100MIYE 2017 Booklet

Copyright Armani Media Sdn Bhd 2016. The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs 2017 All Rights Reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the publisher.

First published in 2016

By Armani Media Sdn Bhd No 32-3, Jalan Pekaka 8/4 Kota Damansara 47810 Petaling Jaya Selangor, Malaysia T (603) 6156 3366 F (603) 6156 3399 E marketing@entrepreneurinsight.com.my W www.entrepreneurinsight.com.my

*Disclaimer Although every precaution has been taken in preparation of this book, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions nor is liable for damages resulting from use of the information contained herein.

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INTRODUCTION

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FOREWORD BY MINISTER IN PM’S DEPARTMENT

/15

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

/ THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR 2017 /20 //

DATO’ SERI JAMES WONG TW

/22 /

DATO’ SRI M. ANDY

/24 /

DATO’ SRI NELSON KEE

/26 /

DATO’ ANTHONY CHENG

/28 /

DATO’ AZRAF AZMAN

/30 /

DATO’ AZRIL MOHD. RADZI

/32 /

DATO’ BILLY GOH

/34 /

DATO’ COLIN TAN

/36 /

DATO’ DR. NICHOLAS HO

/38 /

DATO’ EDMUND YAP

/40 /

DATO’ KIAN LIM

/42 /

DATO’ KK SEE

/44 /

DATO’ LAWRENCE LOW

/46 /

DATO’ TIONG SU SWAN

/48 /

DATO’ VINCE KEK

/50 /

DATIN SRI JESSIE WONG

/52 /

DATIN SHIREEN TAN

CONTENT

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/54 /

DATIN SOFIA LAU

/104 /

FARHASH WAFA SALVADOR

/56 /

AARON SIOW

/106 /

FOO KHUN, LIANG

/58 /

AI PENG, LEE

/108 /

FRANK NG

/60 /

ALLAN TAN

/110 /

GAIK CHEONG, TEH

/62 /

ALLEN TAN KEE LENG

/112 /

GARY CHUA

/64 /

ALVIN POH

/114 /

HARVARD CHOO

/66 /

ANCO GOH

/116 /

IRENE FAN FEI FEN

/68 /

AZIZAN OSMAN

/118 /

IVON LAI

/70 /

AZRI ZAHIER AZMI

/120 /

JACQUELINE FONG

/72 /

AZRUL HELMY HAFIZ

/122 /

JAMES YEOH

/74 /

CATHERINE TEE

/124 /

JASON TAY

/76 /

CHARLES THUNG VOON EE

/126 /

JEFF CHIN

/78 /

CHRIS TAN

/128 /

JEFFREY YANG

/80 /

CYNTHIA TONG

/130 /

JEN YONG

/82 /

DANIAL MA

/132 /

JESSICA PUA

/84 /

DARREN HEADLEY

/134 /

JOO KIM, TIAH

/86 /

DEREK SOH

/136 /

KEDA Z. FENG

/88 /

DR. EDMOND HENG

/138 /

KEEGAN SOH

/90 /

DR. KRIS SEE KS

/140 /

KEITH LOH

/92 /

DR. WENDY LIEW

/142 /

KEN CHEONG SZE KEN

/94 /

ELVIS THOO

/144 /

KENNIE CHONG

/96 /

ENOCH KHOO

/146 /

KK GOH

/98 /

ERIC YONG

/148 /

KY LIM

/100 /

FAIRUZ FAUZY

/150 /

LAWRENCE CHOONG

/102 /

FAIZUL RIDZUAN

/152 /

LAY SEONG, TAN

/154 /

LEON LEE

/204 /

VINCENT HO

/156 /

LIN YIK, TEE

/206 /

VINCENT NEE

/158 /

MADELINE TEH

/208 /

VINESH SINHA

/160 /

MARCUS K.L. LIEW

/210 /

WEI QING, LEE

/162 /

MASTER CHRIS LEONG

/212 /

YENKAI CHONG

/164 /

MICHAEL TAN ENG JOO

/214 /

YIEWIN KANG

/166 /

MICHAEL TAN KOK KUAN

/216 /

ZACHARY HARIS ONG

/168 /

NICK LOH

/218 /

ZAFFUAN ZIN

/170 /

NICOLE LOW FEEI FEEI

/172 /

OWEN HNG

/ SPECIAL COMMENDABLE ARTS & CULTURE

/174 /

PAUL YUNG

/222 /

DATO’ AC MIZAL

/176 /

PRASANNA SAILANATHAN

/224 /

DATO’ AFDLIN SHAUKI

/178 /

RAIKK CHAN

/226 /

ELFIRA LOY

/180 /

REZAL CHAN

/228 /

FARAH ANN ABDUL HADI

/182 /

RINA TEOH

/230 /

GERALDINE GAN

/184 /

RITA DATO’ SOSILAWATI

/232 /

JANNA NICK

/186 /

RON ONG KIT WEE

/234 /

MICHAEL ANG

/188 /

RUBEN EMIR GNANALINGAM

/236 /

NABIL AHMAD

/190 /

SEAN LAW

/238 /

NAJIB ASADDOK

/192 /

STEPHENIE LEE

/240 /

PANDELELA RINONG

/194 /

SUNNY YAW

/242 /

ROZITA CHE WAN

/196 /

SWEE LEE, THIONG

/244 /

WAK DOYOK

/198 /

TENG BOON, ONG

/246 /

WINNIE K

/200 /

TERRY LEE JUN HUI

/248 /

YANA SAMSUDIN

/202 /

VERY ONG BENG NONG

/250 /

ZIZAN RAZAK

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T

he 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100 MIYE) yearbook highlights 100 bold, creative and innovative Malaysians who set the standards of the country’s enterprising spirit.

Published by Entrepreneur Insight (EI), an in-house brand under the auspices of Armani Media Sdn Bhd, 100 MIYE highlights the compelling and heart-warming journey of each recipient (exclusively on EI’s YouTube channel) and ultimately the charisma and leadership value embedded in these young talents that brought them success.

Shared through the eyes of peers and mentors who are some of the country’s key industry stakeholders, this yearbook not only celebrates their achievements, it also acknowledges perseverance, tenacity and persistency in overcoming challenges.

These entrepreneurs are risk takers, innovators and problem solvers who continue to strive in various fields including arts and culture, manufacturing, services, retail as well as food and beverage to come out on top.

Entrepreneurship is one of the main drivers when it comes to economic growth. To bolster business opportunities as well as knowledge and skills sharing, it is important for Malaysian entrepreneurs to unite and take their businesses to greater heights.

Young people are often heralded as the leaders of tomorrow, yet they are already leading important change today. Their sheer determination and enthusiasm often lead to new discoveries and developments that can benefit society and even the world at large.

By highlighting 100 prominent young figures, we hope to inspire youths to take the same step to thrust Malaysian brands further into the global market, as well as to strengthen the network of entrepreneurs of all ages.

This yearbook involves dedication of the publisher and teams in editorial, art and business development with the sole objective to immortalise successes by the young and brave, pride of the nation.

100 Icons, 100 Ideas, 100 Innovations, 100 Inspirations. This is their story.

INTRODUCTION

FOREWORD

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

F

irst and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Entrepreneur Insight for acknowledging a special group of bold, creative and innovative young Malaysian Entrepreneurs by presenting them with this conducive platform for recognition in the form of The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100 MIYE).

The initiative by Entrepreneur Insight serves to inspire young Malaysian Entrepreneurs further in realising their fullest potential in their respective chosen industries. The expanded exposure on social and mass media with regards to their contributions to society will no doubt be an immense boost to these special young Entrepreneurs to encourage them to further realise their dreams on an even bigger platform, with greater reach.

The focus is also on the growth of these young Malaysian Entrepreneurs aimed at collectively raising the bar for other young pioneers to emulate.The success achieved by the 100MIYE recipients will no doubt serve as an inspiration for others to emulate with their spirit of perseverance and tenacity in overcoming challenges and adversity.

Raising the benchmark of excellence only serves to elevate the overall Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) outfits further.

Besides giving recognition to young Malaysians,The 100MIYE awards will also continue to serve as a networking opportunity for these outstanding personalities to exchange opinions and express ideas. As in years past, this has proven to be useful in terms of exchanging information as to what is needed to stay ahead in the competitive business world. By learning from each other and sharing information, the learning process is cut short. Therefore, this sharing of information makes the entrepreneurial journey more viable.

With this in mind, I would like to once again thank Armani Media Sdn Bhd for providing an avenue for young Malaysian Entrepreneurs to share their inspirational stories of their entrepreneurial journey. Without a doubt, they have all had to overcome obstacles and steep learning curves in order to get to where they are today.

I would like to once again congratulate all the winners and award recipients and wish them well in their business endeavours. I have no doubt they will continue to do us all proud.

Thank you.

Y.A.B. DATO’ SERI DR. AHMAD ZAHID BIN HAMIDI Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs

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MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY

S

ince its inception last year, the 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100MIYE) awards has become a platform to recognise talented young Malaysian Entrepreneurs. 100MIYE winners also serve as role models to empower the next generation of Entrepreneurs in their respective fields.

Today, young Malaysian Entrepreneurs play a vital role in driving the country forward in achieving the vision of becoming a developed nation by 2020. They are also critical in helping our nation achieve our aspirations under TN50. These young Entrepreneurs can also influence and benefit society in many ways with their sprint of entrepreneurship.

The Malaysian Government is committed to entrepreneurship development.

Initiatives by 100MIYE such as the Young Entrepreneurs’ Outreach Fund aimed at nurturing young talents via the engagement of prominent Entrepreneurs with the next generation at academic institutions, are greatly encouraged.

Finally, I would like to say well done to the winners of this prestigious recognition. I hope these awards can set a new benchmark for young Malaysian Entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.

Syabas!

Y.B. DATO’ SRI MUSTAPA BIN MOHAMED Minister of International Trade and Industry

MINISTER OF SPORTS & YOUTH

F

irstly, I would like to take this opportunity to show appreciation to Entrepreneur Insight for providing a conducive platform for Malaysian youth, in the form of its recent The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100MIYE).

The ceremony provided the right avenue for Malaysian youth to realise their potential, and to bring about a positive new focus to the ways in which the young generation may be groomed to be the leaders in their chosen industries.

Focusing on the growth of young Malaysian Entrepreneurs in this digital age is an important facet within our nation today. These young pioneers have set a high standard within their industries. They have pave the way for future young Malaysians to aspire to carry on this legacy with the same tenacity and determination.

A platform for the recognition of young Malaysians to exchange opinions and express ideas is exactly what is needed in Malaysia today.

With this in mind, I would like to once again thank this platform for empowering young Malaysian Entrepreneurs to work with influential Malaysian stakeholders, and to provide an avenue for young Malaysian Entrepreneurs to shine.

YB BRIG JEN KHAIRY JAMALUDIN Minister of Sports & Youth

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MINISTER OF FINANCE II

F

irst and foremost, congratulations to all the 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100MIYE) 2017 honourees and the recipients for your great achievements. The 100MIYE awards was first organised in 2016 and has been a platform for recognising influential young Entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur Insight has been organising this annual awards platform for Malaysian youths in an effort to recognise and promote the country’s young and successful talents. 100MIYE hopes to inspire a new generation of energetic and smart Millennials to bolster economic development and stimulate healthy competition both in local and international markets.

Entrepreneurs are the key to unlocking unexplored opportunities while accelarating Malaysia’s future success in an increasingly competitive global economy. Indeed, the climate of doing business has changed tremendously and those who are able to respond to fast-changing, competitive business environments will emege as the most successful Entrepreneurs.

Young people today will be the leaders of the near future. I believe that these young people can continue to change the world with their power of innovation and their creative initiatives.

The 100MIYE awards provides further motivation for young Entrepreneurs to engage and partake of more active roles in nation building. This covers various aspects that include but are not limited to humanitarian services, cultural achievement, economic development, scientific or technological development, academic development, moral or environment development, personal development, contribution to human right or world peace, medical innovation, and political or Government affairs.

I believe this awards will encourage young Malaysians to lead lives filled with purpose even as they continue to contribute to the advancement of the nation in working towards achieving the country’s vision and goals for the future.

Last but not least, congratulations to the Organising Chairman and Founder of Entrepreneur Insight Dato’ KK Chua for a job well done in organising 100MIYE. All the hard work and efforts contributed by your team are indeed reflected in this joyous occasion.

I wish all the young 100MIYE winners every success in their future undertakings. We look forward to lending support in encouraging and harnessing the power of youth in their creative business ventures and endeavours even as they strive to achieve their dreams. Syabas!

Thank you.

DATUK SERI HAJI JOHARI ABDUL GHANI Minister of Finance II

DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA

I

would like to commend Armani Media Sdn Bhd for organising the 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (The 100 MIYE) awards for the second time around.

It is my honour to share a few words to commemorate this meaningful ceremony.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are expected to play a crucial role in helping Malaysia to make the quantum leap in growth and to achieve developed nation status by 2020. In order to realise this vision, SMEs in Malaysia have to embrace rapid changes that are taking place not just in Malaysia but across the globe for the future development of our country.

The 100 MIYE awards provides recognition for young Malaysian Entrepreneurs who have created an impact in terms of their respective businesses. Running a business can be fraught with challenges and given today’s competitive climate, the adoption of technology in running SME businesses is also vital.

Therefore, the gathering of 100MIYE recipients under one roof is also advantageous as this special group of outstanding Entrepreneurs can congregate, network and share their ideas and plans moving forward. This helps to also cut short their learning processes. Being an Entrepreneur, one of the challenges is a lack of platform for other like-minded Entrepreneurs to gather and interact with one another.

It is important for us to encourage young Malaysian Entrepreneurs to chase their dreams while challenging the status quo. Entrepreneurs should not be afraid to embrace new technologies and innovation that can benefit their businesses while embracing social media to promote their range of skills and expertise.

This prestigious 100MIYE awards has set a high standard for young Entrepreneurs and will continue to do so for those who are willing to persevere in their continuous effort to inspire and leave behind a legacy for others to emulate with persistent determination and passion.

With this, I wish the 100MIYE recipients every success in chasing their dreams as they are the ones who will contribute significantly towards the nation in terms of their creativity, innovation and business acumen while inspiring the next 100MIYE recipients to come.

Thank you.

YB DATO’ SRI JAILANI JOHARI Deputy Minister of Communications & Multimedia

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PUBLISHER’ MESSAGE T

he entrepreneurship journey has indeed stimulated thought processes that could change the status quo of the trends ahead and inevitably contribute to the future standing of a nation.It is indeed exciting times right now for those who call themselves Entrepreneurs, seeing the impact of businesses are shaping future trends indefinitely. As a saying goes, “formal education will make you a living, but selfeducation will make you a fortune!”

Our main theme for this year’s 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (100MIYE) 2017 Award is entitled Opulence which not only denotes a sense of richness in terms of materialistic gains but this sense of abundance is also epitomised in the shared richness of the experience of coming together, just as what was witnessed during the 100MIYE awards night. Successful entrepreneurship is also concurrently related to the growth of the economy.

This year’s 100MIYE marks the second year of the awards organised since its inaugural launch last year. Growing from strength to strength this year, there were 368 nominations and out of that number, the panel of judges could only single out the deserving 100MIYE winners. I believe that among the 100 awardees plus another 100 award winners from last year present at this year’s event – are tycoons in the making – given just some 10 years or more along the lines of their entrepreneurship journey.

Perhaps among us already are tycoons who are game changers who endeavour and are willing to challenge existing status quo and establish new boundaries of existing eco-systems.

Leading towards this event, Armani Media Sdn Bhd conducted seven networking events and also a retreat held at the Belum Rainforest Resort located in Ipoh, Perak. Following the 100MIYE Award, we also arranged a comprehensive business matching session here for all our awardees to further nurture the burning spirit of entrepreneurship the next day starting with a power breakfast leading up to a lunch networking session for the 100MIYE winners.

