At ams OSRAM, we develop light for many different applications. Perhaps one of the most inspiring is horticulture. As Manufacturing Director, Chong Hie is eloquent about the promise of this technology. “To me it’s a very useful application, because with the limitations of the land and global warming, we can use it for the benefit of all human beings. At the end of the day, we can actually offer humans the nutrition they need.” The challenge with horticultural lighting is to reproduce light in different colors and wavelengths to replace the sun – and this is further refined depending on what plants are being grown. Chong Hie is a specialist in this area, but he is responsible for much more than just the horticulture program. He leads a team of 700 people, taking care of the back-end manufacturing in general lighting, including quality, costs, speed and innovation as well as organizational developments in his team.

With such a large team under his supervision, Chong Hie is naturally very attuned to the concerns and performance of a significant group of employees. He believes every employee deserves a fair chance to grow, and says that this is exactly what he received during his own personal development within the company. “We are given opportunities to contribute to our business units and share any ideas that we want,” he says about his own experiences. “So I will offer the same opportunity to everyone in my organization. They are empowered to explore anything they want, as long as it’s aligned with this business plan and the organizational goals. It’s a culture of trust, and everyone is given a chance.”

Chong Hie is convinced that ams OSRAM positively impacts people’s lives in many different ways. He feels that a large part of the privilege and prestige of working for ams OSRAM is our reputation for innovation.