A Day in Tiong Seng as a Head of Quality Management

Upholding Quality, Building Trust

When it comes to construction, quality isn’t just a measure but a mindset. For David, as the Head of Quality Management, that mindset has shaped nearly two decades of his career.

Since joining Tiong Seng in 2006, David has dedicated himself to ensuring that every project meets the company’s exacting standards for safety, precision, and performance.

His work plays a quiet yet critical role behind the scenes, protecting not just the integrity of every structure, but also the trust that clients place in Tiong Seng.

Defining Quality Beyond Compliance

For David, quality is not about ticking boxes or passing inspections. It’s about doing things right the first time, building consistency into every process, and ensuring that teams understand the “why” behind every standard.

“Quality management is about preventing problems before they happen,” he explains. “When we follow the correct workflow, communicate clearly, and stay consistent, we save time, eliminate abortive works, and deliver safer, more efficient outcomes.”

This philosophy goes beyond compliance to create a culture where everyone from site supervisors, engineers to project managers takes ownership of the final outcome. The result is not just fewer defects, but a stronger sense of accountability and pride across the team.

A Typical Day

A typical day for David begins early, often with a construction coordination meeting. These sessions set the stage for the day’s work, reviewing project quality progress, upcoming CONQUAS inspections, and addressing any site concerns.

From there, he moves across project sites, conducting inspections, verifying processes, and ensuring that safety and quality standards are consistently met. His afternoons are often spent engaging with project teams and clients, following up on reports, and ensuring that corrective actions are implemented swiftly.

“When challenges come up, communication is key,” he says. “Quality management isn’t about finding fault but it’s about finding solutions together.”

Through this balance of oversight, teamwork, and technical precision, David helps ensure that every Tiong Seng project not only meets expectations, but exceeds them.

Mentorship and the Power of Guidance

Having been mentored by experienced leaders early in his career, David believes deeply in paying it forward. Today, he dedicates time to guiding young engineers by assigning them responsibilities that stretch their capabilities and inviting them to shadow his work on site.

“I had good mentors who taught me not just how to manage quality, but how to think like an engineer,” he reflects. “Now it’s my turn to do the same, to help the next generation learn, question, and grow.”

His mentorship approach is hands-on and practical. He encourages engineers to see quality as a shared responsibility that starts with curiosity and ends with pride in a job well done.

Driving Innovation and Looking Ahead

Over the years, David has embraced technology as a key enabler of quality management. Tools like Novade have transformed how his team tracks and reports defects, allowing real-time updates, faster responses, and smoother coordination across project teams.

He also sees exciting potential in robotics and automation which are technologies that can improve inspection accuracy and streamline repetitive tasks. “Technology doesn’t replace quality management,” he says. “It enhances it. It gives us the clarity and efficiency we need to do even better.”

After 19 years at Tiong Seng, David remains passionate about what he does, not just because of the buildings he helps complete, but because of the people he builds along the way.

“Quality begins with care,” he says. “Care for the work we do, care for the people we guide, and care for the legacy we leave behind.”

Join Tiong Seng

At Tiong Seng, we are always looking for individuals who share our passion for building, innovation, and teamwork. Our projects are not just structures, they are opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference. If you are curious, determined, and driven to leave a lasting impact, there is a place for you here.

Explore your possibilities. Build your future. Join Tiong Seng.