Fast facts about David Lau

David Lau, general manager of Townview Sdn Bhd, is set to leave the company that operates Bruneian home improvement retailer GoodHome by end-July. The 50-year-old Malaysian executive spent roughly a decade in the company, building the home improvement store chain up from concept to soon-to-be international player. He positioned GoodHome as Brunei's answer to Thailand's HomePro, navigated the pandemic to maximize profitability, and grew the retailer’s reach in the sultanate by adding branches. He also helped to lay down the groundwork for GoodHome’s international foray into Malaysia. Upon his exit, Good Home’s managing director, Dato’ Sri Lau Kung Ching, will take over the operations of the retail chain. Recently, David sat down with DIY International to share anecdotes on his professional journey. Excerpts follow.  

1. He came to Brunei from east Malaysia in 2016 to help set up GoodHome. David, who hails from the city of Sibu in Sarawak, joined a year before the first GoodHome store was opened, to become part of the planning of the company. He then grew GoodHome from a 100 m² trial store that was launched in October 2017 (and shut down in 2018, when the flagship store opened) to a major player with three big-format stores in a span of two years. Nearly 10 years on, GoodHome is now preparing for its international debut. The first Malaysian outlet  will be operational in 2028. Among Lau’s final tasks are completing the branch’s design and jump starting the process for this milestone.

2. He knows the home improvement industry of Borneo. Prior to joining Good Home, he spent his first decade in the industry with JCI Factory Outlet Sdn Bhd, a home improvement pioneer in Sarawak that is based in the city of Sibu. "[JCI was] the first one to set up a company like a DIY shop in the region. We…started the use of the bar code system [in the regional home improvement retail sphere]," he said. By his telling, JCI predated the establishment of SK Hardware, one of the most well-known one-stop shops for home improvement in east Malaysia that started in the 1980s. "I’ve known the SK boss for a long time. They came to Sibu to visit us," he said. "Two to three years after we started, SK opened in Bintulu [another city in Sarawak]." SK Hardware now operates a store housed in a 3,720 m² building in the capital city of Kuching in addition to its Bintulu outlet.

3. He plans to join a bigger home improvement firm - or retire. At 50 years old, David has his professional development…