Against the advice of lawyers and company officials to stay put, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes fought the tide and flew to Surabaya in the aftermath of Flight 8501, which crashed in the Java Sea five years ago and claimed the lives of all 162 on board.

"You just have to do what's right and what was right was for me to be there, not hide behind lawyers," Fernandes said in a panel talk as part of the Obama Foundation Leaders: Asia-Pacific Programme in Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur, today.