Last but not the least, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartiest congratulations to all the deserving winners of this exclusive 100MIYE Award because you are the movers and shakers of society who have put in so much time, energy and effort to emerge as game changers even in these challenging times.

I end here with a quote, “Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas.” With that, keep reaching for the stars! Wishing you a successful entrepreneurial journey ahead.Till we meet again at next year’s 100MIYE Award, congratulations once again to the 100MIYE winners!

DATO’ KK CHUA Founder of Armani Media Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

I

n conjunction with Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, the Italian marque and its partner Hublot unveiled a new original collection. Available in three versions – King Gold, PEEK Carbon and Titanium, each of this prestigious Techframe Ferrari 70 Years will be produced in 70 limited editions and is already a collector’s item.

REVVING IT UP WITH A FERRARI DESIGN FOR A HUBLOT WATCH

The realisation of this series was the result of a team effort beginning with Ferrari in Maranello where super cars are produced and ending in Nyon with Hublot.

This new series which is deeply rooted in Ferrari’s DNA combines strength, performance and agility perfected by the Hublot manufacture. It also reflects the perfect fusion of the automotive and watchmaking worlds combined.

THE FERRARI DESIGN APPROACH The new Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph was created and designed by Ferrari under the leadership of Head of Design Flavio Manzoni. This watch collection designed by Ferrari employs the same creative process used to develop new sports cars – which begins with the Hublot movement which represents “the engine” of the watch around which the design of a high performance chassis is formed.

Much like the Ferrari, its lattice structure that is unique in the world of watchmaking offers maximum strength despite possessing minimal weight.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Designed by Ferrari and crafted

by Hublot, the Hublot Techframe spectacular limited-edition series raises a toast befitting of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary

“The styling of the Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph underlines the performances of the watch and no component is there by chance,” says Flavio Manzoni.

The black structure of the dial which holds in place the chronograph counters offers excellent legibility. The crown at 4 o’clock is raised by a black PVD Titanium insert complemented by the famous Prancing Horse which complements its aerodynamic look.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS 2 017

DATO’ SERI

JAMES

WONG TW

WTW Training House (WTWTH) exists to make learning accessible and less restrictive.

As an active member of the Consortium of Malaysian Universities, WTWTH focuses on day-to-day skillset courses certified by local learning institutions in Malaysia. Having DS James Wong at its helm, WTWTH hopes to be the gateway for learning while bringing more programmes to this region.

an opportunist as he always doesn’t hesitate to be the first to grab opportunities that come along his way. I find him to be a very good business partner

M

and there is transparency in our work as well.

y first impression of Dato’ Seri James

To him, success would not have any meaning to it if

Wong was that he is a very positive-

he was not able to share it with others.

minded and very enthusiastic person. I

was amazed at the ideas Wong provided as well

Some of the special moments that I can recall was

as his understanding of the industry. Eventually, he

when both of us had completed a special task

convinced me to form a business partnership with

or project together or when we enjoyed casual

him.

conversations over a cup of tea or coffee. I truly treasure those moments as those were the times

During the early stages of our partnership, I

when we could chat freely about anything.

found him to be very trustworthy in our business dealings. He shared with me that the future is ours

I am happy to be able to work with him on various

if we strive hard and keep working towards our

projects and we have become more than just

goals. With his sharp business instincts, strategies

business partners - we are now very close friends.

and leadership skills, the company has progressed

I sincerely hope he will continue to remain true to

tremendously over the last few years and has been

himself, be enthusiastic and stay positive always. I

growing stronger ever since.

wish him greater success in the future. All the best Wong and keep up the good work!

Wong’s eagerness, passion and sincerity in treating his colleagues, business partners and friends fairly are some of the qualities that I most respect and admire about him. He is very business-minded and

20 /

/ Zhang Lei Beijing, China Partner WTW Training House

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

22 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

DATO’ SRI

M. ANDY

Dato’ Sri M. Andy as the Founder and Group Managing Director of Everest Group of Companies, an award receiver for Young Indian Entrepreneur Award 2015 and Most Outstanding Achievement for Annual Awards & Motivation Programme 2016, is responsible for running all facets of the business.

Everest Group of Companies which was founded in 2003 specialises in Courier services followed by Logistics, Warehousing (100,000 sq ft), and Distribution specializing in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Automotive and Movers involving Multi National Corporation (MNC) companies. Dato’ Sri M. Andy is a man of vision who believes that customers deserved to get the best service on the same day delivery business. Today, EVEREST is the most widely recognised leading provider of logistics and distribution services in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

M

y first impression of Dato’ Sri Andy

His hard work has propelled him forward in the

when I first met him was here is a very

business arena as well as in life.

energetic and larger than life person. He

was full of vibrancy in his business dealings and his

About six years ago, we organised a holiday trip

forward-thinking approach has been instrumental

to Bali. While most of our friends and colleagues

in shaping him to become what he is today. My

were still coming up with various excuses, Dato’ Sri

first meeting with Andy was in the mid-90s, and

Andy went ahead and booked the whole journey

we used to leverage and grow our network and

for us. This was one holiday which took away all

circle of friends. He was actually a close friend of

the refusals and hassles and turned out to be one

my father’s but we hooked up over a cup of coffee

of the most enjoyable trips for us. Following this,

and have been friends ever since.

we arranged for a few great trips which were filled with lots of fun and laughter that brought us

He has a never give up attitude and is always

together and fostered closer ties among our family

pushing himself to the limit. I look at Dato’ Sri

members.

Andy as someone who works brilliantly and at the end of the day, the results produced would reflect

I would like to congratulate Dato’ Sri Andy on his

his sheer achievements with flying colours. His

achievements by holding on to his principles in life.

entrepreneurship growth has been phenomenal

His values and philosophies have heightened his

as he is a man who follows strict principles in life

career to another level.

and work.

As the saying goes – “When you give, you gain One of the key factors that have added to his

more”. Following that phrase, we would like to see

success in life is his mother and family’s blessings

you move up the corporate level successfully in the

over him. His life’s journey has been downright

future.

fruitful and blessed as he has never failed to consult his mother in anything that he embarks on.

/ Jeevan Rajoo

DATO’ SRI

NELSON KEE

Dato’ Sri Nelson Kee, Director of GS Realty Sdn Bhd has been in the real estate industry for more than 16 years. Prior to this, he was highly successful in the insurance industry. Owing to his foresight of the large business opportunities presented by the real estate industry, Dato’ Sri Nelson Kee founded GS Realty Sdn Bhd in 2010, which later became one of the largest real estate companies in Malaysia.

M

y first impression of Dato’ Sri Nelson

As such, he cares a lot about fostering new

Kee is that he is a very kind person and

friendships while maintaining existing ones. He is a

a leader with unique calibre. We have

self-motivated person who will never stop learning

known each other for more than a decade and

- be it about new technology for the business or

throughout the years, he has treated and cared for

exploring new ideas for the company’s growth

me like I am his own brother.

or even about a new direction for managing businesses.

If I were to describe his personality, I would say that he is compassionate; he treats everyone in our

I would say that the contributing factor to his

company like his own family and takes our welfare

success includes his supportive team that he leads

very seriously.

at GS Realty Sdn Bhd. These are the people who are willing to follow him no matter what difficulties

Before venturing into real estate, he already made

and obstacles lie ahead.

a mark in the insurance industry which commands good networking and maintaining rapport with

What I admire the most about him is that he is an

people from many walks of life.

optimistic person who cares about the relationship that he has built with others. He is generous in

Owing to his experience and his foresight of the

giving others the chance to learn and improve

large business opportunities present in the real

themselves.

estate industry, Dato’ Sri Nelson made the wise decision to venture into the industry and later

Last but not least, I sincerely hope that Dato’ Sri

on, founded one of the fastest growing property

Nelson will stay perfectly healthy. Together, we will

outfits today.

take GS Realty to greater heights.

One of the things that I have learnt from him is that

/ Marcus Mak

in this real estate industry, establishing connections is the key to success.

24 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Chief Executive Officer GS Realty Sdn Bhd

DATO’

ANTHONY CHENG

Dato’ Anthony Cheng is the Chief Director of Nirvana Asia Group and the Chief Geomancer of DAC Geomancy Group. He is recognised as a Worldwide Champion of Nirvana for a few consecutive years with a record-breaking contribution of RM600 million in sales revenue to the group. He is also an experienced geomancer (Feng Shui Master) in Asia.

M

y first encounter with Anthony was ten

and strategic planning first into an expanded

years ago when he was first starting out

operation. Anthony has given the team a future

on his own with a new business venture.

and dream to carry on with.

My first impression of him was one of a man with a vision and clear direction as well as purpose

Anthony, being a fantastic communicator, really

who knows what he wants. These traits, coupled

knows how to present comprehensive information

with his leadership skills and strong determination

to clients and colleagues alike. In person, he is

enable him to lead his team towards achieving

informative, pleasant and helpful.

great success.

A special moment we shared together was over a Anthony’s success stems from his innovativeness.

good red wine. He shared that being successful is

He is always striving for change and improvements

all about achieving a proper work-life balance. This

in his career, goals and business.

revolves around how one can enjoy life despite going about a busy schedule and having to cope

During his days working at Nirvana, Anthony was

with daily stress.

responsible for the rebranding and introduction of creative marketing strategies that have changed the

I wish to extend my gratitude to Anthony for

outlook of the establishment from its conventional

being a great inspiration, good leader and a brilliant

ways. Judging from the new look and transition in

Entrepreneur. I really appreciate his motivation

services provided now, it is evident that he has

and encouragement, the positive energy that he

brought innovation to another level.

possesses as well as the solid advice he shares which has helped me along my journey.

The most admirable quality I find in him lies with his leadership skills. He has novel ideas and never stops learning. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, and so it is with his business which

/ Jeff Chin Chief Entertainment Officer Socialmex Sdn Bhd

started from a small team moving on from training

26 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

DATO’

AZRAF

AZMAN

Dato’ Azraf Azman is the Chairman of EA Works Sdn Bhd and Indrapura Excellence Development Sdn Bhd. His business is mainly focused in supplying underground cabling and providing services to Tenaga National Berhad (TNB). Currently, the company is building an Independent Power Plant (IPP) to provide energy with green technology benefit to the state

B

eing Azraf is clearly an impressive balancing

I always struck by the inspiration he provides

routine, consisting as it does, of a dizzying

to other staffs and friends. It’s incredible to see

variety of professional responsibilities. He

the impact he has had on them. He is also a big

is a natural leader. He has a fabulous sense of

thinker, charismatic, practical, very thoughtful and

humour and the ability to reach out in way I never

compassionate. He doesn’t just compete in five

could. Besides that he is very much on his own on

arenas; he thrives in them. From what I see, when

pretty much, everything.

people talk about balance, which it’s an awful measure of things, because it implies a scale that

Azraf is very outspoken and can give speech in

is inevitably tips. He likes to look through filter of

an hour without notes. He can adapt in every

‘Is the life I’m leading consistent with my priorities?’

situation easily. And most important thing is he can make decisions. He creates a force to be reckoned

Even throughout his jammed schedule, he still

with. He spends a lot of time thinking, strategizing

find times for friends. We’ve had really useful

and planning. He has no skin in the game other

conversations in running a company. He really

than, “I’m giving you my point of view because you

listens to you when you speak to him and he’s also

are my friend and I want you to be successful.”

very thoughtful. His ambitious has always remained

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

big but less specific, because you never know where life takes you or what opportunities will arise.

He fought his way to the rites of passage. What he’s doing is not pioneered. In the early days, when it was new and where they were not many people involved in his line it was easy. Today, there are millions competitors dealing with his kind of work as we speak. So there’s fatigue with it. Seeing him struggling to get through each days really inspire me.

Looking at him, finding his way to the top is impressive. He had his light bulb moment where at one point he started to implement a new technology with the objective of introducing it widely to the whole nation. It takes a lot of time to deliver the product but he never give up. The resilience and perseverance that he has in him is something I always respect.

Azraf, I probably don’t tell you often enough, but I treasure our friendship. I wish you hours filled with peace, love joy and only the sweetest things life can bring. Always be good at something. Add value to that and don’t get distracted.

/ Qistina Halimy YTL Corporation Berhad Public Relation Team

DATO’

AZRIL

MOHD. RADZI

Dato’ Azril Mohd Radzi is the Founder and CEO of V’Asia Cosmetics and Healthcare, a company dealing with healthy herbal supplement products and beauty treatments. Operating since the past eight years, V’Asia has received various recognitions and accolades. It was the only Malaysian company given the “Super Health Brand” award in the Asia Pacific region.

I

am an adopted son to Azril’s mother since ten

Azril, what matters most is for the public to be

years ago. After finishing my law degree, Azril

aware of his products and the brand first - and not

asked me to help out in his company until

focus on him or his personal branding.

I officially took up the media liaison position at V’Asia where I am still attached. My first

One moment I can’t forget was when my family

impression of Azril is that he is a very hardworking

and I travelled to Europe last year. Azril, who

and responsible person too. How I see Azril is

rarely makes any overseas trip due to his business,

from the perspective of him dedicating 70% of

suddenly surprised me when he paid for his

his all to his career and 30% to other matters in

family and friends to join me for the two-week

life. He rarely does anything apart from planning,

holiday. We travelled together as a family across

thinking and structuring his business operations

Europe and spend invaluable moments that I really

and management.

treasure in my heart. His generosity has also really touched people who work around him.

Azril, being a workaholic, is a much focused person. On top of that, he is resourceful and

I would like to wish him the best in all his

hands-on at whatever he undertakes. He is

undertakings in life. To Azril:- You deserve all the

personally responsible and oversees Research and

good things in life and my wish for you is to enjoy

Development (R&D) matters especially pertaining

a lifetime of happiness filled with laughter!

to gathering the correct raw materials and best ingredients for his health supplement products.

And, he also knows where to source the best items from. He reads a lot and is always trying to learn more. In fact, he is the most active person I have ever known!

I have known Azril to be a person who would push himself to the maximum limit to achieve his planned goals. To me, Azril is a brilliant person. For

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Alffian Mohamad Media Liaison Excellent Media Sdn Bhd

DATO’

BILLY

GOH

Dato’ Billy Goh is the Managing Director of One Auto Group of Companies. Founded in 2004, One Auto today is the Largest Hyundai Dealership Group in Malaysia with 30% market share in total Hyundai Sales. Other than One Auto Group, Dato Billy also involve in Retail Business in Indonesia by Holding the Master Franchise of Planet Popcorn (PT Planet Pop Indonesia), Security Company specialised in armed guard (Palmara Security Sdn BHd) & F&B (penthouse Restaurant & Winebar) Other than that, he is also a person who Honor

Like I mentioned, when he has committed to you,

Promises and Commitments and has a “True

he will devote himself entirely to ensure he fulfill his

Friend” quality.

role and responsibility. As the President of PUMM, he did not fail us and I am very honor to have

I

became acquaintance to Dato’ Billy Goh through some business events

him serving in PUMM and fulfill our corporate

Committee and Honorary Treasurer as part of

responsibility in development of Entrepreneur’s in

Social Responsibility with the aim to groom and

Malaysia

develop more Entrepreneurs in Malaysia.

and social media. We

got closer after a Corporate Visit arranged by

PUMM(Malaysia

This is when I invited him to PUMM as the Central

Entrepreneurs’

Development

Association) whereby I am the President.

I think life is about how one can balance their life. It I think other than hardworking smartly, his success

is not always about business.

factor mainly contributed by his humbly, sincere and genuine character. When he has these characters,

Dato’ Billy can balance well in his businesses and

he naturally be likened by people around him.

family, and I would like to see him be more involve

I attended the Corporate visit along with 40

He also does not take things for granted and he is

in giving back to the society. His contribution to

other Entrepreneurs and got to know Dato’ Billy

always appreciative.

PUMM has proven that he can do so and I think

Goh even more. I was every impressed by his

the society need more people like him to devote

Entrepreneurship journey story and achievements

I started work at very young age and had the

with such young age. Humble, sincere and genuine

opportunity to come across a lot of people. Dato’

are my first impressions.

