Up close & personal with Hassan Basma

YOU could say Hassan Basma is having it good these days. Bumi Armada Bhd, of which he is executive director and chief executive officer, is enjoying the kind of growth story investors love and is having its moment in the sun as Malaysia's largest initial public offering (IPO) this year.

The Malaysia-based international offshore oilfield-services provider has, since its delisting from Bursa Malaysia in 2003, staged a comeback from its loss-making days and is now reaping the benefits of prudent management under T. Ananda Krishnan's Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd (UTSB) and also Hassan.