Page 25 - OPA 2014

Outstanding Professional Award 2014
Outstanding Professional
ward 2014
A
Lars Bøgvad Jeppesen

CEO and co-founder of Tech One Global

a successful Danish entrepreneur, Lars Jeppesen
believes that the technological revolution gathers its strength
from the people. a self-starter and an innovator, he has grown
Tech One global and his former startups under his guidance
and leadership.

Lars Bøgvad Jeppesen’s journey from Denmark to the
Philippines was a long one but marked with successes along
the way. The successes came in part of his leadership style of
empowering people to share their energy to make an organization
succeed, with him in the sidelines. This leadership perspective
was a fruit of his experience during his apprenticeship years at
Merlin, a camera and electronics company, where the company,
including its leadership, believed and listened to his ideas.

“The reason why I [seek to] have a lot of ideas is because
I don’t have to be the best” he said, with regard to his belief in
his people. These ideas have proven to be the best, as these were
transformed into successful business ventures.

Today, Lars guides his company, Tech One global, an
information (IT) solutions company, from its offices in the
Philippines, Brunei, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the at the same time, Lars excelled in music as a band member
United States. Under his leadership, the company has grown to and also showed promise in leadership and entrepreneurship.
become one of the top Microsoft partners and document imaging Taking after his parents who, Lars was involved in the
companies in South East asia. student government, where he was elected chairman of the
student council.
Building a path for himself
Lars built a solid foundation in business after becoming Lars’ tertiary degree was a choice between music and
inclined to start business ventures during his apprenticeship. photography but eventually chose Nørre gymnasium in
While as an apprentice, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in retail, Copenhagen over the School of Photography. However, during
Business, and Trade in Copenhagen Business School. Later, his first year in Nørre gymnasium, Lars felt dissatisfaction over
while working for Kodak and Dicom group he was qualified to his career path. Unmotivated, at age 18, he finally decided to
earn a company sponsored Executive MBa at Harvard Business drop out of school to work full time. although he was not able
School and IMD Business School in Switzerland. to secure an undergraduate degree at that time, he continued
his education through the management programs of Kodak
However, before he decided on taking the path for business, and Dicom Group.
Lars was torn between taking a course related to photography or
music. as a child, Lars was immersed in creative activities such Shortly after dropping out of college, Lars took an
as music, film and photography. His parents, John and Yvonne, apprenticeship under a local camera store as an apprentice at
were key factors in developing his interests. Merlin, a camera and electronics company.

His father, John, in particular, developed interest in It was in Merlin where he started to envision business
photography. as an avid photography hobbyist, John would ventures, particularly in computer retail. Working in the
process his films in make-shift darkrooms in their house’s marketing department of Merlin, under the leadership of Svend
bathroom. With this influence, Lars started to take on Erik Noerklit, Lars started of thinking of his actual career path,
photography as a hobby. which should be directed to business.

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