QI Group: Driving Innovation, Education, and Positive Impact Worldwide

Contemporary multinational enterprises increasingly operate across traditional industry boundaries. Initially focusing solely on direct selling, QI Group’s businesses now include wellness and lifestyle, education, travel and leisure, luxury goods, and retail operations. Founded in 1998, the organization has grown into a diversified enterprise operating in more than 30 countries.

Executive Chairman Vijay Eswaran and Deputy Chairman Joseph Bismark established the company during the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, building an organization that now employs more than 2,000 individuals representing roughly 50 nationalities.

What does QI Group do? It operates its variety of businesses based on a philosophy of what it calls RYTHM. Standing for Raise Yourself To Help Mankind, the principle is derived from Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings that individuals can better help others from a foundation of personal strength and stability.

“We were very clear that we have a greater purpose other than being profit driven,” said Eswaran in a recent interview. “The ideology of putting shareholders above all that has driven businesses for the last half a century needs a serious update.”

What Is The QI Group and Why Is It Important?

QI Group functions as a global conglomerate with business interests in education and training, wellness and lifestyle, travel and leisure, luxury goods, retail, logistics and property investments. The company’s significance lies in its integrated approach to business development, combining profit-driven business ventures with community-focused initiatives addressing educational access, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment.

This approach can be seen in its Employee Community Impact program, which has supported staff members in contributing more than 125,000 hours to community service since 2013. The program encourages employees to dedicate 16 hours annually to volunteering for local causes, spanning environmental conservation to youth education initiatives.

QI Group’s Divisions

QI Group’s educational division centers on Quest International University, located in the state of Perak, Malaysia. Since 2011, QIU has welcomed roughly 15,000 students from 50 countries, establishing itself as an international learning hub. The institution secured a $21.48 million (100 million Malaysian ringgit) Sukuk Ijarah financing arrangement as part of its plans to construct a new campus and develop state-of-the-art facilities and learning centers.

Through its investment arm, QI Capital, the QI Group actively makes investments with various portfolio companies located in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the UK and the U.S. It has invested in financial services organizations, education, telecommunications, Swiss watchmaking, natural grocery retailers, hospitality management, and online marketplaces.

The luxury division includes the prestigious Swiss watch brand Cimier, which celebrated its centennial in 2024. It produces limited-edition mechanical timepieces that blend traditional Swiss watchmaking techniques with contemporary design elements. The brand also operates a Watch Academy where customers can experience hands-on watchmaking workshops, building personalized timepieces under the guidance of master craftsmen.

The company’s environmental initiatives reflect its founders’ vocal commitment to sustainability. QI Group launched a Green Legacy program at the height of the pandemic in 2021, focusing on global reforestation. Through this initiative, more than 25,000 trees have been planted in 11 countries over the past three years.

QI Group’s hospitality portfolio is designed to support sustainable tourism and ecotourism through boutique hotels and resorts in Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. Its Prana Resort Nandana in Koh Samui exemplifies this approach, earning a gold rating from Thailand’s Green Hotel Standard for its comprehensive environmental initiatives, including digital check-ins, locally sourced ingredients, and weekly beach clean-ups to prevent marine waste.

The RYTHM Foundation, the company’s social impact initiative, channels 10% of revenues into partnerships with over 100 grassroots organizations across 30 cities in Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and sub-Saharan Africa. Foundation initiatives focus on three areas aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals: providing educational access to children in remote communities with special attention to those with disabilities, offering skills training and economic opportunities to young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, and supporting rural community development initiatives promoting self-sustainability.

Global Operations and Workforce Diversity

QI Group’s operational reach reflects its commitment to cultural inclusion and global perspectives. Employees speak over 50 languages collectively. The age range spans from 19 to 65 years, with women holding 47% of positions and 33% of management roles. Millennials and Generation Z constitute 63% of the workforce.

“When you have a large team, you have the opportunity to build diversity into the team: people with varied experiences, approaches, and perspectives who will help you cover all bases,” said Eswaran.

Leadership development receives particular focus through the iLead Women’s Mentoring programme, where senior female executives mentor women managers to accelerate their organizational advancement.

QI Group offers several development tracks for different leadership levels. Eswaran leads The Zone, an intensive four-day program available by invitation only, concentrating on self-assessment and purpose clarification for select employees, board members, and business partners. Bismark facilitates STEER, a three-day comprehensive training addressing service delivery, teamwork dynamics, excellence standards, and professional resolve.

Additional programs include QI Rising, a company-funded leadership development initiative targeting employees with identified advancement potential. The most exclusive offering, Second Echelon, provides direct mentoring from the founders themselves, specifically designed to develop the organization’s next leadership tier.

“Create an environment where your employees feel like they are valuable stakeholders. Find the right people and give them ownership of what they do,” said Eswaran. “You need a Sherpa to find your way to the top of a mountain. The best thing you can do for your business is to turn your employees into Sherpas.” Eswaran noted, referencing the late Tony Hsiesh’s philosophy of focusing on delivering happiness.

QI Group’s approach demonstrates how multinational organizations can integrate commercial success with measurable social impact, creating sustainable value across diverse markets while maintaining cultural diversity and environmental stewardship.