YEOH CHUN YAM
Semenyih,Malaysia
Summary
Highly accomplished Real Estate & Business Development Manager with over 12 years of experience in retail expansion, site acquisition, lease negotiation, portfolio management, and strategic growth planning across Malaysia. Proven track record in leading nationwide expansion for established brands including CHAGEE Malaysia, Cafe Mesra, QSR Brands, Pizza Hut Malaysia, and Mynews.com. Strong commercial acumen with expertise in market analysis, financial feasibility, stakeholder management, and end-to-end store development execution. Recognized for delivering aggressive growth targets, improving lease economics, and building high-performing property pipelines.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work history
Manager, Real Estate
CHAGEE (M) Sdn Bhd
06.2025 - 04.2026
- Responsible for company new outlets expansion.
- Develop and continuously refine regional property strategy at a micro-market level to support the company’s expansion objectives and long-term growth plans.
- Identify, evaluate, and secure strategic locations for new outlet openings based on market potential, catchment demographics, and commercial viability.
- Negotiate with landlords, developers, and property owners to achieve favorable commercial terms including rental rates, lease tenure, fit-out contributions, and tenancy conditions.
- Prepare internal approval papers for proposed acquisitions, including financial feasibility studies, ROI analysis, risk assessments, and investment recommendations.
- Work closely with legal and finance teams to finalize tenancy agreements, legal documentation, and commercial deal structures.
- Maintain strong landlord and property owner relationships as the key contact person for all lease-related matters throughout the tenancy lifecycle.
- Proactively manage lease renewals, relocations, and store closures to optimize portfolio performance and occupancy cost efficiency.
- Act as internal project coordinator for new site openings by liaising with operations, construction, marketing, procurement, and other stakeholders to ensure timely execution.
- Monitor and review performance of existing outlets, identifying opportunities for relocation, renegotiation, enhancement, or operational improvement.
- Keep abreast of market trends, regulatory developments, competitor movements, and industry changes impacting the real estate strategy.
- Build and maintain a strong network of landlords, brokers, agents, mall leasing teams, and developers to source quality opportunities and support expansion pipeline.
- Achievement: Successfully contributed as a key team member in the opening of 75 new outlets across Malaysia.
Manager, Site Acquisition
MESRA Retail & Café Sdn Bhd
07.2024 - 05.2025
- Responsible and accountable for Café Mesra and Mesra Convenience Store new outlet expansion throughout nationwide Malaysia market at both field and strategic levels.
- A company wholly owned by PETRONAS
Senior Manager, Property Development
QSR Brands (M) Holding Bhd
10.2018 - 06.2024
- Direct report to Head of Pizza Hut Malaysia, with a dotted line reporting to the General Manager of Property Development.
- Responsible for a market to manage at both the field and strategic levels, and responsible for defining and executing overall market strategies for Pizza Hut across all available concepts (Fast Casual Delco, Dine In, Delivery, Express).
- Field & Pipeline Management, ensuring the achievement of Development Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) encompassing New Store Openings (NSO), relocations, closures, remodels, initial fees, and more.
- Oversee Market Planning process by ensuring 3-5 years strategic plans are in place and aligned with Franchisor’s Development Agreement.
- Accountable for new site identification, sourcing suitable location, optimal site selection, site approvals, closure approvals and relocation approvals.
- Conducting comprehensive feasibility studies including Trade Area Research, Site Assessment and Financial Analysis such as Rental, CAPEX, Sales Projection, Return of Investment, for the identified potential sites.
- Leading the site acquisition process for suitable location until store opening.
- Monitoring and overseeing the progress of new store openings including store design, tendering, construction, licensing status and ensure store opening adherence to the timelines.
- Achievement: Promoted to Senior Manager effective February 2020.
- 2019 - Successfully opened 30 new stores and managed to secure more than 45 new sites for future development.
- 2020 - Successfully opened 14 new stores
- 2021 - Successfully opened 14 new stores
- Managed to secure more than 30 new sites for 2022 pipeline despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic and MCO lock down
- 2022 - Successfully opened 31 new stores.
- 2023 - Successfully opened 29 new stores.
Manager, Real Estate
MYNEWS Retail Sdn Bhd
04.2017 - 09.2018
- Responsible for company new outlets expansion.
- Sourcing and identifying potential new outlet opening opportunities as per company’s objective.
- Conducting feasibility studies including financial analysis, research, and site assessment for the identified potential location.
- Develop & perform negotiation strategies with potential landlord to secure the site.
- Build and maintain good relationship with Landlords, Building Managements, Retail Consultants and Property Agents.
- Liaise with both internal & external stakeholders to ensure effective workflow.
- Manage the site acquisition process for suitable location until store opening.
- Tenancy Renewal.
- Achievement: Secured and opened more than 50 new outlets opening for year 2017 & 2018, meeting management’s predetermined targets.
Business Development Manager
ONI Global (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
11.2016 - 03.2017
- Sourcing and identification of strategic location for new store opening.
- Existing store tenancy agreement renewal and rental negotiation.
- Prepare, execute, and coordinate overall new store opening processes including equipment, stock delivery, stocks level, merchandising, licensing, staffing, brand awareness in the mall, etc.