Billy is one of the few rare ones that I came across

Personally, we became close friend and I am glad

who has many good characteristics that naturally

to have a friend like him. Knowing that he has big

bring him success.

dreams, I wish him all the best and hope he can

When I got closer to him, I discover that this young man has got exceptional qualities for his age. He is

achieve all the dreams in his life.

very mature for his age. To me, he must have been

After he accepted my invitation to be the honorary

through a lot. Very hardworking and committed to

treasurer of PUMM, we have been working closely

his business, he is also very devoted husband and I

in the Association for the past 3 years.

most admire him for being a filial son.

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himself.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato' Tony Looi President PUMM( Persatuan Usahawan Maju Malaysia)

DATO’

COLIN

TAN

A dynamic leader with a pioneering outlook, Dato’ Colin Tan is a successful entrepreneur who excels in conceptualising, planning, innovating and executing investment opportunities. His passion in property development, particularly in conceptualising new growth strategies, will propel Hatten Land towards becoming one of the top property developers in South East Asia by 2020

M

y first encounter with Dato’ Colin was

I would say that Colin’s most admirable quality

in the year 2001. We were classmates

is the ironclad bond that he has with his family.

in the Business & Finance faculty at

He treats his parents with honour and respect,

Temasek Polytechnic. Despite being humble and

and his wife and children with dignity and love.

polite, Colin had such a charisma which made

Throughout all of his speeches, Colin never fails

everyone in the class wanted to be in his project

to thank his family for the part they play in his

group, present company included. Eventually we

success. Our friendship has enlightened me about

partnered up and became best friends.

the irreplaceable value of family.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Colin’s primary success factors are foresight and perseverance. He has this exceptional ability to envision the market trends and set a plan to achieve his goals. Others might be phased out by the high targets he sets for himself, but Colin understands that big goals require bigger efforts. This undying perseverance has gotten him to where he is at this moment and I am positive that he will rise to the challenge and bring his company to an even higher stage in the future.

Colin was the best man at my wedding in Indonesia.

Despite his busy schedule, and being countries apart, he stood by his commitment and travelled to a foreign land to celebrate my special day. Colin’s leadership skills were also on display. He was able to take charge of my “brothers” and got all the best men tasks completed in spite of the language differences.

Colin, my buddy. People may go a lifetime without having found a friend like you. From being groupmates to being friends, from being each other’s best friend to be each other’s best man, we have never lost touch. I treasure this friendship and I hope it will continue until we are old and smiling back at the younger days. I know you will keep striving and I wish you the best in all that you do!

/ Francis Jauw, BBC CEO PT. Indobintan Trijaya

DATO’ DR.

NICHOLAS HO

Incorporated and headquartered in Singapore in 2008, Seristine Holdings Pte Ltd is a fast-growing investment holding company with a wide array of businesses ranging from property investment and development, hospitality management, agricultural investment and operations, mining, Food & Beverage (F&B), education and venture capital cum incubator and accelerator tech startups.

M

y first encounter with Nicholas was in

Nicholas is involved in property development

the year 2013 over dinner in Bentong.

and agricultural investment. I was excited when

We were introduced by a common

he managed to acquire a plot of land behind

friend. My first impression of him was that of a

the Cambodia Prime Minister’s office. His clear

respectable businessman as he was highly looked

foresight and successful planning are factors that

upon by people around him with his great

drove him to secure prominent business deals.

leadership skills. He carries himself well and gives good guidance and inspiration to others. He also

I can recall one incident when Nicholas, his twin

strikes me as someone who has a strong sense of

brother and I quarrelled over an issue at work.

confidence and entrepreneurial mindset.

However, Nicholas managed to resolve the issue logically and patiently without letting emotions

We have been doing business together for the past

influence him. In the end, the quarrel turned out

four years now. He presents himself as a mature

to be fruitful as we voiced out our dissatisfaction

businessman as he manages situations based on

openly instead.

logic in business rather than emotions. Despite being a man with few words, once he opens up

I would like to express my gratitude to Nicholas

to conversation, he can be pretty friendly. All these

for showing good guidance in his business dealings

qualities add up to his success in his business

and being a trusted partner too. Also, I would also

ventures.

like to congratulate Nicholas on receiving this notable recognition for his due diligence in running

Nicholas is a person who is willing to learn more

his business and moving up another level in his

and seeks to constantly improve himself to be a

entrepreneurial journey.

better Entrepreneur. He taught me that success cannot be achieved overnight and we have to continuously strive to be better. Being one of a pair of twins, Nicholas enjoys a close relationship with his family members. He conducts his business based on values and virtues that was passed on by his father who is a businessman himself. Apart from that, his closeness with his wife and newborn child has made him more grounded.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato' Joel Low

CEO & Managing Director Agrivo International Limited

DATO’

EDMUND YAP

Dato’ Edmund Yap is the Founder & CEO of Vjoli Marketing. He runs a health supplement business comprising two types of products which are both available in the form of power drinks. One is for detox purposes for slimming and health purposes while the other is a hormone drink to prevent early menopause and provide anti-aging benefits. someone with distinctive leadership qualities who is always willing to lead by example. This can be seen in him contributing back to society by being part of the Yap Association which acknowledges the contributions of a long line of Yap descendants

I

while continuing this heritage of supporting various charities. have known Dato’ Edmund Yap for more than 10 years. He is a very humble person and easy to

As a long-time friend, I have learnt a lot from him

get along with.

and having celebrated many special moments together, I recall one of the greatest and happiest

Despite his well-to-do background,Yap is a friendly

moments was in being able to share his success

person whom I can easily communicate with

when he was conferred the honorary Dato title.

and share anything that’s on my mind with him.

I admire his hardworking attitude in overseeing

I am truly proud of his achievements today as I

all his endeavours through to the very end. He

believe such an esteemed and honourable person

is someone who is willing to work very hard

certainly deserves strong recognition and a 7-star

to achieve his goals. His perseverance and

rating for all his hard work and contributions back

determination have paved the way for his success

to society.

in life.

On this note, I would like to end by wishing him Yap is also a sincere person who places honesty

all the best in his future endeavours. I hope that he

as the most important value in all his business

will continue to work hard and be diligent in all his

dealings. Honesty in doing business is not often

ventures. Some people wish and dream for success

seen nowadays as businesses around the world

while others like Yap will take the first initiative to

are getting more and more competitive. I am

wake up and work hard for it.

truly impressed with him for following the right principles in life and for upholding good values.

Besides being a man of great character, he is also

38 /

/ Dato' Sri James Tan Yin Wah Group Chairman Federal Development Sdn Bhd

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

DATO’

KIAN

LIM

Dato’ Kian Lim is the Chief Executive Officer of Geno Hotel Malaysia. The business he is involved in at the current moment which occupies his full focus is Geno Hotel which has been in operations since June 2016. A typical definition of the type of business that he undertakes would be an establishment of a permanent nature which involves providing a place to stay complemented by food and beverage (F&B) offerings outlined by a standard defined by his management team.

being the CEO of the company, his office is always

forward to. He would be chairing the daily briefing

open to all - be it his management team, rank and

while keep all of us in line and on the same

file employees or even the foreigners who serve as

page towards achieving the same goals. Since

the part-time staff. Anyone in fact, could just walk

hotel operations encompass a vast area, each

in and talk to him at any given time.

personnel in the department needs to table out

His success factor is of course, his willingness to

their reports and also obtain group consensus in

y first encounter with Dato’ Kian Lim

learn and work hard as the hospitality industry

the approach moving forward, should any issue

Yu was when I had the privilege to be

is definitely new to him, since his initial career

crop up. The reports also include guests’ feedback,

part of the team working at Geno Hotel.

involvement revolved around industries related to

occupancy forecast, ongoing and upcoming events,

development and warehouses.

housekeeping and public area upkeep, building and

M

My first impression of him was a bit awe-inspiring as I felt rather intimidated, knowing that he is the owner of the hotel that I will be attached to.

maintenance issues as well as financial reports. He At the hotel, he supports the day-to-day

would be involved in all section in line with his

operations by working together with all the

character which centres around being responsible.

However, after some time, I was astounded after

departments including the Front Office, F&B and

realising how young he is and how far he has

Maintenance teams. He is actively involved in the

I would like to express my gratitude to him for

achieved his dreams while at the same time juggling

weekly meeting with the Sales team to ensure the

granting me the opportunity to work for him and

a family of his own. Venturing into the hospitality

business outlook is in line with the monthly targets

with him. You have achieved a lot and more. So be

business and managing a hotel business of 244

and budgets set. He is also working closely with

bold, be strong and be you. I am sure the incoming

rooms which also entail a few different types of

the Marketing Communications team to ensure

journey will not be easy but it would definitely

restaurant too after all, is not an easy feat.

that the branding and marketing collaterals are all

worth it. May the force be with you.

up and ready for each designated occasion.

His most admirable qualities are how down to earth he is despite his many achievements as he

The daily meeting held with all the department

remains humble and approachable in his daily

heads in order to keep everyone abreast with

dealings. At the hotel, although he bears the title of

the current hotel situation is something we look

40 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Najwana Abdul Hamid Finance Manager Jiwa Perangsang Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

DATO’

KK

SEE

Dato’ KK See is the Managing Director of Genius Promenade Sdn Bhd. Genius’ mission is to design, produce and market high quality, and fashionable lifestyle items that appeal to the senses and style of its core target. To stay competitive and relevant, the company has to be innovative and creative in meeting clients and consumers’ requirements.

On the financial front, Genius saw 20% growth annually. It has grown strength-to-strength and established Original Equipment Manufacturer factories in China and Bangladesh, Dhaka.

He takes pride in his job and willing to put in long hours to ensure the projects get done in a timely manner. More importantly, he works hard to stay current and updated with industry trends by attending factory meetings and conferences.

Propelling the growth of the company is his extreme passion to always do better and he gives in to nothing. That said, he knows it is important to continuously motivate and train the employees to perform better at their respective tasks.

members of his team as well as his customers and vendors.

If a new client came to us, my boss would often approach & teach me how to face them effectively.

A testimony of his strong relationship with many

I am very grateful for this as not many employers

would be the company’s strong & reliable customer

would spend time and energy to personally train

base, and expansions regionally in particular China

you hands-on-skills.

and Bangladesh, Dhaka. These expansions helped

K

K is a very determined and highly motivated

to increase the production lines and capacity of

We are inspired by his extraordinary ability to push

the company to indicate a positive acceptance and

his company and employees to the limits without

growth of the industry.

going over the edge as he understands how each

person. He takes his job very seriously. He

of us contributed towards achieving the targets of

has the good sides of both an optimist and

KK is a creative thinker as he likes to explore

a realist, and not many can say that about a person.

alternative solutions to problems and always have an open mind about what will work best. He

In an industry that see constant change and

anticipates problems by planning ahead and uses

demanding customers, he copes very well: when

analytical techniques.

the going gets tough, the tough get going for him.

He is very good at finding solutions to problems

Given his experience and wisdom, he is clairvoyant

and analyzes issues very pertinently.

in his own right as he can anticipate problems that could arise and thereafter innovate suitable

KK is a leader with the caliber and communicates

solutions quickly.

powerfully and prolifically. He inspires and motivates people with his ability to make people understand

Overall, I would say KK’s three most positive traits

his point of view and an empowering spirit. He

are hard-working, knowledgeable and always up to

takes time every day to build relationships with the

a challenge.

the organization.

/ Teok Chee Long

Genius Promenade Sdn Bhd Marketing Manager

DATO’

LAWRENCE

LOW Dato’ Lawrence is the Executive Director of SNE Marketing Sdn Bhd. SNE is a fully local base Company and has been awarded as one of the top 20 MLM Companies in Malaysia. He undertakes the risk of the enterprise in search of profit and sales opportunities for the Company.

“La’Soul” is his brand that he invented in his skincare business empire

S

hakepeare said “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” This quote well describes our friendship developed over the past 15 years.

For me, Lawrence has always been a friendly and approachable person who has a good personality, can get along well with people and liked by others.

Lawrence has many admirable qualities, the most admirable qualities that I find in him are he is a generous and humble person as he is willing to share his knowledge with others, and to try and help those who seek for his advice. I would say that he is an inspiring leader

44 /

where he is always willing to impart his ideas and knowledge without an ounce of negativity included in his words, or malice. This trait makes him an excellent leader to the people around him. His passion and motivation spurs him consistently which make him to carry out his jobs as an Executive Director of SNE under the best capacity, and with great and proven results. He has successfully invented his brand ‘La’Soul’ a popular skincare brand in East Malaysia.

Lawrence has many factors that contributed to his success being an Entrepreneur in his MLM business, I respect him as a person with good Emotional Intelligence (EI), his excellent communication skills, perceptiveness, passionate about his jobs, constant selfempowerment, patient and willingness to learn and to think out of the box and be different from others. His personal integrity, strength and diligence make him an exceptional role model for many young entrepreneurs. He taught me we should not always expect constant praise and glowing compliments; but we should be receptive to criticism too, be more broadminded person and let the heart be boundless like the sky! He reminds me that not to be petty about trivialities.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

I also learned a lot about what drives him so much in his passion in life, he is always keeping up with the movers and shakers, and learning along the way towards success. Although we have been friends for 15 years, every moment we meet is always special to me. There is no special moment as every moment that we meet is always a great moment. We shared everything from works to family, that’s life.

I see Lawrence possess the ability and true qualities to be one of the MLM market leaders. He is also a contemporary person who is willing to constantly improving his IT digital marketing knowledge. He always well alert of what are happening or new innovative technologies out there show that his ability to keep up with modern technologies advances within his industry. He is a bright man.

Lawrence, sincerely, I trust you as a friend of mine. I know you will bring the best out of yourself. I will always be supportive and stand by your side. Truly grateful that I have learned so much from you, the value of patience, the value of integrity and a heart of being grateful.

I feel extremely proud to have a friend like you. I am confidence you could achieve your goals and dreams, and be the glowing and illuminating superstar in your MLM industry.

You will always have my best wishes in your Entrepreneur journey. / Lester Toh Director LJBB Group of Companies

DATO’

SU SWAN TIONG

Dato’ Tiong Su Swan is the Founder and Director of TSL Bestmas Manufacturing Sdn Bhd. He has more than 10 years of experience in the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry and has lead his marketing team to successfully promote the company’s food products towards local and international markets. He is a good leader and mentor who is a role model for the younger generation.

M

y first encounter with Dato’ Tiong Su Swan was over a business dinner more than 10 years ago. Back then, he made a very memorable impression on me as being a humble and knowledgeable businessman. He is very friendly and has a strong sense of business acumen.

His brilliant ideas on how to run his business enterprise is evident. He has shown great passion in his own business undertakings and even developed an incredibly sustainable and long-term business utilising a comprehensive planning strategy which I believe will lead TSL Bestmas to great achievements even in the international arena. Dato’ Tiong has a very calm personality and is always prepared to help others when the need arises.

His most admirable quality is his positive attitude towards his business and other dealings. On top of that, he is also very visionary and sharp in his business decisionmaking process, particularly in coaching and

46 /

inspiring other young Entrepreneurs to setup their own new businesses. He is truly an outstanding leader and an exemplary role model for young businessmen out there.

His main success factor is his excellent leadership which has inspired both his team and group of followers to excel in various business undertakings over the years. He has a bold and determined attitude towards all his ventures and works well in partnerships with others. With his strength in relationship building, he has established vast business networks and contacts in various industries.

One of his most significant achievements is the formation of various strategic alliances with numerous established corporations.

I recall a special moment with him during a seminar in which I was conducting a

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

coaching session for young Entrepreneurs about 10 years ago. Dato’ Tiong was one of the participants at the session whom I could easily spot because of his active involvement in raising a lot of relevant questions and topics which benefitted all the participants. He even went to the extent of sharing his own failure stories and how he went on to recover and turnaround the businesses which were facing various difficulties and crisis at that time. With this, he illustrated to us how his passion and perseverance helped him to overcome the challenges and life obstacles that came his way to mould him into what he is today.

