Living on the edge

In the endless list of adjectives to describe Mohd Jefriman Johari, “fearful” is perhaps not one of them.

JJ, as he is fondly known, is the office’s adrenaline junkie. From marathon to mountain climbing, white water rafting to extreme circuits, JJ not only participates in local tournaments; he is usually devising ways to get his colleagues on board.

“To me, putting yourself out there to try new things can be very rewarding. Pushing the limit let me know what I’m really made of. It’s all about self-discovery, and the fun multiplies when you take half the office with you.”

One of 1MDB’s young talents that has been part of the company since the early days, JJ counts himself lucky to be one of the pioneers. “We had the luxury of creating the company in our own mould and shape it according to our vision.

“As a young company, we are still very much in that process. The best part is we can decide the direction and set the culture with no obligations to follow a pre-decided manual.”

Part of the investment team, this Sungai Lembing boy thrives in learning new things. The Masters holder for Chemical Engineering from the Imperial College of London loves the challenge of putting his analytical skill sets to financial modeling.

“Joining the company as a fresh graduate, 1MDB has set the bar high for me. We look at the bigger picture – the multiplier impact that we want to see in the country – as we approach any proposed project. I enjoy coming to work and seeing what kind of challenges the day will bring.”

JJ is also quite handy in the kitchen. His pies are famous among his family and friends. JJ loves to cook simply because “I love to eat”.

“Cooking appeals to the chemist in me – it allows me to explore tastes, textures and to discover the right combinations.”