Our Story:
In 2006 founder and CEO Datuk Chris S. Thiagarajah decided it was time for a change in the ground passenger transportation industry, and mainly between Kuala Lumpur and the low-cost carrier terminal (LCC-T). Because – literally, in some cases – the taxi ride to and from LCCT would cost more than the flight itself. Until SkyBus was launched. A taxi ride to the airport would easily cost you RM 80. That is… if you’re lucky enough to have a taxi driver who follows the taxi fares set by SPAD – Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission. With the launch of SkyBus in 2006, this paradox was put to a stop and travellers could start enjoying a comfortable 1-hour or so long bus ride to the airport the price of a Skybus Ticket is RM15.00 to KL Sentral.
Datuk Chris was born in Kuala Lumpur and raised in Banting, Selangor, spending his childhood at Boh’s Bukit Cheeding Estate in Banting. His life changed rapidly when he was selected for a sponsorship for his secondary and tertiary education in England. He went on to pursue economics at the University of Warwick in England, finishing with an Honours Degree.
When returning back at home base, he joined Boh Plantations – Malaysian prominent tea manufacturer (if you’re in Malaysia, we highly recommend you visit Cameron Highlands where most large Boh Plantations are located – it’s beautiful!). In Boh Plantations he went through many positions, from working in the plantation sector, managing Boh’s Singapore Market, until he finally settled as the Head of Marketing.
After 15 years at Boh, he resigned in 2001. This stemmed from a long desire to carve out his own path as an entrepreneur and business leader. While deciding on his next career move, he supplemented his savings by carrying out financial consultancy work. Soon, he came up with an idea to set up shop as a new media owner, opening up a largely untapped market of taxi and bus advertising. While it proved to be lucrative, he decided that he wanted to be a brand owner himself. Hence in 2006, Skybus was born. With its new low-cost based business model, Skybus has rapidly changed the transportation industry in Malaysia and very soon won several awards for its outstanding services.