It is an honour to have known him and be his friend for such a long time. I am also proud of his success and achievements which can serve as a benchmark for all the young people to emulate. I sincerely wish him success in all his future undertakings with the hope that he will continue to contribute to the well-being of society and the country as a whole. / Dato'Sri Yeat Sew Chuong Executive Chairman Special Advisor To Tun Abdullah Bin Ahmad Badawi Prime Minister Department

DATO’

VINCE KEK

Dato’ Vince Kek, is the Founder and Executive Director of One Ping Sdn. Bhd., One Ping Holdings Sdn. Bhd., and One Ping International Sdn. Bhd. The businesses focus on exclusive customised made for mobile applications, website design & development, digital marketing and provide training course.

M

y first impression of my boss, Dato’ Vince Kek was a positive one. He is simple young entrepreneur but looks very aggressive and full of confidence.

Impressively that is he has a strong positive inner and the right attitude towards achieving success. He is ethical in doing business and with the strong execution plan, we believe he can motivate and lead us toward achieving success together, and today his hard work has paid off.

After years of working with my boss, Dato’ Vince Kek, the most admirable qualities I have found in him is that he is the great entrepreneur who achieved so many success stories but remain humble, friendly, helpful and keep learning.

Another important quality of Dato’Vince Kek, he is a great example of humility.Thus there is

48 /

a feeling born out of his heart wanting to take care of all others, especially disabilities people, and single parent. Now the organization has hired more than 4 full time disability (OKU) employees working remotely at the comfort of their own homes.

As a creative and innovative leader, he has his own way of teaching, guiding and assigning tasks to us remotely (via online), so that we able to grow “from nothing to something” and stand proud in the fields of IT industry.

Dato’ Vince Kek is an open-minded person and eagerness to learn new things, not being headstrong and stubborn when it comes to choosing other option in order to serve anyone in a better way. He is simply amazing, although he tried hard to achieve his aims. He has faced many failures but remained strong and confident.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

He has firm commitment and would endeavor to turn this vision into a reality, locally and globally. I would say that this is the measure of his real success, while on the journey of his own success, there are the numbers of people in whose lives are able to make a positive difference.

Dato’ Vince Kek has committed continuously to achieve outstanding records of success in his business, at the same time he also continues to commit himself to create more caring world in all aspects of life by contributing to the society. Ultimately, enable him to achieve more success and contributing to make this world a more harmonious place for all. / One Ping Team Disability employees

DATIN SRI

JESSIE

WONG

Datin Sri Jessie Wong is the Founder of World Trade Regal Sdn Bhd. The objective of the company is to become a world-class exporter and distributor of selected premium food and fruits with the long-term goal of satisfying stakeholders and maintaining business relationships with both customers and suppliers.

goals carefully and in precise detail. She is also a forward-thinking person whereby once she has set her mind on to something, she will commit to the task at hand and persevere towards achieving her ultimate goal.

D

I look up to Wong as someone who is also knowledgeable in her industry. She has also gained atin Sri Jessie Wong presents herself as

a vast network of business associates over the

a friendly and capable person who is

years. Some of the happiest moments that I can

always seeking to develop new business

recall with her was when we attended exclusive

connections with others. Her determination has

events and functions together. During these

also led her to establish many business dealings

events, I was able to join in the celebration of her

with other partners and helped her grow her

achievements as well.

business network as well.

Last but not least, I would like to congratulate Wong Wong portrays herself as a cheerful person and

on being recognised with the 100 Most Influential

is always looking at the bigger picture rather

Young Entrepreneurs (100MIYE) Award. As a

than worrying over the smaller details. I find her

woman with such distinctive leadership qualities

as being highly capable and someone with great

characterized by determination, she truly deserves

leadership skills as she is also the President of

this awesome recognition in life. As the saying goes,

the Malaysian Chinese Women Entrepreneurs

“You reap what you sow”. With this, I hope that

Association (MCWEA) in Kuala Lumpur where we

she will continue to do what she does best and

work together and have been friends ever since I

I would also like to end on a celebratory note by

joined this association.

wishing her all the best in her future endeavors.

The contributing factor to her success in life is her

/ Dato’ Choi Wei Yee

persistence, defined by her never give up attitude.

She has a clear mindset on what she wants to

Director Sunlight Taxi Sdn Bhd

achieve by outlining her short-term and long-term 50 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

52 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

DATIN

SHIREEN TAN

VR Lab Bhd is a one stop Virtual Reality solutions centre and currently the Largest virtual reality chain in Malaysia offering VR gaming and entertainment to end consumer. It also offers B2B solutions=V-Prop Touch, “ virtual reality for properties”the World first multiuser VR property Sales Platform, which allow property buyer and seller to “MEET, VIEW , INTERACT & BUY” property through VR.

She is very determined in protecting her partners to ensure everyone mutually benefits from a deal.

We have been investing in properties together for many years. Our first property deal was the most interesting one. We were having a casual chat, driving by to see the surrounding properties and we stumbled upon a seller standing by the roadside waiting for his prospect. We went to

She is a respectable iron lady who always stays

check out the property and Datin Shireen being

positive and always has a wide smile on her face.

the student accommodation expert in Bandar

Datin Shireen loves to share and pass on the

Sunway, immediately spotted the good deal and

knowledge to inspire others to grow.

decisively paid the booking fee instantly. We bought the 3 bedroom high floor walk up apartment

I

She is remarkably generous. She is caring and

at depressed price and turn into 6 bedroom

loves sharing every single bits of knowledge and

apartment which brought us high rental yield of

opportunity to people around her. She always says

11% . After one year, we sold the property in a day

to me, “ if one wants to go fast-go alone; if one

as its fully tenanted and fully furnished. We made

wants to go far, go together”. Its no surprise that

property capital gain of 50% in one year.

you see people around her grows continuously . first meet Datin Shireen 9 years ago through a

As a friend or as a team, she is always there to

Her property investment strategy is amazing

support.

where she adds value to the property to create

business dealing, she is admirably capable young

a win win situation. I am glad that she shared the

female entrepreneur managing a chain of edu-

Her philosophy that she always share with us-

tech business at age of 23. Her first appearance

opportunity with me and it opened up my eye and

we must always ensure win-win for everyone, no

was sweet & cheerful. She was easy to get

change my perspective of unpopular property.

matter in friendship or business. Hence, its really

acquainted to.

Our journey together has been great together. Im

easy to deal with her as she is very thoughtful all

looking forward to grow our friendship further

the time.

and may our paths meet to create something

After having a simple few minutes conversation

remarkable for the society and touch more lives.

with her, my impression on her totally changed. She

I believe her success factor is her ability to create

is an inspiring hustler who had been through a lot.

a win-win recipe for everyone. I had personally

She stops at nothing because her determination

witness many deals she had closed in the past,

always lead to a breakthrough.

whereby i provided personal legal advise to her.

/ Dato' Andy Low Hann Yong Managing Partner Low & Partners

DATIN

SOFIA LAU

Datin Sofia Lau began her entrepreneurial journey to promote fashionable apparel for customers of all shapes and sizes. 2L Group was born in 2001 from her passion. They have also revolutionized the fashion industry by being the first to have Certified Image Consultants to provide professional image consulting services to their customers.

M

y first impression of Datin Sofia is that she is a very decisive and productive person, and when dealing with customers, she

is very caring, interactive and informative. She enjoys sharing her ideas with customers. Caring for customers is in her blood. Sofia loves and enjoys her work very much. She very much dedicated all her time and effort in developing her business.

At times, she looks rather cool, but in fact, she is

committed as well in team building; she works

Datin Sofia always invites me to attend courses with

hard toward building a team that can improve

her, whenever she finds a good program, she would

continuously, and make a better life for themselves.

share with me and encourage me to learn more.

One thing I admire about her is that she enjoys

Attending courses with Datin Sofia is a very special

sharing what she has learned with others.

moment for me, when we are in the classroom, she takes my learning as part of her responsibility,

Datin Sofia is very ambitious and confident,

and she would go all the way to support and help

she strongly believes in herself, and has a very

me, and share her experience seriously, and open

positive attitude when dealing with people. She

mindedly. Her loving to share character becomes

team that she can be proud of.

has a strong support from her family, and most

very obvious when she is in learning mode. I

importantly, she has a team that loves her dearly

strongly believe this charming character has made

Datin Sofia is very hard working, committed and

and would go all the way to support her success.

her successful in her professional, and personal life.

One very important character of Sofia that makes

I have a very strong believe in Datin Sofia, she has

her successful is that she loves and enjoys sharing.

work hard toward company public listing, and I

Whenever she encounters something good and

believe she can achieve this dream in no time.

a very sensible person, she enjoys sharing with others, and very positive about life. Her focus is not only developing her business, but also build a

persistent individual. Once she is clear about her direction and set her goals, she would adhere to her beliefs and goals, she never gives up on any opportunities even when she sees challenges and obstacles in front of her. She not only dedicated her life to develop her fashion empire, she is

54 /

positive, she would share with her team, her business partners and her friends. She has a very strong desire to help other becomes better in life.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Ong Yoke Ping COO Iceblue Inter Apparel Sdn Bhd

AARON

SIOW

Elitians Venture Holding Sdn Bhd, in partnership with IQI Global, is a premier real estate agency specialising in providing luxury property developers with access to an extensive network of over 600 agents throughout Malaysia to market newly launched properties through a multitude of conventional and digital marketing channels.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

M

y first encounter with Aaron Siow was when we were university students pursuing business degrees. Prior to his

success in the real estate industry, Siow came from a humble background. He grew up in a small town so the first impression of him was that of a very unassuming person. That is of course until you get to know him.

While most students were preoccupied with the latest gadgets, fashion, celebrity gossip, romantic relationships, TV series and video games; Aaron’s favourite topics which he would revisit on a regular basis were business success, motivation, Anthony Robbins’ strategies, travelling to exotic locations, badminton and high performance salesmanship.

In a nutshell, he came off as someone who has a thirst for adventure and an insatiable hunger for I think that Aaron’s success lies with his natural

all of Aaron’s qualities that can outshine the rest,

ability to influence as well as his exuberant and

his admirable traits are his generosity and humility.

Among all his unique traits, the most admirable

extrovert personality. His willingness to work

Success has turned him into someone who is

would be his incredible persistence and natural

extremely hard for extended periods of time

ever more willing to share his knowledge and

ability to influence people. I recall several occasions

and his investment in himself through vigorous

help others succeed. His personal friends, family,

when Aaron convinced entire groups of people

practise and training are his other winning qualities.

colleagues and business partners can vouch that

to completely change their minds on a variety

While there are definitely a few candidates

he is a great friend.

of decisions. Prior to working in real estate, he

who can attribute their success to having the

worked as a salesperson and successfully sold

advantage of coming from a privileged business

On behalf of all our mutual friends and colleagues,

products that most salespeople would struggle to

savvy background, Aaron started out with almost

I would like to say thank you for giving us the

even find prospects willing to listen to their pitches.

nothing and is a genuine case of someone who has

motivation when we needed it and occasionally

beaten the odds through sheer determination and

pushing us to do things that were beneficial for us

persistence.

even when we didn’t see it ourselves. Stay strong,

success.

His most obvious success is of course growing his

focused and keep moving forward.

real estate sales team from two people to over 600 within a few short years. It would be safe to

After a particularly memorable personal discussion

say that he has truly become a master persuader.

with Aaron, it occurred to me that perhaps, out of

/ Oliver Tan Director Pine Soft Sdn Bhd

ALLAN TAN

Allan Tan co-founded Midana Capital Inc, a lead investing venture capital firm in Asia Pacific.

Midana Capital focuses on innovative technologies which makes a difference to the environment and daily life. Since being incorporated, Midana has invested in companies in China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Investment portfolios include a vast range of industries ranging from Green Tech, Food & Beverage (F&B) Manufacturing, Healthcare Internet of Things (IoT), Financial Technology (Fintech) & Blockchain.

I believe that if Allan wants to build a rocket, he could make one. It doesn’t mean he will learn all

M

the techniques by himself to build it but he would recruit the best talents around to achieve the goal. y first encounter with Allan was at our

advice to others without interfering in people’s

Taipei office in Taiwan where I was giving

decisions. Mostly, he cares about others instead of

Allan used to evaluate a company that we invested

an explanation on how our business

himself.

in together. There was a Mergers & Acquisitions

works. Although he didn’t say much during our first meeting, he seemed to be in deep thought.

The next day, we took a road trip and visited

(M&A) opportunity in the US. Instead of hastily I also respect Allan for his love and dedication

grabbing the opportunity to make quick profits,

towards his family by placing them as first priority

he took time to present the cons and pros of

which I believe is a character of a successful man.

the M&A case to the Founder, and enquired on

some vendors (farmers).To my surprise, Allan was

details about the personality of the existing CEO.

knowledgeable about agricultural products and

I’ve noticed that Allan is also savvy in mathematics.

Allan has a long-term vision that will bring the

asked some pertinent questions that made the

He is very detailed and executes his plans very

targeted company to the next level. We eventually

farmers grow fond of him. Throughout the day, I

carefully. But even those factors would just partially

negotiated a very good M&A deal due to Allan’s

noticed that Allan had the same entrepreneurial

describe his personality.

visionary strategies.

Being hardworking and staying self-motivated best

I am thankful to Allan for establishing

describes him. He is also willing to step behind the

Malaysia and Taiwan’s connection via linking

I admire Allan because he’s not self-centered as he

spotlight and let his partners’ efforts shine through.

and several por tfolio companies together.

always thinks of others before himself. In several

Being humble yet ambitious fits his description

Without Allan’s suppor t, we would not have

businesses that we were involved in together, he

perfectly.

been able to expand in the ASEAN market

flair as me. This led to many exchanges of views and experiences between us.

would analyse and give the best opinions and yet respect everyone’s decision.

so fast. And some day, I wish to take a family Another key to his success is that he’s not afraid of

vacation with Allan and I sincerely hope that

failure. He understands the risks of every business

would happen soon!

I noticed that Allan’s qualities are rarely found

but if there is only a 1% chance of success rate and

in other leaders. Though some leaders are self-

he firmly believe in the idea or team, he would

opinionated, Allan strikes a balance by dispensing

convince everyone to go for it.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Darren Wang Founder and CEO Owl Ting (Taiwan , Malaysia , US , Japan)

ALLEN

TAN KEE LENG just five years, he expanded the company’s network not only in Klang Valley, but nationwide namely in Penang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johor and later on, East Malaysia. From a distribution business initially, the company has grown into a more comprehensive logistics arm today.

Allen’s success are attributed largely to his personalities. Apart from being a hardworker and relentless entrepreneur, his humility and

Yunly Express Courier Services (Yunly Express) was established in year 2010 to provide guaranteed courier service within a day. Over the years, Yunly Express has grown its network and enhanced its services to provide comprehensive logistical solutions.

Yunly Express’s services offering are national road freight and distribution, local collection and deliveries. It also customises computer software based on client’s need.

approachable character helped him in achieving success. He is a hands-on employer, handling a more than 100 dispatches business. His leadership and warm personality allows him to retain his best talents.

Three years ago, I requested Allen to delay an increase in rates due to my company’s budget. He agreed and continued to give his full support even.

This is the spirit of entrepreneurship: supporting

W

business partners to sail through difficulty and growing together. hen I first met Allen six years ago during a business pitch where he

exudes

the

courage

and

enthusiasm of a successful entrepreneur. His had a good business proposal that consists of creative ideas and presented it well. He eventually land the contract. I always believe that being a successful entrepreneur requires more than just an ideation and Allen has what it takes. He has the maturity and determination, compared to many of his peers his age, to set a vision for his career path.

