Regarded as one of the trailblazers in his industry, Magna Prime Chemical Technologies Inc. chief executive officer Derrick A. Tan was responsible for many firsts in the field of construction chemicals.
With Magna Prime, he is on top of a company widely acknowledged as a leading distributor and manufacturer of construction chemicals and quality adhesives for the construction and automotive industries. Known for creating the pioneering tile adhesive product called SmartBond, Tan is quick to share the credit with chemists, chemical engineers, architects and civil engineers—the people who helped him through the whole product’s development phase.
“A CEO should be multi-skilled, a jack of all trades who needs to know a little about everything. I can’t be an expert in everything, but I want to be an expert in construction chemicals. Then again, the main process of it all, I leave to the chemist, my chemical engineers—they are my researchers, they guide me in the nitty-gritty of things,” Tan pointed out.
The humility to accept everything, and everyone that comes with having a business, has been the hallmark to this unassuming businessman’s success. As with most success stories, there’s also a lot of hard work involved and for Tan, it all began at an early age with a simple dream—that of becoming a manufacturer.
This dream was not easy to realize as Tan had to work for companies like Nissan and Petron after graduating from De La Salle University. After saving enough capital, he started his first business venture—a small tire and battery retail company that he grow into a diversified business that included distributorship for car lubricants and later, pharmaceutical products.
The success of SmartBond inspired him to innovate more with more than just a little help from his employees, partners who generously shared their knowledge and customers who provided encouraging and helpful feedback.
“There was a lot of criticism, but we really have to listen. Whether it is about the quality or the ease of use of the product, you must do good in sightings before launching a product. Otherwise, it would be costly,” Tan conceded.
There was a time when Tan thought that a successful businessman is someone who is rich, popular and powerful. In his experience, that is not always the case, far from it.
““It’s not something you can do with your strength, it is something ‘money cannot buy.’ Before, when I didn’t know the Lord yet, mabilis ka lagi, eh. Lahat gusto mo habulin, lahat gusto mo i-please. Always yes, always pwede.… pero wala akong freedom,” he recalls.
Now in the business of serving others, it is likewise important for Tan to find the right people who are just as loyal and compassionate, not just to him but also to customers as a whole. Tan’s mission to be a better leader is very much reflected in how he cares for his employees. Through efforts big and small, he constantly shows and reminds his people that they belong to one family.
The one philosophy he shares with his employees is very simple: “Profit-selling is only a by-product of helping others.”
With this guiding concept, Tan’s focus is not to make Magna Prime a product-centric company, but a complete solutions provider and a place where relationships are most valued.
“I want to see the industry flourish in terms of knowing the technologies of construction chemicals and to be globally competitive in the construction industry. I hope I could be one of the contributors to advancing and sharing our experiences and knowledge in construction chemicals. It is not our focus to beat our competitors, but our goal is to focus on our customers,” Tan said.
By making it a point that he does not only provide for his customers, but for his people as well, Tan does not fail to give back with whatever means he can, to spread his wisdom and skills by passing it on with patience and generosity.
Stress is a big part of the work of any CEO and Tan is no exception. Thankfully, he turns to prayer whenever his impatience and hotheadedness tend to get the better of him. Armed with the discipline to correct his weaknesses, Tan knows how to channel his energy into doing better things and constantly reminds himself to align his actions with their company motto—better before best.
In addition to Magna Prime, Tan also recently founded Buildrite Academy, another pioneering concept in the industry. His vision for the program is “to see future Filipino professional builders that are equipped and knowledgeable, in basic and advanced construction chemicals, and in binding world class structures economically and within globally accepted standards.”
So how does a man like Derrick A. Tan balance his time with all the attention he devotes to his business and his people? The answer lies in simply organizing his priorities.
“Number one, si God ang center ko kaya malaking bagay siya to [keep] my balance. Number two is my wife—my loving wife who takes care of our children, who takes care of me, who never fails to have breakfast with me, who never fails to look after my coffee—‘yun muna eh. Sila ang nasa inner circle ko,” he shared.
By establishing a clearer relationship with his faith, his wife, and his children, Tan says satisfaction, peace, contentment, hope, love will naturally follow and everything else will fall into place.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3.