding his approach to business is a constant commitment to excellence, a key Dragon trait that took root during his days at JIS from Grade 4 to 10 and has stayed with him ever since. That mindset stayed closely with Nicholas throughout boarding school in the United States, his university studies, and then his career.

“One of the words that always stood out to me — and I would link it to a Dragon trait — is actually ‘excellence’. When I was at JIS, I felt that everything was always held to the highest standard, whether it was academics, sports, music, or even [extracurricular ] clubs outside of school hours,” Nicholas recalls. “If I look at the campus today versus what it was like when I was going to school, it has evolved in such tremendous ways. That just shows this level of excellence and the standard that has been placed on JIS.”