Richard Hawkins
Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Hawk Management (S) Pte Ltd
Richard Hawkins had his business career beginnings with IBM in London prior to joining Avis. This shift in career has resulted in his lifelong involvement in the car rental industry. His first promotion to the International Audit Team is one of the many that he will see throughout his career, a testament to his strength in the field. He spent a few good years auditing the Avis offices across Europe, which also helped pave the way for Hawkins to learn the trade from an insider’s perspective.
As time progressed, it became clear to him that the car rental business held the key to taking him to places and to experience things that he would never have imagined. It wasn’t just an average job that required him to be stationed at one location doing the same thing. The vibrancy of the industry and the many prospects it held excited him as he continued to audit and learn the business for the next two years.
During a casual conversation with a colleague, he stumbled upon a job opportunity in Asia and within a matter of months he was offered a role which he took without hesitation. This appointment was to take him to the next level of his career, this time in Southeast Asia as the Financial Controller of Avis in Singapore and Malaysia. After realizing his potential in the business, the company sent him to other Asian countries and to places like the South Pacific Islands and Indian Ocean Islands to support their growth in these locations.
Some years later, when offered a role as the General Manager in Malaysia, he seized the chance to advance his career. The five years spent in Malaysia proved to be a crucial turning point for him. He was promoted to take over as the Regional Manager for Avis Asia. He also kept his role as the Managing Director of Malaysia and also the General Manager of Singapore – making it a grand total of three very important senior executive positions to helm!
He continued to wear the many hats in the company until he grew restless and desired to achieve greater things. He yearned for more than just corporate stability and wanted a business that he could call his own. After years of toiling in the car rental industry, he had the ambition to start his own car rental company that was based in Asia rather than just acquiring a foreign franchise. During his tenure in the company, he met Felix Fernandez and David Chen, industry veterans and valuable partners who would eventually play a pivotal role in establishing the business.
Sensing that the timing was ripe, Hawkins founded “Hawk Rent A Car” in 1994 together with his partners Fernandez and Chen. The business name derives inspiration from his surname. The leap of faith has proved worthwhile as the team successfully established Hawk Rent A Car as a key player in the Malaysian, Singaporean and Hong Kong car rental markets.
Hawkins is also a proud member of Skal, the only professional organization with members from all sectors of the travel industry promoting global tourism and friendship. He was elected to the Post of International President for 1999/2000 at the International Congress held in Stuttgart, Germany.