“Wherever I go, I want to leave a footprint”

Dr Guna Seelan Rethinam CMgr FCMI aims to avoid ‘autopilot’. As an HR professional with 30 years’ experience across global industries as diverse as agriculture, manufacturing, automotive, business advisory, telecoms and education, he has constantly sought out new experiences in his career.

“Working with people is a constant, so HR is at the core of every organisation,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to explore and gain experience in different industries so that my work keeps challenging and stretching me.”

• “Chartered status proves I’m not just a theorist”

Guna is currently a lecturer in the Department of Management at Sunway University in Kuala Lumpur, a higher education partner of CMI Malaysia. When he was asked to coordinate the partnership, he realised that, despite his PhD in human resources development and years of experience across various levels of leadership, there was still a lot more he could learn about management. 

“Over the years, I kept getting differing feedback from my leaders. Their feedback often depends on their own perception of what management should look like, so you can get confused about what managerial skills you need to perform effectively.”

Added value

Guna became a CMI member three years ago and began to improve his managerial and leadership skill set using CMI resources. He achieved Chartered Manager status in December 2023 and now sits on the regional board of CMI Malaysia. 

“CMI’s framework is recognised across the world and gives you a clear idea about the areas you need to look at, and Chartered Manager status has added value for me and given me more confidence in my management abilities,” he says.