- Store design, upgrading works, coordinate store renovation, merchandising structure, display stand and overall processes including supervising contractor in carrying out renovation and installation at site.
- Develop overall store merchandising concept providing suitable and effective guidelines on merchandising, planogram, monthly promotion display, new products launch display.
- Maintain & update Company planogram and store upkeep according to Company’s international merchandising guideline.
- Maintain good rapport with business partners i.e., Shopping Centre management, landlords and suppliers.
- Constantly think out of the box to improve store design, display & showcase units.
- Negotiate and select competitive suppliers for renovation and printing works allowable by company budget for new stores openings.
- Assist marketing department to implement marketing and promotional strategies as well as set up and coordinate overall events, road show, seminar, and other events.
- Monitor and manage store maintenance to ensure effective costing and quality.
Sr. Executive, Business Development
RedCap Pharmacy Sdn Bhd
02.2016 - 10.2016
- Sourcing and identifying potential new outlet opening opportunities as per company’s objective.
- Conducting feasibility studies including financial analysis, research, and site assessment for the identified potential location.
- Develop & perform negotiation strategies with potential landlord to secure the site.
- Build and maintain good landlord-tenant relationship.
- Liaise with both internal & external stakeholders to ensure effective workflow.
- Collaborating with various consultant, property agent, landlord and related parties in securing the new site.
- Manage the site acquisition process for suitable location until store opening.
- Achievement: Helped the company expand by opening an additional 26 outlets within a six-month period.
Associate
Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Joined as internship for 3 months and subsequently offered as permanent employee.
- Supported the Department Manager in daily operation and management.
- Develop negotiation strategies on renewal of Tenancy Agreement.
- Negotiated leases and dealt with tenancy-related matters.
- Maintain good landlord-tenant relationship.
- Stakeholder management – Communicate & liaise with internal & external stakeholders, i.e., landlord, building management, contractor, internal colleagues and etc to solve issues.
- To negotiate with landlords on sites terminated by landlords.
- To assist on site access issues and upgrading issues.
- Prepare and obtain internal justification approval process.
- Monthly financial reporting.
- Budget forecasting, managing, and controlling.
- Continuously looking for initiative for cost reduction.
- Achievement: Obtained rating of Exceed Expectation on job performance evaluation by immediate manager.
- Achieved and managed to get 6.5% reduction in Operation Expenditure (OPEX)-Site Rental for year 2014.
Telemarketer
SRG Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur
10.2009 - 05.2010
- Sales-oriented. Served as an account manager for the targeted SME assigned. Generate maximum sales and revenue for the marketing campaign by cold calling and identify new opportunities via telemarketing activities.
- Manage inbound calls and provide professional customer service to the customers.
- Maintained excellent quality and exercised diligence in all facets of the services provided by the CSP.
- Achievement: Managed to achieve and exceeded monthly sales target (average more than 500 lines activated, targeted 300 lines) set by management.
Education
Bachelor of International Business (Hons) - International Business Management and Marketing
University Tunku Abdul Rahman
Selangor /2010 - 01.2013
Diploma - Accounting, Accountancy
Tunku Abdul Rahman College
Kuala LumpurLCCI MYOB Level 2 Computerized Accounting - undefined
Skills
- Real estate strategy and market planning
- Site acquisition and expansion
- Lease negotiation and renewals
- Retail and F&B portfolio management
- Financial feasibility and ROI analysis
- CAPEX and OPEX optimization
- Landlord and developer relations
- Tenancy agreements and legal coordination
- New store opening execution
- Cross-functional leadership
- Risk assessment and approval documentation
- Nationwide multi-site expansion
Language (0 = Poor, 10 = Excellent)
English Spoken 8 Written 8
Bahasa Malaysia Spoken 7 Written 7
Mandarin Spoken 9 Written 7
Cantonese Spoken 7
Hokkien Spoken 8
Teochew Spoken 8
Other Strengths
- Goal oriented
- Negotiation skills
- Fast learner
- Analytical and critical thinking skills
- Self-motivation and ability to take initiative
Additional Info
- Current Monthly Salary: RM 15,500.00 + Fixed Mobile Allowance RM 270 + Other Allowances (e.g. Outstation Allowances, Mileage Claim etc)
- Expected Monthly Salary: Open to discuss
- Willing to Travel: Yes, both local and abroad
- Reason for Leaving: Looking for new challenges and career growth, especially for regional role
Timeline
Manager, Real Estate
CHAGEE (M) Sdn Bhd
06.2025 - 04.2026
Manager, Site Acquisition
MESRA Retail & Café Sdn Bhd
07.2024 - 05.2025
Senior Manager, Property Development
QSR Brands (M) Holding Bhd
10.2018 - 06.2024
Manager, Real Estate
MYNEWS Retail Sdn Bhd
04.2017 - 09.2018
Business Development Manager
ONI Global (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
11.2016 - 03.2017
Sr. Executive, Business Development
RedCap Pharmacy Sdn Bhd
02.2016 - 10.2016
Associate
Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd
01.2013 - 01.2016
Telemarketer
SRG Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur
10.2009 - 05.2010
Bachelor of International Business (Hons) - International Business Management and Marketing
University Tunku Abdul Rahman
/2010 - 01.2013
Diploma - Accounting, Accountancy
Tunku Abdul Rahman College