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Humans of CPG FM: The Fathers Behind the Facilities

The strength of CPG Facilities Management has always been its people. Behind every project, site, and operation are individuals who bring not only professional expertise, but also their personal experiences, values, and commitments.

Among them are fathers who balance the demands of their careers with the equally important responsibility of supporting, guiding, and nurturing their families. The lessons they learn at home often shape how they lead at work, just as the values they uphold in their careers influence the example they set for their children.

This Father’s Day, we talk to four fathers from across the organisation. From raising young children to watching the next generation embark on careers of their own, their stories reflect the many ways fathers guide, support, and shape the people around them, both at work and at home.

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Different Journeys, Same Responsibility  

For Executive Vice President Li Chaofeng, fatherhood begins before the workday starts. Before project reviews and operational meetings, there are school preparations, family conversations, and precious moments with his eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter.

While facilities management often requires quick responses and long hours, he is mindful that some of the most important responsibilities begin after work ends.

“To me, success is being able to provide for my family while also being present to support and guide my children as they grow up.”

Operations Director Martin Choo represents another chapter of fatherhood. With two daughters now entering tertiary education, he reflects on the importance of staying connected even as children grow older and more independent.

For Martin, some of the most meaningful moments happen during the daily car rides to and from school.

“The daily car journey is the best time to chit-chat and find out what’s going on in their lives.”

For Building Manager Soman Palanisamy, the influence of fatherhood began long before he became a father himself. Growing up listening to stories from his father, who spent more than three decades in facilities management, sparked an appreciation for the profession that eventually shaped his own career path.

Today, as a father, he hopes to pass on the same values that guided him growing up.

“I hope to teach them to work smart, stay calm when solving problems, and treat everyone with respect regardless of their position or status.”

Then there is Property Manager Azhar Omar, who carries two important titles – father and grandfather. After decades in the industry, one of his proudest achievements is seeing both his children establish successful careers of their own.

His son is now a Project Manager with a facilities management company in New Zealand, while his daughter serves as a military logistics officer managing facilities within the Singapore Armed Forces.

Reflecting on fatherhood, Azhar shares: “Managing to raise my children and building their career path through my profession which they admired during their youth is an achievement.”

Lessons Beyond the Workplace

Every day, the fathers of CPG Facilities Management help keep facilities running smoothly. Beyond their professional responsibilities, they are also guiding, mentoring, and shaping the lives of their children through the values they demonstrate each day.

For Soman, fatherhood is about being a source of support and reassurance, no matter what challenges life may bring. “Professionally, success means being someone my colleagues and clients can trust and rely on. As a father, success means my children feel comfortable approaching me anytime to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences openly.”

For Chaofeng, success is not defined solely by professional accomplishments, but by the example he sets for the next generation. “Through my career, I hope to set an example that success is not only about work achievements, but also about integrity, resilience, and treating people with respect.”

These fathers may come from different backgrounds and hold different responsibilities, but they share a common goal: to leave behind not just a legacy of professional achievements, but one of character, values, and meaningful relationships.

Supporting Fathers Beyond the Workplace

Balancing the demands of facility management with family responsibilities is never easy. Whether responding to operational issues, managing critical facilities, or supporting clients across different sites, the role often requires commitment beyond regular office hours.

What stood out across the fathers’ stories was the importance of having a workplace that understands these realities.

For Building Manager Soman Palanisamy, this support became especially meaningful during a challenging period in 2024. While overseeing multiple sites during a contract handover and responding to major operational incidents, he was also caring for his son, who had developed severe hives across his face and body.

Reflecting on that period, Soman shared that the support of his family, colleagues, and leaders helped him navigate both responsibilities with confidence.

Operations Director Martin Choo echoed a similar sentiment:

“I never have any issue putting aside work while I attend to my family’s needs, as I’m assured of full support from my reporting supervisor as well as my staff. As such, I do extend the same support to my staff when the need arises.”

At CPG Facilities Management, fathers are supported by a culture built on trust, teamwork, and mutual understanding. From flexible arrangements during important family commitments to colleagues stepping in during unexpected situations, the organisation recognises that supporting employees at home enables them to perform their best at work.

Because while facilities are important, the people who manage them matter just as much.

Building More Than Facilities

Every day, our teams work behind the scenes to keep facilities safe, reliable, and ready to serve the communities that depend on them.

For these fathers and other fathers at CPG FM, that responsibility carries a deeper meaning. The spaces they help maintain today contribute to the environments where future generations will live, learn, and grow – including their own children.

This Father’s Day, we celebrate the fathers of CPG FM, not only for the work they do, but also for the values they pass on, the families they nurture, and the example they set every day.

Humans of CPG FM is an ongoing series spotlighting the people who make CPG Facilities Management what it is.

Author: APT.