Allen was merely following his parent footsteps when he decided to open up YUNLY EXPRESS. In

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Allen, thanks to your hard work, you have made the business the talk of the town. Whatever success or fortune that you achieved today, you deserve it. Congratulation ! Thanks to the organizing committee to confer him such a recognition; “ THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS 2017 “ All the best to you Allen.

/ Kent Ong General Manager ILT Optics (M) Sdn Bhd

ALVIN

POH

InSync Group was established by Alvin Poh to pioneer a complete estate planning advisory firm. InSync Group’s effective marketing techniques, innovative ideas and excellent networking skills are what make the group standout. In addition, InSync Group’s vision is to bring a paradigm shift in the field of financial advisory. The firm’s motto is “We Rise by Lifting Others”.

I

first met Alvin in August 2016 at a workshop where he participated. My first impression of him was that he was enthusiastic and down-to-

earth professional. As I grew to know him better, it is easy to see the charisma and energy that exudes from him; he has an aura that leads people to him like a magnet.

Alvin’s leadership skills and persistence character are the contributing factors to his success. At the core of all that is his positive attitude; instead of seeing an obstacle as a problem, Alvin sees it as a challenge and a learning cycle. In order to pursue his goals and achieve perfection, he always seek guidance from mentors.

Alvin’s good social networking skills also helps him get things done efficiently. He believes and

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

practices the teaching of “law of attraction�, which has brought him many good opportunities that led to his success today. In addition, Alvin treats his staff in a very balanced and respective manner, without needing to employ strict protocols.

Alvin is a person who is very clear of his vision and he continuously acquire skills and knowledge needed to achieve his vision. His willingness to consistently learn and harness new information have inspired others. Alvin is meticulous in weighing every aspect in his ventures, and never fails to take calculated risk.

All I want to say is: Alvin, you are an amazing and talented individual. I know this is just the beginning of an amazing journey for you and I sincerely wish you the best and your future endeavours.

/ Steve Wee Founder Brand Yourself Agency

ANCO

GOH

Anco Goh is the Founder and Managing Director of Annocent Group of companies. From his humble beginnings in Kuchai Lama. He now owns a full fledge studio in Kota Damansara and operating from his fully equipped office in Sunway. He specializes in the creative industry and is looking at building creative e-platforms in the near future.

I

must say my first impression of Anco was not a good one. We have hired his company to do a launch with a very important client of mine.

Then walked in this guy who is shabbily dresses and unshaven. I was wondering in my head who this guy was. He walked over, shook my hand and introduced himself. Then only I realized that he was the boss. As the event progressed I realized why he was there at the console and then checking all the lighting and sound system and making sure every detailed requests of mine was fulfilled. He told me later “Excuse my dressing as I am a hands on person.” I gave him a thumb up.

I find Anco to be extremely talented. He plays the guitar, he fiddle with the keyboards and make wonderful music. He has a good voice and sings well too. That is why these talents he makes a wonderful producer and director. I have seen

66 /

some of the shows he produces and I must say

intense presentation and long day, we decided to

I am impressed. Anco is a very versatile as he

celebrate the victory with a karaoke session. Staff

has a good Art Sense too. This plus his ability

from my office and his joined in . It was during this

to handle graphics sofeware had made him an

session that I heard him belt out “Oppa Gangnam

accomplish designer as well. With his abilities and

Style” which I thought was in perfect Korean. At

a strong support group we have worked on many

that time the song was still new and I was really

successful projects together.

impressed.

Anco’s success is due to this philosophy of “Do It!

I would like to thank him for being my friend and

Don’t Quit”. He has carefully ingrained that into his

encouraged him to live up to his slogan of “Do it!

company and making tremendous progress. He is

Don’t quit”.

persistent and will not give up. This can be seen in the way that he picks up difficult tasks. In this digital

“You are talented, persistent and resourceful. All

age of ours his good friend is Google and YouTube.

the qualities required to spell success. Reach out

I have yet to hear Anco say that any task is beyond

to the world with your immense talents and build

him. He would always tell his people, “If it can be

your companies to even greater success. Together

done we will do it” and “If we can’t do it, nobody

With your wild array of services there are great

can do it.”

opportunities out there in the field of e-commerce.

I look forward to hear from your success in this

Anco has a good sense of humor and is both fun

field and look forward to using the e-platform you

to work with and we have a great time on social

are venturing into”.

occasions. He can be dead serious during work but he really lets his hair down when he parties. I can still remember that day when we have just won an important account, thanks to Anco’s help. After an

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Alan Lim Founder & Managing Director Pirana Graphics Sdn Bhd

AZIZAN

OSMAN

Renowned as Asia’s No.1 Business & Marketing Growth Expert, Master Coach & Entrepreneur Builder, Azizan Osman was recently recognised by the International Coach Guild (ICG) Australia as a WorldClass Trainer, Speaker & Business Mentor. His peak performance, high impact business and leadership training has created massive growth results for thousands of small and medium scale business owners in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.

T

he first time I met Azizan was at our new office in Malacca. I found him to be this charismatic, larger than life Chinese

speaking Malay guy who’d recently started and was in the process of building a team. He was nothing less than a typical guy from Malacca. We ended up with the largest sales office we had ever had outside of Kuala Lumpur. At one point, there were over 120 sales guys in a poorly airconditioned office, which led me to joke that if we had recruited any more sales guys in Malacca, we would have run out of customers! A pretty amazing start to a business relationship.

He is an incredible relationship builder and a great explainer as he can make people see his point of view. He can clearly articulate a message and get you to believe in him and more importantly, yourself. He cares enormously about the people he helps and works hard to help other people succeed. The mark that he has carved out for

68 /

himself as a personal coach and motivational

The second was when he invited me to attend

speaker couldn’t be more well suited for him. I

one of his seminars in KLCC. I sat in the front

have watched his career develop since he started

row and was blown away by his presentation and

out on his own and have been absolutely blown

the crowd (only 1,500 pax which was just a small

away by how he has personally developed himself

audience for Azizan as he has engaged up to 8,000

by seeking out the best of the best in his field and

pax at a time). He introduced me to the audience

learning from them. I’m pretty sure I have learnt

as the guy who had trained him and it felt like I was

more from him than he has learnt from me over

going to get mobbed by an adoring crowd. This

the last 10 years.

really impacted me as he had created an incredible following and I was delighted to be associated in

The last time we had lunch, he was on his way

some way with his development.

to the US to attend yet another course. He understands his role as an Educator and knows

Azizan, your success has been absolutely fantastic.

that to be able to continuously add value, he needs

You are an inspiration to millions and I hope it’s ok

to keep learning from the best. He also works

to say that I am extremely proud of you. If you say

incredibly hard which underlies his success. He

that you have learnt a lot from working with me, I

works hard and smart which is the best possible

would say in return that you’ve taken the lessons

combination.

and multiplied them by a factor of thousands. Your success is astounding and I wish you all the best

The first special moment shared with him was

for your future and for a continuing successful and

when Azizan was my best man at my bersanding

very happy life.

ceremony. He gave my otherwise very British wedding party the necessary Malay weightage which delighted my wife. He had to stand next to me fanning my very sore head (Tight Tanjak!) and brush rose petals out of my lap for more than an hour. The job of a true friend!

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato' James Greaves Founder and Chairman JAG Group Holdings

AZRI

ZAHIER

Hausboom which was established in 2014 under The Boom Beverage Sdn Bhd is the brainchild of Founders Azri Zahier, Zaid Hurairah and Errwan Haddie Arshad. Hausboom was created to fill the void in the market for premium halal carbonated beverages containing real fruit juice. Starting from a factory in Kajang with a monthly production capacity of 150,000 bottles, Hausboom is now expanding to a bigger facility capable of producing 2 million bottles a month to cater to a regional market spanning across Malaysia, Middle East and Europe.

M

y first encounter with Azri was in

to achieving his targets that has to be executed

2005 when both of us were taking

well as well as being planned ahead of time. Azri

up the same course at the Centre for

is a dedicated and efficient person who possesses

Foundation Studies in University of Malaya, Kuala

good interpersonal skills with all levels of people.

Lumpur. My initial impression of Azri was he is an

He is also a person who is willing to go the extra

influencer who was very focused with a forward-

mile to assist his clients.

thinking mindset. Among his friends, he is known to be a strong advocate and debater who has won

One special moment that I am able to recall with

many contests during his university days.

Azri was when we travelled to London, the UK in search of potential opportunities and new

I saw him as an innovative and creative businessman.

business openings to be introduced in Malaysia. It

He once organised a gala event to showcase his

was at the same time a holiday for us presenting

products including blazers and jackets among his

us the chance to see different things and establish

friends. This also shows his entrepreneurial spirit.

greater connections for our business model. And,

His self-belief is high when it involves his goals for

after we returned from London, Azri immediately

his business. Azri’s self-confidence and presentable

formed The Boom Beverage company.

appearance helps him to fit in at any occasion, any time, and at any place.

To accentuate this recognition given to Azri, I am very sure Azri can achieve a greater and brighter

One of the valuable factors that has contributed

future in his line of work. He has a lot of ventures

to his success would be his determination,

planned in his wish list and I sincerely would like

hardworking attitude as well as his focused and

all his wishes to come to actualisation. I wish him

consistent ways. Azri is also a person who listens

success in reaching greater milestones along his

and is open to ideas from his colleagues.

entrepreneurial journey.

On a more serious note, Azri does not mix

/ Zaid Hurairah

business with pleasure when it comes to undertakings concerning his business. As for him, work is work and he is always strict when it comes

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

COO/Director The Boom Beverage Sdn Bhd

AZRUL

HELMY HAFIZ

Azrul Helmy Hafiz is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cervello Tres. An up and leading e-lifestyle brand Velocifero presenting alternative mobility via electric vehicles in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Saudi Arabia. Azrul Helmy Hafiz previously served the government servant at Selangor State Government as Assistant Director and as General Manager (Liason Officer) at JRS Resources Sdn Bhd.

I

have known Azrul for a long period now. He is

Azrul as an individual I would say he would

To part are these immortal words from Apple.

my cousin by relation of marriage and we would

strike you as confident, ambitious, but followed

Written by the Rob Siltanen, and immortalised by

meet occasionally on family outings and share a

immediately is this warmth of personality and

the late Steve Jobs, this ad sparked off a generation

modesty. A very thoughtful and caring person,

of new thinkers, movers and disrupters.

lot of memorable adventures together.

he is very in touch with the less fortunate and

Having the opportunity to work with him recently,

regularly contributes back to the community.

on an Electric-Bike Startup, I’ve found one thing

‘Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels.

The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square

that has brought him to where he is today..and as

At work Azrul would display warmth with

holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re

they say, ‘You will know a person when you work

staff and brotherly affection. This allows easy

not fond of rules. And they have no respect for

with him’.

engagement and interaction between organisation

the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with

communicational lines. Communication topdown

them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing

What it is, is his sense of family, friendship and

is seemless. Customers get immediate feedback

you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change

loyalty. And that has built the foundation to the

from not only servicing staff, but also the big boss

things. They push the human race forward. And

successes and challenges he faces today.

himself.

while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy

A devout and religious man, he runs his ship with

My cousin holds a vision of personal success and is

enough to think they can change the world, are

the guiding principles of Modern Islam, bringing

driven towards it. Towards this goal, he stands firm

the ones who do’

the sense of family throughout the organisation..

with the pillars of family, friendship and loyalty.

And this feeling reverberates even out to program franchisees and licensees.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Rudy Rozaidi International Business Associate Aquex Korea Co., Ltd

CATHERINE

TEE

Catherine Tee is the CEO of M Lighting Design.

M Lighting Design is an established company located at Johor Bahru (Taman Setia Tropika) providing wide range of innovative and custommade lighting products. M Ligthing Design’s professional team is highly experienced & extensively involved in different types of projects such as commercials, residences, hotel and factories. M Lighting Design lights up your life in dark – providing the best customer experience and solution.

T

he first impression I had of Catherine Tee was that she is a cheerful, enthusiastic and friendly person. She has a personality that

draws people to her wherever she goes and she is an influencer who can bring liveliness to any group of people.

Looking back, it’s her natural disposition that gave me a good impression of her. What I admire about her most is her responsible nature, trustworthiness and a positive mind set; all the qualities that became the factors of her success.

There are so many special moments that we have shared together. One of the special moment I can recall of Catherine was about a few years ago when we were studying Executive Master Of Business Administration (EMBA) together.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

I found her to be very helpful when she took me around the faculty during an afternoon break session and introduce me to some of her friends.

She has an eagerness to learn as well because she believes that every situation is an opportunity for her acquire new knowledge and skills.

As a friend, I am very happy to get to know you and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you for receiving this recognition as an influential entrepreneur. Your reliability and attitude of going above and beyond to make things happen will bring you far in this life. Not only that, your positive traits are infectious therefore I believe you will be a very successful entrepreneur in Johor Bahru. All the best to you in your future business endeavours and keep up the great work.

/ Angel Chow Yin Jye Premier Account Executive A Plus Boss Sdn Bhd

CHARLES THUNG

Charles Thung is the founder and managing director of SSI Properties Sdn Bhd. He is a knowledgeable investor in real estate industry, as well as a successful entrepreneur. In 2014, he established SSI Properties which is a brand-new framework combined as an agency and a developer. He believes that, SSI will create a revolution to the real estate industry.

W

hen I met Charles Thung, my first

could contribute unique insights in any situations.

and ability to execute his plans always. Even in the

impression of him was that he

Incidentally, he is also pragmatic and has a no-

face of adversities and great hardship, Charles has

was an ambitious, dynamic and

nonsense attitude when it comes to problem

proven to be extremely resilient and steadfast.

enterprising individual. In many instances, I noticed

solving. Although I knew then Charles was a

that he was very driven in all his undertakings.

brilliant entrepreneur, I was only able to gauge his

Charles, it has been an honour to have you as

From our many meetings together, I found Charles

ability and character through constant interactions

a mentor and a friend. I realised that both our

to be friendly, admirable and stable.

at our meetings.

characters and attitudes are very similar and very

Being professionals in the property line, I have

Charles could support, coordinate and lead others

each other if we ever get the opportunity to work

learnt a lot from Charles. Our fields are related

when the situation demands it. When one of our

together. Hopefully we can be business partners in

but not similar yet I truly enjoy a lot of insightful

members was facing problems, he acted fast and

the future and I look forward to collaborating with

conversations with Charles. We have been friends

was very supportive. He treats everyone equally

you on impending and exciting projects, which I

for many years and found him to be a visionary

and listens to opinions and this in turn, motivates

am sure will lead to greater achievements together.

and purpose-driven, of which I think are his most

everyone to perform their best.

compatible with each other. We will complement

admirable qualities.

Despite being successful, he is still very humble Amazingly, he possesses a great sense of clarity

and down to earth person. One of the attributes

and compared to what people normally see; he

that leads to his success is his great determination

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Joshua Ng Min Kait Founder & Executive Director Grace Covenant Community Care

CHRIS

TAN

Chris Tan General Partner Midana Capital Inc, a lead investing venture capital firm in Asia Pacific. Midana Capital focuses on innovative technologies which makes a difference to the environment and daily life.

Since incorporated, Midana had invested in companies in China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Investment portfolios includes vast range of industry ranging from Green Tech, F&B Manufacturing, Healthcare IOT, Fintech & Blockchain.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

I

first met Chris Tan when FundedHere became the first equity crowdfunding platform to receive a license from the Monetary Authority

of Singapore. It surfside me, as the meeting was initiated by him, all the way from Malaysia. It was then that I noticed that this individual does not limit himself and has true passion in what he does.

To be honest, I seldom see that “fire” in people to exploit opportunities, especially when it comes to new financial structures. He certainly knows how to make things happen.

Throughout the past two years, I noticed that he stops at nothing. So long as he sees the value, he sees it through. We seldom see many value investors nowadays at his age. Perhaps it is due to his persistency. Another quality in him is honesty and modesty. He admits his weaknesses and seeks enlightenment, always and he never stops learning.

He is confident but not over confident.

