The QI Group’s journey began during the Asian economic crisis in the late ’90s. Founders Vijay Eswaran, executive chairman, and deputy chairman Joseph Bismark set out to establish a business that would support thousands of people whose livelihoods were at stake. Bismark began his entrepreneurial journey by manufacturing figurines in the Philippines, where he met Eswaran. Together, they built a successful direct selling business and co-founded the QI Group in 1998. “We started as an e-commerce company, and from there, it grew,” Eswaran explained.
He continued, “We were thinking of survival. It was just a question of getting through the day. It was a tough business, and there was an arduous journey ahead.”
Today, the QI Group is a global conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong. With a presence in over 30 countries and employing more than 2,000 people worldwide, the QI Group has diversified its business interests, which today include education, travel and leisure, retail, financial services, and luxury goods.
Over the years, the QI Group has expanded its business portfolio to include various sectors. Its direct selling business, the foundation of its initial success, has grown into a wellness and lifestyle company with thousands of distributors around the world. Additionally, the group has made significant inroads into the luxury market by acquiring the Swiss watch brand Cimier. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2024, Cimier is a testament to the QI Group’s commitment to quality and heritage.
Through its travel and leisure business, the company operates boutique hotels and resorts in Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey, with a focus on eco-tourism.
Is QI a Good Company?
Yes, QI is a good company, demonstrated by its strong track record and commitment to integrity, service, sustainability, and leadership. The QI Group’s dedication to sustainable practices, social responsibility, and quality education demonstrates its positive impact on the communities it serves. The group’s strategic investments and global presence further solidify its position as a reliable and forward-thinking organization. The high ratings of its hotels and the positive feedback from guests about the attentive and caring staff are testaments to the company’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
The QI Group is committed to sustainable practices and social responsibility. It’s implemented a meat- and plastic-free policy in all its events and meetings to reduce its environmental impact. Additionally, QI Group employees have donated over 100,000 volunteer hours to over 750 ecological and social causes in over 20 countries.
Eswaran stated, “People have always been our greatest asset. Growth is automatic if you have the right people in the right roles and empower them. No business can survive without a good team behind it. I’ve realized that fresh ideas come from the most unexpected sources. You must start with the belief that everyone has something to contribute. Finding your value in them is your duty.”
He continued, “We started off with a dream, a vision, that we believed in. As we found out, as we went along there were potholes and pitfalls at every turn. As we started becoming a global business, different challenges appeared in different jurisdictions.”
The QI Group is driven by a mission encapsulated in the acronym RYTHM: Raise Yourself To Help Mankind. Through the RYTHM Foundation, the QI Group focuses on education, empowerment, and the environment, aligning its efforts with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2005, the foundation has collaborated with more than 135 partners to execute over 75 transformative projects benefiting approximately 80,000 people.
Education: A Pillar of the QI Group
According to Eswaran, the next development for the QI Group was the university, which developed after the hotel expansions. Quest International University aims to provide quality and affordable education.
Located in Perak, Malaysia, QIU has welcomed approximately 7,000 students from nearly 50 countries since its inception. The university focuses on nurturing curiosity, industry relevance, and environmental consciousness through its six faculties and two centers. The QI Group’s dedication to education is further highlighted by its Sukuk Ijarah program, which raised $21.48 million to fund the construction of a new QIU campus in Gunung Lang, Ipoh, Perak. This innovative financing approach marks the QI Group’s first entry into Malaysia’s capital markets and underscores its long-term investment in education.
The QI Group’s strategic investments extend beyond its core sectors. Through its investment arm, QI Capital, the group has invested in financial services organizations, telecommunications, natural food retailers, hospitality management, and an online marketplace. These investments are located in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the U.K., and the USA. This diverse portfolio highlights the QI Group’s commitment to fostering growth and innovation across different industries.
“So we have grown from just being an e-commerce company to all of these various facets over the years,” stated Eswaran. “That’s us in a nutshell.”