Chris is able to adapt to all situations, and versatility is an essential key to success in this industry. We may face all kinds of characters and attitudes from

positivity in all aspects, from investments to family.

companies in Singapore. Keep it up, and do what

different companies, founders, or management.

If he is able to assist, he’ll do it without having to

you do best! We also would like to thank you &

Without versatility, it is easy to lose a deal. Chris

ask. That’s what I think made him who he is today.

Midana Capital for the continuous support and

is able to take on any challenge, as long as he sees

The value he creates around him grows, together

having you as one of our accredited investors

value in it. More importantly, he is able to walk

with him.

throughout these years of establishment.

He’s proud to be Malaysian, and he’s proud to

/ Agnes Siaw

away from one, when it is the right thing to do.

He’s a man that utilizes ancient moral values in

be making changes in the Malaysian investment

today’s modern society. He sees value in everything,

community. We at FundedHere, are happy to have

including his food! Be it a simple back-lane shop or

the opportunity to write about him. He has given

fine-dining restaurant, he is easy going. He exudes

this ecosystem a big boost and has also assisted

Executive Director FundedHere

CYNTHIA TONG

I have seen Cynthia through rough times and now that she has come out stronger than ever, I will say that it is because she never gave up and continued to find ways to make it through. Her strategies could be a new way to delight the client, an innovative way to market, creating an inspiring program for her team. She always managed to overcome problems, not via good luck, but with deep resilience and grit.

I had great memories of when I was part of her JCI

Cynthia Tong is the Operation Director of Crigen Resources Sdn Bhd. She holds an MBA and Adjunct Professorship in Aesthetics. Over her 13 years career in the spa and aesthetics industry, she led the development of the award-winning Danai Spa (8 spas) and Danai Divine Advanced Aesthetics (3 centres). Cynthia is married to Dennis Tan, and they have 4 lovely children.

Malaysia National Executive Vice President team of officers. That 1 year of service together with her was such a fun and inspiring ride, we made things happen, brought people together, break records, keep people extremely motivated and excited she lead us to win the Best Area Award!

I

I just want to remind her : Cynthia, you’ve got first met Cynthia at one of JCI Malaysia events where she was the JCI Malaysia National Vice President. She was very friendly and extremely

dedicated to the chapters that she was in charge of the. She gave me the impression of a calibre leader.

What I like best about Cynthia is that she really takes care of her people; not so much in mollycoddling them or being with them all the time but she does understands them well. She knows how to help people grow, improve in their own rights. She also can advise on solutions to help them overcome difficult situation. I also like the fact that she doesn’t make empty promises; if she says she can do it then you can expect her to do things well, sometimes beyond expectations.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

your priorities right, you have really done great in growing your business and having a great relationship with your kids, please continue your great efforts and never give up. You are an inspiration to many women out there!

/ Chris Daniel Wong Chief Executive Officer Crigen Resources Holdings Bhd

DANIAL MA

Danial MA has established VRDT Group in 2014 via its parent & subsidiary entities, which manages capital investments internationally. He is experienced in media & production, finance, online distribution network, technology, online trading platforms, and marketplaces. Today at the age of 30, he is the Founder, president, and CEO of California, US-based VRDT Holdings Inc.Mycliks.com is the brainchild of online marketplaces established by Danial and launching in January 2018.

M

y first impression of Danial is he is an

Ultimately, Danial possesses all the qualities that

far he has come now. We used to share and discuss

ambitious young man who is set for

makes him as a good leader, which I believe is

about a lot of new ideas and concepts. The phrase

success in the business world. His

one of his success factors. His natural intuitive in

“action speaks louder than words” is a reflection

personality and the way he resonates enthusiasm

making business decisions, obtained through the

of Danial’s attitude and his perspective on work. I

in every single thing he does make me excited to

many challenges he had faced in the past, also

think optimism best describes his character. Danial

work with him. Danial was determined to achieve

contributed significantly to his success. And of

is an enthusiastic person that channels positivity and

every single one of his goals with determination

course, sacrifice. Danial has had countless sleepless

passion into every single task he does, every single

and brilliant planning. I would say that once he set

nights, hours of driving throughout the peninsula

day.

his eyes on the prize, he would work smart and

Malaysia to expand and develop his business. The

hard to achieve it.

called for some tough decisions and put 100% of

I am very proud and feel privileged working with

his time, energy, and money into achieving his goals.

Danial; a journey that have tested myself in so

His leadership skills has led VRDT to the top

Besides that, I also think that speed is the main

many ways as well. I have learnt a lot from him, a

coupled with a strong passion and above all

factor of his success.

fresh breath of air in the current Malaysian financial

championing teamwork in every aspect of his

industry. I am confident that he will be a future global

organization. He guides and motivates his team in

He was swift in executing business decisions and

corporate figure and the upcoming generation will

the right direction. He also ensures that his team

was consistent in following up potential projects.

look up to him as their role model. I look forward to

performs well by giving them the necessary training.

With this determination and perseverance, he will

his other upcoming projects and anticipate eagerly

He also has a clear vision and mission in his life and

go further and achieve greater success in life. When

on what his other future accomplishments may be.

is very determined to achieve it. More importantly,

he first started to share his idea of building his

Danial is also someone that puts people’s needs

own company. I saw how excited and Determined

before him. He ensures that people around him

he was to succeed. Looking back now, I am truly

are well-taken care of.

fortunate to witness that initial Stage and see how

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Sugumaran Ramachandran Business Director Notion Universe Sdn Bhd

DARREN

HEADLEY

Darren Headley is the Director of Gemini Beauty Resources (M) Sdn Bhd, a beauty supplement manufacturing company with Bumiputera status, for the past 10 years. He started his business from a humble trading company to manufacturing outfit with over 30 team members today. He believes strongly in a “win- win” strategy in business.

A

t first glance, Darren looks simple, smart

him. Darren is motivated by his own success

and friendly as he always smiles. I always

and always look forward to help others grow

get positive vibes when working with

progressively and be achievers as well. He has set

him. Despite being an employer, he is a humble

distinctive goals set for the company which makes

and low profile person and always energetic and

the team stronger towards achieving them.

working all the time. Darren’s most admirable quality is his calmness and confidence in resolving

As for his business strategy, he always focusses

problems.

on developing the best quality for his clients and at an affordable price. Darren also doesn’t

Given his character, people always like to be

limit his dreams, thus, he always sets a high

around him and feel comfortable working with

benchmark and works towards achieving it.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

For example, he aspired to win the Top Brand award in all the leading pharmacies in Malaysia (Watsons and Guardian) and he did!

He considers his co-workers as his family members and puts effort in building strong relationship within all the members of the organisation. Once, he made us receive an industry award on his behalf as according to him his hardworking team mates also deserved the same recognition. Darren is a grateful man and would like his team to share his happiness too. I am really honoured to have him as my boss. Darren works very hard to take the company to another level but yet has the time to share his success with the employees.

My sincere expression for Darren is ‘Thank you for giving me this opportunity to work with you and always allowing me to show my capability in contributing the best. I will work diligently towards realising the company goals and it has been a privilege working with you indeed. Thank you for being a perfect mentor boss!’

/ Nurul Tasya Personal Assistant GBR (M) Sdn Bhd

DEREK

SOH

Derek Soh is the Founder and Executive Director of Polygon Properties Sdn. Bhd., which actively involving in both primary & secondary market of real estate, working closely with most of the renowned developers in the industry. Derek Soh is a diversified portfolio of businesses from lighting, F&B, asset management to interior design and renovation.

workshops as well as monthly training, in order

the first numbers of units before everyone.

to groom and grow his group of agents and

Despite his busy schedule, he never miss to drop

negotiators by building their fundamental based

by the gallery everyday to provide support and

on professional knowledge. He is someone that

consult his people. At the end the result was great

willing to share his experience and knowledge to

and that’s how we built a very strong business

his people, unconditionally.

relationship together since then.

a young but enthusiastic guy with a

To make him successful, Derek has been working

What I want to express to him is that I wish one

clear vision toward his profession.

really hard and I believe there many things in life

day he can be the one who inspires millions and

As a humble person that bring him a characteristic

he has scarificed too. Road to success was never

be able to replicate his success by helping and

of affinity, he is able to easily build relationship and

an easy path for him. However, his persistency and

supporting others, eventually. That is not a dream,

earn trust from anyone. As a associate in business,

never-giving-up mentally, has helped him overcome

but that is the end goal that he is already sailing

I know that I can always rely on his professionalism

different challenges and difficulties along his

towards. Stay strong in your beliefs, and keep going.

and he persistency without doubt. After 4 years

journey. He is someone that can work 7 days a

Like Derek himself always said: see you at the top!

of knowing each other, I have proved that my faith

week and more than 18 hours a day repeatedly,

and expectation toward this young guy was right.

without feeling tired. A strong mindset of him has

W

hen I first met Derek Soh, he was

really fueled him to keep going for the extra miles Derek’s most admirable qualities are his charisma

and realizing his vision and goals.

toward every person he speaks to, and the level of passion and commitment he has toward work.

I still remember when we started working together

These qualities have made him a very successful

in marketing one of our development in KL. He was

and respectable leader. He always insist everyone

the one who took take the lead and determined

to actively participate in company weekly

that the target we had set is achievable by selling

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato' Sri Tan Aik Chong Executive Chairman Aikbee Group of Companies

DR.

EDMOND HENG

Dr. Edmond is the Founding Director of Everro Management Sdn Bhd which focuses on local made products with multilevel marketing business plan. He always believe that entrepreneurs in Malaysia should be given a chance to start a business at the lowest cost so to spur the nation’s economic growth.

W

hen I first met Dr. Edmond, he gave me an impression of “sunshine beach boy”: always smiling and full

with positive energy. But when I started to get involve in serious business with him, I found that he has charisma in all businesses his in. He is sharp and fast.

Dr. Edmond is also a great leader when it comes to building sales and marketing team. Under his creative and innovative leadership, he has also successfully led numerous of sales and marketing team to create impact in the MLM industry.

Dr. Edmond is great role model in the current business world!

Dr. Edmond is one of the most sincere person I have had worked with. Although he looks like he is an aggressive person, but deep inside his heart, he is a patient man. I admire his sincerity as it is not easy to find young entrepreneur with a humble heart.

Instead of prioritising dollar and cents, he take friendship as one of the most important elements

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

to success in both life and business. Dr. Edmond always believe in acquiring new knowledge is to having the power to share and empower. I do benefit a lot from him.

There are many ways to describe the success factors of Dr. Edmond. What I think the most suitable sentence to describe this great man is “sincerity in his action”. He always goes all out with his heart to ensure a win-win situation in any business dealings. For example, we were trying to contact one particular supplier who was labelled as a difficult and will never entertain new comer.

But we won the deal and the counterpart told me “You have a great boss! He is way too sincere!”

The most special moment we shared was when he invited me to be Everro’s Chief Strategist Officer over a coffee talk! We had been talking about doing business together for many years and it never happen. I wanted us to stay close friends as the saying goes, “never be in business with a friend if you want to stay friends.” We were suppose to catch up after such a long time and it turned out to be best tea break in my life!

I would like to tell Dr. Edmond that I love him dearly as a brother. Although he is younger in age, but I am always amaze with his creativity, aggressiveness and also honesty in business dealings. Dr. Edmond has been there for me throughout the peak and valley. He raise me up when I needed motivation the most and never stop believing in me. I have become such a better person as a friend and also in business matter. He has made me proud as his best friend!

/ Annie Hoong Chief Strategist Officer Everro Management Sdn Bhd

DR.

KRIS

SEE K.S

Dr. Kris See is the Founder and Medical Director of the Osel Group where the group develops state of art diagnostics and therapeutics while at the same time improving the affordability of healthcare to the community at large. In developed nations, predictive analytics is the next big idea in medicine – the next evolution in statistics – and medical service providers roles will change as a result.

T

he first time I met Dr. Kris See was in

Several factors explain the success of Dr. Kris:

the fall of 2015. The occasion was purely

He is extremely hard-working. In addition to that

professional: I went to his clinic for a

he superbly intelligent. But unlike most highly

medical check-up.

intelligent people, he is not narrowly focused on just one narrow academic discipline. He constantly

But after all the examinations and tests had

challenges himself by confronting new, complicated,

been performed, the conversation carried on.

and difficult issues. An example: Recently Dr Kris

We touched on a very broad array of topics and

has focused on the huge challenges facing our

challenges: The dilemmas of modern medicine, the

societies in the era of artificial intelligence, machine

state of the world, our view of the future. At the

learning, robotics, etc. often referred to as the

end of the appointment, it was clear to me that I

Fourth Industrial Revolution. He believes - and I

had met a person, that I would like to meet again.

wholeheartedly agree - that education will be key as we try to deal with the powerful and chaotic

From the outset, it was obvious to me, that Dr.

transformation.

Kris is a man of great analytical skills, boundless energy, great curiosity. And a man with a visionary

Dr. Kris and I have spent not moments, but

approach to many issues. Subsequent events have

hours engaging in fascinating discussions focused

only confirmed and reinforced this impression.

on medicine, technology, economics, culture,

Dr. Kris is a true scientist, deeply committed to

education, and entrepreneurship.

analyzing and understanding the physical world.

He is a profoundly devoted medical doctor, who is

Keep up the good work. Retain your wonderfully

engaged in the frontline of medicine. But in addition

broad perspective on the world and its challenges.

to that, he is driven by strong entrepreneurial and

Remain focused on attainable goals.

innovative ambitions. He truly wants to make the world a better place.

/ Poul O. G. Hoiness Ambassador Senior advisor, consultant

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DR.

WENDY

LIEW

The Image Creator is Malaysia’s upcoming leading training provider of image and skills consulting services, specializing in helping clients develop a strong first impression and brand identity, through image, behaviour, communication, etiquette and protocol skills. To date, we have trained over 60,000 individuals in corporations from the lowest level to the highest, large and small.

M

y first impression of Wendy is that she has the warmest smile ever. Her poise that is so subtle and non-threatening

allows me to reach out to her with ease. Knowing her over the years, through her conduct, I have witnessed how her warm personality has enable many people from different walk of life reach out to her without feeling distance. That reminds me, when I met her for the first time, our bond was instant. Looking back, I know deeply is not because who I am, but her inner charisma that opens my heart to her and allows me to share my thoughts with her without burden.

Wendy is the living testimony of the mirror reflection of her conduct and what she preaches and teaches to the people around her. If there is a living human brand, Wendy would be the real live human walking brand. One of the qualities that inspire me a lot is her believe in looking good is

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not just what we can see from our naked eyes.

entrepreneur, the journey is not always smooth

But what beneath us that is matter that define us

sailing. However, her key business decision she

who we are. What inside her other than her great

will always choose friendship/ relationship over

personalities that is so down-to-earth and humble,

business. For me what is priceless is that, the

but the knowledge that she acquired over the year

hardship that we faced in building our dreams and

that make her the subject matter expert of image

goals has made us closer.

consultancy.

“Dear buddy, we have been friend for many years The success factor of Wendy is definitely her

now. I remember clearly when we met how quickly

winning attitude within her. For things she wants

we become close. For all these years we have

to achieve in life, she will never compromise the

gone through all the thick and thins, thank you

effort to achieve her goals. As a personal friend

for being with me the whole time. You are well

of Wendy, I have learned greatly from her that if

deserved with all your success you have achieved

we want to achieve something, make sure that

today, I am so proud of you just being your friend.

our heart desire is greater than the challenges that

I am so blessed to know you and thank you for

come along the way. Through my working years

being my inspiration, my motivation. And YES, you

with her, I have seen how her life experience has

rock the industry!”

shaped and motivated the lives of many people; that if we believe not our circumstances that define who we are, but is the action we take to achieve what we want in our life, we can become anyone we want to become.

My special moment with Wendy is during the hardship that we have gone through while building our career together. Being in the shoe of an

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Angelin Boo

Principal Trainer Leadworkz Services Training PLT

ELVIS

THOO

YS Medicals Sdn. Bhd. was established in 2005 by the Founder, Dato’ Thoo Kok Wee (D.I.M.P.) and CEO, Elvis Thoo Khai Xuan (S.M.P.). YS Medicals mainly provide a range of natural healthcare products and ingredients which are free of chemicals, such as Porcupine Date, Maca, ginger powder and so on. These healthcare products and ingredients are natural organic products which go through a strict quality control.

M

y first impression of Elvis was he is kind and a gentlemen. He gave an impression by standing tall, smiling and greeting with good eye contact and firm handshake. This body language project he is a man with confidence and good morale.

Honesty and integrity is his most admirable qualities. He lives by telling the truth thus making him a trustworthy person. His success factor is self discipline and never gives up easily. He also is a risk taker and he is willing to take risk even though he dont know about the chance of success.

We came across a situation where we needed to take a 5am flight and he had heavy drinks he night before. However, at 3am he was still able to prepare himself to take that flight. This self-discipline is what I respect him for.

Four qualities I would describe as the best of him are: Reliable, responsible, forgiving and self-disciplined.

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You can be consistently depended upon to follow through on your commitments, actions, and decisions. You do what you say you will do. You accept personal, relational, career, community, and societal obligations even when they are difficult or uncomfortable.

You follow through on commitments and proactively create or accept accountability for your behavior and choices.

You make conscious, intentional decisions to let go of resentment and anger toward someone for an offense — whether or not forgiveness is sought by the offender. Forgiveness may or may not include pardoning, restoration, or reconciliation. It extends both to others and to one’s self.

You are able, through good habits or willpower, to overcome your desires or feelings in order to follow the best course of action or to rise to your commitments or principles.You have a strong sense of self-control in order to reach a desired goal. / Edward Liow Co-Founder PFE Marketing

ENOCH

KHOO

Enoch founded Propertyhub (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, an award winning real estate agency bridging Peninsular Malaysia-based developers and East Malaysia. He has brought over RM200 million worth of investments.Enoch is a prolific speaker& he writes. Enoch was named Top 20 Property Negotiators by PropertyGuru in 2013 and author of Cock & Bull of the Real Estate Industry.

Enoch’s ability to understand the “bigger picture” in business.

There were a few occasions where I have to confide in him

with strict confidence on certain issues of the business that we are facing. Being true to himself, Enoch’s listen attentively

I

and showed great understanding, and brainstormed solutions. have heard of Enoch quite a fair bit prior to

certainly played a great part for us to be close

Despite being decisive and focus, he tries his best to see

meeting him, but having said that, I have to admit

to each other as friends. I have also credit Enoch

other’s point of view and willing to embrace it. That is

that Enoch does create an impression especially

for his strong sense of urgency to succeed, having

something I appreciate very much.

carrying his own unique way of fashion sense.

such a desire and being dedicated to live it up is

He certainly brings along an outward colourful

certainly admirable.

appearance and upon encountering with him, he

I look forward to your greater success to come. Thank you for the journey of friendship and business partnership. I thank

also does carry the decisive and attentive part of

There is a combination of great qualities that

him to ensure what needs to be established on the

Enoch’s pursues diligently and played a big part

first meet up meets its objective. On that note, I

to his success. There are focus, decisiveness and

A great man of faith, keep it up bro! May God’s blessings

have to give a big thumbs up to Enoch.

values. Enoch knows what he wants to achieve and

showers upon you and your family always. As you have put

is mindful of the timeline he sets for himself. That

your trust in God, I believe He will establish your steps to

Enoch does lives up to the first impression that I

allows him to endure the challenges that come

come and greater success awaits you. God Bless.

had of him. We certainly have gone through our

along with it and seeing through to the cause

fair share of challenges in our business pursuits

he embarked on. He is decisive and is bold in

together but the best part out of it is we manage

decision-making. His willingness in embracing and

to remain objective and stay through to the

facing change is admirable. Great value chain in him

course. We stick to the business’ master plan and

through hard work and living out a great family and

don’t take things personally. That quality of him

Godly values.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

God for that.

Heartiest Congratulations to you on all your success bro.

/ Christopher Lim CEO Triterra Sdn Bhd

ERIC

YONG

Eric Yong graduated from the City University, London with a Honours Degree in Civil Engineering. He joined Crest Builder Holdings Berhad in June 2003 as Special Assistant to the Group Managing Director and was appointed to the Board on January 31, 2008. Yong foresees the project procurement and implementation, as well as business development ventures of the company. He is also involved in project planning, development, and marketing operations of the company’s property development projects.

I

t was in 2009, after I returned to Malaysia from

Throughout years of being my buddy and boss, I feel

the Middle East, when I got to know Eric through

that his most admirable qualities are his “Definite

my old blogger buddies. I was introduced to Eric

Aim, Vision and Purpose” for the company. He has

at one of the foodies outing. We were in the same

very strong sense of direction, which is inline the

industry, which is construction, and immediately

company’s mission and vision. Besides that, his high

became good buddies thanks to his friendly and

self-esteem makes any venture possible for him.

outspoken personality. Soon after knowing each

He always stay positive and motivated in doing

other, Eric offered me a role his late father’s

“bigger” not only in the construction industry, but

company, but I rejected the offer. He never gave up

also property development. Yong also has a warm

and continuing offering me the job for years, until

relationship with all staffs who are often motivated

2013, finally I joined the company.

with his gestures. Naturally, his effective networking provided more business opportunities to the company.

“When life gives u lemons, squeeze the lemons, make lemonade and sell them”. That’s his favourite quotes of success. Yong has an optimistic and a can-do attitude despite facing of adversity or misfortunes. In actual fact, he is the type of person who’s never afraid of difficulty and eager to take on bigger challenges.

There is one unforgettable moment I experienced with Yong, and this was before the company secured a large construction contract. The entire team worked tirelessly to come out with best strategies and proposals; we attended few rounds of presentation and interviews. He never gave up despite facing many obstacles in bidding for the contract. Furthermore, he gave us the confidence to compete with other big players in this industry.

Finally the company secured the contract and we

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

became more confident to do much bigger jobs in future.

Dear Eric, I sincerely thank you that never gave up on me and giving me the opportunity to work with you, the journey is just begun and there’s still a long way to go. I’m glad to work with you and regretted that never join you in the early years. Now you can be sure that I will stand by you to grow company to achieve more milestones in future. Sincerely, I’m very proud of what you’ve achieved so far at this young age, and I believe that you can achieve even much more in future.

/ Kenny Ng Head of Technical & Business Development Crest Builder Holdings Berhad

FAIRUZ

FAUZY

For over 3 decades since our establishment, the MOFAZ Group has always operated by a single-minded philosophy – Dedication Towards Excellence. This philosophy is a reflection of Mohamed Fairuz Fauzy , as Director of Mofaz Group Of Companies. Over the years, this commitment to excellence has permeated throughout the Group and now dictates every aspect of our business

B

eing an avid automotive fan myself, I had

His perseverance in pushing things forward would

always known who Fairuz was in the

be the single biggest factor for his growing and

racing scene. In fact, anyone who followed

continued success. Never giving up, procrastinate

motorsports back then would have heard of

or looking back, Fairuz is eternally optimistic about

his many accomplishments locally and abroad.

the future where greater things await.

We weren’t properly introduced in person, but spotting him in the crowd at a BMW launch event

A few years back, we both encountered a rather

in Mines a few years back, I was pretty surprised

difficult customer at our business premise. In the

that he was actually very friendly and approachable.

heat of the moment, he managed to somehow

Rather than having the typical airs of a celebrity

remain very calm and he patiently worked to

race driver, he turned out to be an extremely

resolve the issue together without any signs of

down to earth person. Very humble and friendly

temper or frustration. By being his caring self, he

to everyone around.

puts himself in the shoes of others and looks at things holistically with fair objective to ensure

I have had great respect and admiration for

everyone’s taken care of.

Fairuz from the very beginning. But as I got to know him better over the years, his good heart

Whether it’s at work or play, he’s a very good friend

and caring character stood out more and more.

who is often the first and most willing to offer his

Always wanting to help other people surrounding

help and assistance in whatever form necessary. I

him succeed, he has this way of offering insightful

appreciate his counsel and support as a friend and

support and advice that are probably honed

trusted business partner as he’s shown time and

through his independent and self-reliant nature.

again that he’s got your back.

He’s never counted solely on his father’s success in the business scene to make a name for himself.

Everything he’s done during and after his racing career has been carefully planned and executed

/ Ng Soo Jin Director Regal Valet Sdn Bhd

to perfection.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

FAIZUL

RIDZUAN

Faizul Ridzuan is a bestselling author, property investor, a prominent speaker in the property field and the Chief Executive Officer of Far Capital Sdn Bhd. Having bought over 30 properties while he was working as an employee, he shared his journey in his best-selling book titled “WTF? 23 Properties By 30”. With his credible feats, he has appeared and featured in Astro, TV3, TV1, TV2, NST, Focus Malaysia, TheEdge, mostly to talk about property investing.

I

was visiting a development in Shah Alam that

criticism of things that he disagrees with. However

was selling SoHo units and it happened that

what is most admirable about him is that he has

Faizul was doing a presentation at the same time.

this strong intent to give back to the community

I still vividly remember the talk that he gave which

particularly addressing a large issue amongst the

attracted me to stay longer (and at the end of the

society (particularly with the youth) which is about

day, purchase the property!). At that time Faizul

the ownership of homes.

had recently launched his WTF book, and I was impressed at how a young person can speak very

The key success factor about Faizul is that he is

convincingly in front of a matured audience. One

very hard working and extremely detailed person

unique impression that I had at that first encounter

who focuses on facts and figures instead of

was - unlike a majority of other property speakers

assumptions or emotions. It is very easy nowadays

at development launches, Faizul wasn’t selling the

to get distracted by the negative thoughts and

promoting the property or the developer that

comments particularly when Faizul has a large

invited him to speak. Rather he used facts and

following on social media. Furthermore, the topic

data to educate the attendees about the potential

about house prices can be a sensitive issue amongst

of the area as a whole, leaving us to decide for

the public and it’s a polarity that is very difficult to

ourselves whether we want to make the purchase

manage. Nevertheless Faizul seems always calm

or otherwise.

and focused when addressing issues, at the same time educating the commoners. Faizul is the type

On the surface, Faizul might sound like a cocky

of person when you make 10 steps progress but

person due to his style of writing and direct 102 /

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

face challenges that brings you 9 steps backwards, he will only focus on the positive i.e. the 1 step progress that he has made.

As much as he enjoys the limelight (I know he doesn’t mean it when he says he likes to keep a low profile), he is a down to earth person who doesn’t shout about his actual achievements. I was at a closed door programme a few years back when Faizul was invited to share his views and thoughts on property matters with top level government individuals. During lunch Faizul sat right next to the Prime Minister unexpectedly. Instead of trying to impress the Prime Minister and talk about himself (or pitch for projects!), he continued to share ideas on what the government can do to solve the issue of home ownership in the country. His attitude is always putting other people’s concerns before himself.

I need to convince him that he is not as good looking as what he thinks he is! No, on a more serious note – Faizul has the right attitude and immense potential to make a huge positive difference towards hundreds if not thousands of people. In this modern day and age where people are so competitive chasing for materialistic gains, Faizul differentiates himself as a genuine person who has the right intentions for his own future, as well as others. Keep yourself focused, determined and have the strongest conviction to achieve the ambitions/goals that he has in his heart.

/ Izhar Moslim General Manager Kencana Capital Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

FARHASH WAFA

SALVADOR

Farhash Wafa Salvador @ AK is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Swag Technologies Sdn Bhd. Swag is a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Pioneer Status Company involved in deep technology that was awarded multiple grants by the Malaysian Government. Swag’s mission is to bring fibre-like Internet speeds and reliability to anyone, anywhere to drive innovation, empower businesses and improve lives.

H

ow did I meet AK? Well, firstly, it was tricky

His hunger for bringing big ideas to life fuels his

getting AK to meet me. He had been very

determination.

busy until I requested for a meet up again,

and the third time was the charm. Since we are

One thing about AK is he doesn’t give up easily.

both in the same technology space, our paths had

Whether it is bringing a team of experts together

crossed various times.

or challenging red tape and bureaucracy, he has got the energy and the determination to bring it to life

Even though we weren’t introduced formally yet, I

fruition various missions and goals.

took note of this Petaling Jaya boy’s straight-talking style. When I took over the helm at TM, I reached

He might be a few years younger than me (or

out to him, knowing AK and his vision had a lot to

perhaps maybe more than a few) yet his friendship

offer.

is something I value. AK is an inspiration. Now, and in the next few years, he’s one person to keep an

Our interactions might have begun on a purely

eye on.

professional basis, yet over the short span of time I’ve known him, he’s made an impression as someone who’s driven with an eye on the big picture.

Watch him as he soars.

/ Dato’ Sri Mohammed Shazalli Ramly Group Chief Executive Officer Telekom Malaysia Group

FOO KHUN LIANG

Executive Chef, Liang Foo Khun is the main pillar of the successful Big Onion Food Caterer culinary foundation. Chef Foo started cooking from a young age at home with his grandmother as a source of inspiration. He studied Culinary in Melbourne and landed his very first job in Langham Hotel. Liang has 18 years experience as a Chef in the F&B industry, restaurants, five stars hotels, and catering services.

S

imple, hardworking and thorough – these three words described my first impression of Liang. It is very easy to get acquainted

with Liang as he is a good listener and always open to suggestions despite his vast experience in the food and beverage sector.

My first encounter with him was at an open house event. Even though it was a small-budget event, Liang made me feel important. It was then I knew why my colleague highly recommended Liang for catering services.

With Liang’s friendly and easy-going character, it was only natural we became good friends after our first business meeting. He has never failed to meet up with me for business or casual meetings despite my odd working hours. Most importantly, he is the man of his words and such honor earns my respect for him.

Liang’s success factor is that he is able to see your point of view. I guess he is a living proof of Edward de Bono’s The Six Thinking Hats. When Liang organizes an event, he does not merely present food that are of par excellence but ensure there are interactions between the guests.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

We share many special moments be they good or bad. Being a doctor and a friend, yet the best experience we had shared has always been about food.

I see him growing his career from a simple family-run catering service to a company consisting of dedicated and innovative workers today.

What I would like to express to him is a simple gratitude for just being himself, a friend and honestly, I am pretty certain the current achievements are just few of the many in store. Proud of you mate-keep reaching for the stars!

/ Dr. Azam Mohd Nor

Fellowship in Paediatric Cardiology (Sydney) Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur

FRANK

NG SHUN MING

Orange Esports Cafe is Malaysia’s Largest Internet Cafe chain with 56 stores. This 15- year old premium internet cafe brand offers high-spec PC meeting, gaming and IT needs. Its flagship store Orange Esports Stadium is the Largest Electronic Sports venue in Malaysia with 238 PC. Its affiliate Orange Esports organizes Electronic Sports events and support talented Malaysian players to compete at international level since 2011.

T

he first impression I encountered with

faster and efficiently without delays allowing more

Ng Shun Ming (Frank) is he is a very

tasks to be completed within a short timeframe.

hardworking and intelligent person.This is

due to his qualification in professional engineering

My special moment with Ng Shun Ming (Frank)

and master in business administration as stated

was when we competed in a 100km Oxfam trail

in his name card. During our first team meeting, I

walk in Hong Kong. The mission was to complete

never expected a professional meeting on Internet

it in 48 hours and he managed to finish it within

Café industry would be conducted in a small

the timeframe. To our surprise, we couldn’t finish

company.

it although we were 15-20 years younger than him. From this event, we understood that it was all

Ng Shun Ming (Frank) manages the company with

about setting mindset and focus to be an achiever

very high vision to make gaming pc and internet

like Frank. These positive characteristics influence

accessible to everyone and everywhere in Malaysia.

the people around him who eventually learns from

His personality is always looking for improvement

Frank’s experiences.

in a company, not afraid to make changes for betterment. He also a perfectionist, he sets high

No one is perfect in the world, yet he is still trying

expectations on every single task assigned.

very hard to make everything perfect. We as your subordinates would try our best to make things

Ng Shun Ming (Frank) is a very hardworking

perfect, to always lift the standard of the company.

person as he comes to work daily from 9am to

Thank you for showing us nothing is impossible in

5pm without fail to manage the company. I believe

life, it is either you make it happen or not.

his hard work paid off to achieve this success!

Besides that, with his experiences and knowledge, he can make quick and right decision on any issues in the company. This makes the problem solved

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Rayson Wong Marketing & Events Manager Orange Internet Shop Sdn Bhd

GAIK CHEONG TEH

Teh Gaik Cheong is the Founder of the TGC Agency Group, a multiple award-winning financial planner and a member of the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). A highly respected figure in the financial industry, he shares his experiences and motivates aspiring financial planners to LIVE GREAT through his international talks

T

he first thing I noticed about Gaik Cheong when he was a young agency manager was his infectious personality. His positivity and

enthusiasm were captivating and I remembered thinking to myself – he has the drive and passion one needs to be successful in the industry. True enough, his amazing achievements over the years have been nothing short of inspiring and I am very proud to have been able to witness his growth

the tender age of 18 and had no connections or

Gaik Cheong grew the TGC Group from a small

from the beginning.

networks to help him. His first break came when

agency of only a few people into a main contributing

his uncle signed a life policy with him. He has not

group of 58 life planners servicing 4,000

Gaik Cheong’s journey to success was built on

looked back since. Three years after his first break,

policyholders, pulling in new business premiums of

overcoming life’s adversities as things were certainly

he managed to achieve over RM108,000 in new

over RM3 million. This year alone, TGC produced

not laid out on a silver platter for him. He had a

business premiums, earning him his first incentive

19 winners for the Supremacy Experience Summit

tough but happy childhood, having to pay his way

trip to Taipei. It was also the first time he had flown

overseas incentive trip and nine outstanding rookie

through school and support his family by working

overseas, making him more determined than ever

life planners, with the agency recording a double

odd jobs as well as apprenticing as an electrician

to achieve greatness in his chosen career.

digit growth in new business premiums.

he managed to rise above his humble beginnings

The years since have seen Gaik Cheong blaze a

and work his way up, eventually founding the TGC

trail through the industry, individually and as the

/ Dato’ Koh Yaw Hui

Group, one of the most successful agency groups

head of the TGC Group. At only 22 years, he

for Great Eastern Life Malaysia. I believe his early

became one of the youngest life planners to ever

experiences instilled in him a strong determination

qualify for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT),

to succeed.This, along with his personal philosophy

which is recognised internationally as the standard

to always aim higher everyday, has been the

of excellence in the life insurance and financial

motivating force behind his many achievements.

services business; at 23, one of the youngest agency

and tile-maker to make ends meet. Despite it all,

managers; at 26, an agency group manager; and he Gaik Cheong once told me his first few months

achieved all these a mere eight years after he first

as a life planner were his toughest as he started at

entered the industry.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Chief Executive Officer Great Eastern Life Malaysia

GARY

CHUA LETT WOI

his team members and takes the time and effort to understand them. Not all are as committed as Gary is. For instance, I always wondered if he had a secret personal assistant answering all his text messages on his behalf. But no, he replies all his text messages personally - over a thousand a day - without fail.

Before devoting his time to S.M.A.R.T. Financing, Gary Chua worked in the banking industry for over 11 years. He turned his experiences and knowledge into system called SMART financing .He is regularly invited to share his views, comments and insights publicly. The SMART Financing system has successfully helped S.M.A.R.T. members acquired many properties in the past two years!

Passion, compassion, persistence and steadfastness are all the qualities Gary possesses for his success.

His willpower is unquestionable. He wholeheartedly uses his knowledge and experience to educate others on property investment. He always does his best to ensure that others does not repeat the same mistakes he made and very thoughtfully guides them using the success formula that brought where he is today. He knows that leveraging is a double-edged sword where a slight mistake could mean someone’s financial downfall so, he always manages leverage smartly. His appetite for learning

W

is another big factor that contributed to his success. hen I first met Gary, I thought he was charming, immaculate and brawny. When Gary spoke, he

gave off the feeling of being someone trustworthy, friendly, humorous and the kind of person who could warm up the crowd easily. Gary is someone that captivates my attention when he speaks on stage to this day. It is not often I can find someone who can keep my attention especially when it comes to technical financial terms. He made financing easy for all of us.

Despite being well known in the industry, he is humble and down to ear th. The more I get to know Gary, I realise that his sincerity is genuine - he is the real deal. He is resourceful.

He is very compassionate and supportive to all

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Gary is a reflection of who I was when I was in my 30s. Determined, strong-willed and yearning to achieve success. Gary and I resonate with the same special ability: getting people to say “Yes” to us. And Gary is best at especially at getting the banks to say Yes. Gary, keep up your passion, love, and desire for life changing education. Persevere in your commitment to inspire others to hunger for financial freedom through smart leveraging. Every step you take makes a difference in the world.

/ Richard Tan Chairman Success Resources

HARVARD

CHOO rational in giving his facts and ideas, at the same time understanding the needs of our people at all times, which give me great confidence in driving

Harvard Choo is the Founder of People Reengineering Consultancy Sdn Bhd. He is currently the SME Entrepreneur Coach, People Strategies Consultant & Inspirational Speaker.

His work focus on creating strategies on talent selection, retention and differentiation, rewards system, performance dynamic and career development, thus aligning entrepreneur and employees to achieve organizational vision, mission and unique culture. helping SMEs grow and achieve greater heights. For the past 5 years, he had diligently work hand-in-hand with me and my management team to transform our organizations. He act on what he preach which is “Always Raise the Standards!”. He always deliver his best and keep his promises, bringing significant

I

impact to our company progress and growth, and continuously creating “wow” effect in our culture. first met Harvard Choo in year 2011 together with my management team. My first impression of him is that he is very approachable, positive

and professional. He came to our office to meet up with 17 key leaders to understand our company’s needs on human resource development. Within an hour of discussion, he had captured the interest of our leaders to engage him as HR consultant to build our talents and transform the culture. I believe he had such credibility and ability to help us because I had heard about his proven track records from Mr Sean, the founder of Petsmore. I still remember during that time we are struggling and took months to establish our organization structure but within few hours, he had help me design an effective organization structure and

Now our employees are very results-oriented, built on strong fundamentals and corporate values.

He is a person with high integrity, always taking the right action even though the decision is not easy. Whenever employees behave out of our expectations, I often want to take easy way out to punish the employees instead of spending time to provide proper coaching and guidance to build their strengths. However, Harvard Choo often enlightens me in his way of managing talent.

Building leaders is like nurturing plants, it takes time and persistency. Of course, he has that passion and patient in changing people’s lives. In addition to that, he loves to study and research on effective talent system in SMEs. He is great in simplifying the

system.

HR system and tools for our organization to use.

Harvard Choo has a very strong commitment in

the feelings!” Thus, he is always pragmatic and

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Once he told me “Measure the results, respect

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

the company towards success.

Every year, Harvard Choo will allocate his time on CSR project for schools. I can see his passion in building our children and teenagers to achieve “A” star in all aspects: characters, emotional and intelligence. He enjoys what he does, especially on sharing his experiences and successes. In the recent years, he even started leadership and entrepreneurship boot camp in college and university, so that we can start building talents even before they join the workforce. He has a great mission in nurturing our next generations. That is what I learnt from him “Mission is always greater than Money”, the satisfaction we get in life is about serving humanity and adding good values to other people’s life.

Personally, I thank him all these years for changing my life, making me a better entrepreneur and mould my positive character. He is the one that inspire me to be visionary, ultimately setting my goals to discover each and every strength in my employees, building their successes, so that we can achieve happiness in work and life together.

/ Adnan Lee

Founder & Managing Director MBG Fruits Sdn Bhd

IRENE

FAN FEI FEN

Irene is an outstanding micro marketing mentor and the general agent for Vjoli Marketing where she works together with Dato’ Edmund Yap and she helps the agents to grow to be more successful.

Back in time, Irene used to run jewellery wholesale stores at Petaling Street, and wedding studios at SS2. 5 years ago, she understands the new trend of Internet era where accepted the changes, she gave up on traditional business.

Within 4 months, she got promoted as Marketing Director. In the same year, she also received the Asian Personal Direct Sponsor Champion & recognized as the top 50 direct selling marketing company. She been to more than 20 different countries within these 2 years for free.

M

y first encounter with Irene was about

things together and confide on ideas to tackle is-

20 years ago. She was only a girl of 18

sues or problems. We also travel overseas together

years old then but smart and good per-

every year.

son. I was impressed with her as she was hardworking and friendly person even at her age. Irene

Some of the factors which leads to her success

had a kiosk doing wholesale in KLCC and I used to

would be being persistence and strict in her busi-

meet her to pick things for my retail business.

ness. She is also not a calculative person. At times, if am having cash problems, Irene has always helped

I always admire her caring behaviour especially

me resolve it too, true to a saying which goes ‘a

when I see the way she treats her mother and the

friend in need is a friend indeed’. She has a lot of

family well. Being the only daughter and the eldest

friends because for the simple reason that she is

in her family, Irene’s brother had a serious accident

very friendly and is someone who offers help like

few years ago. He was near comatose stage, but

advice or suggestions too.

she never failed to look after him and being by her brother’s side every day till he recovered and

I know that she would go far in her career and

married with a child now. And this episode has

life too. I would like to take this opportunity to

touched me deeply.

wish her all the best and love her too as my own daughter. Keep on trying for the ultimate until filled

Time after time her relentless kind-heartedness

with satisfaction and success in all you endeavour.

never left her even though she faced few challenges along her career path. Though we are about 15 years apart in age, but I really respect her entrepreneurial views and mindset. We also do most

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Ngan Yok Lan Businesswoman Cantikraf Enterprise

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

IVON LAI

Propstar Realty is unparalleled when it comes to Real Estate Business. Every of one of its negotiator is professional who always exceed customer expectations. Propstar’s goal is to succeed, enabling its diverse team of value Real Estate Negotiators to hold great accountability towards its prized customers.

I

met Ivon at a friend’s gathering during 2008.

My first impression of Ivon is she seems to be a sophisticated person with charming

personality. Her serious attitude towards works and her dedication to friendship gave me a good impressions of her.

Her never-say-die attitude, perseverance, and willing to learn and improved from her past failures

and managed to sell 70 units in a month time with

all the managers and staff throughout a difficult

leads to her success. She is efficient, detail-oriented,

just 2 of us. She have the courage and charisma

period end of 2016, and achieved a record sales in

and extremely competent. On top of that, she is

to lead you to try new challenges. She have the

the industry, leading to our awards from Iproperty

also hands-on and man manage the team to ensure

foresight to see the upcoming market trend, and

in 2017.

that they are on the right path. Another strength

that’s the reason we are always ahead in term of

of hers is her exceptional social skills, which enable

marketing direction.

We know each other for quite a long time. We know each other direction.We also fully understand

her to communicate well with people of all ages.

Ivon, being an adventurous person, enjoys going

each other strength and weaknesses. We are also

I remember the first deal I did with her is a land deal.

overseas to various countries. Through her

honest and transparent in our partnership. Hence

Coming from a banker and Insurance background

encouragement, we also started following her

there’s nothing much to add other than thank you

with no real estate knowledge at that time, she can

leads, enjoying going on trips to various countries

in believing and trusting the partnership.

adapt and learn very fast. The buyer is impressed

to see more of the world outside and enhance our

by her presentation and professionalism. The deal

knowledge beyond our country.

went through smoothly with both purchaser and vendor satisfied. There’s also the time when she

There are quite a few moments working with her

brought in a new Project on her own, with no

which changes our perception of work cultures and

team at that time, and Project Marketing is not the

creative thinking. The moment that I remember the

in-thing yet. We both sat down, work out a plan,

most is where she show her leadership, rallying

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Jerrie Chea COO Propstar Realty

JACQUELINE FONG

I

met this lady with an abundance of energy and

Jackie is totally hands-on - from the overall design

laughter when taking up Spanish during weekend

to the tiniest details ranging from the bathtubs and

classes about 15 years ago. My first impression

light fixtures to the colour of the tiles. Everything

of Jackie was that she has the heartiest and most

at the hotel was hand-picked by her to connect

infectious laugh! She is one person who can walk

with her love for the Batik craft in order to create

into a room instantly and radiate positivity with her

a cosy and chic experience for her guests that

presence. Jackie was very accomplished already

is uniquely Sarawakian. She is a real pioneer in

even in her twenties - being this jet-setting, high-

turning unpolished charcoal into diamonds and

flying Investment Banker. One can easily be awed by her outward success and accomplishments – I certainly was! She is the “we can do it” 21st century poster girl for me.

What is truly endearing about Jackie is her humility and self-depreciating nature. Despite all that she has accomplished, she remains down to

Jacqueline Fong is the Director of Batik Boutique Hotel Sdn Bhd which manages three separate accommodation properties namely the Batik Boutique Hotel and 360Xpress City Centre Hotel in Kuching, Sawarak as well as BBBunkers in Damai Beach, Pangkor. She is also Director of Tanoti Sdn Bhd which is an enterprise concentrating on songket weaving as a craft.

Batik has since won so many awards that I’ve lost count.

Jackie’s love for artisan fabric explained her second venture – Tanoti. Upon learning that the workshop being set-up to contemporise the songket which was supported by the Royal Highness Queen of Malaysia was going to be dissolved in 2012, she

earth and treats people at all levels with respect

was naturally concerned at the thought of such

and compassion. She exemplifies this perfectly

rare skilled weavers losing their jobs that she took

– from the selfless all-day trips she makes to

it upon herself to save it. She had her friend set-up

the rural backwaters of Sarawak to creating

the company in record time so that the transition

job opportunities for the artisans who deserve

was seamless, and now they continue to keep local

recognition for their endless talents.

craft alive while helping many artisans turn their passion into profession.

I admire Jackie most for her passion and drive to make a change and her ability to throw herself

I want to say this to you my dear friend Jackie...You

completely into making her vision happen. Many

are truly inspiring to me and many others. To dare

can dream but few can dream and make it happen.

to dream and then giving it your all and taking the

I recall asking her about 10 years ago what she’d

plunge to make it come true. And, I am touched

really like to do and she described in detail the

that the drive and passion did not stem from “I

cosy boutique hotel she would like to have.

want to make tons of money” or “I want build a

Inspired by her trips to Istanbul, she wanted to

big business empire.” But rather, the goal is driven

recreate this place where strangers across the

by a clear purpose and fierce passion to preserve

world can meet, connect and chill out under the

and promote the forgotten and to put food on

stars. Within a year, Batik Boutique Hotel was born!

their table while pursuing this fine ambition. You

(Note: During her second-year secondment to

are leaving behind an incredible legacy and have

Indonesia, she cultivated her love for artisan and

crafted your name on the hearts of many!

handcrafted fabric and amassed a mountain load of hand-painted batik.)

/ Irene Chen Director, Client Management DKSH

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

JAMES

YEOH has a strong persistent attitude and will really work James Yeoh is the General Manager of Solid Horizon Sdn Bhd. Established in 1982, the company has diversified its business into different subsidiaries to capitalise on the rapid industrialisation of Malaysia. Together, its subsidiaries work in tandem to meet the varied demands of the construction industry via its extensive range of products and expertise.

I

business.

James, being an apt Entrepreneur now has learnt about making good decisions without delays. This is because he knows that every minute and every dime counts for the company to move ahead in this trying times. Despite being a workaholic who is serious about his work commitments, James is also

first knew James through his brother about eight years ago. James was working in Singapore then but returned to Malaysia to help run the family

business here. My first impression of James was that he has a very energetic and positive personality.

Although he majored in Internet Technology (IT), he was very fast in picking up the pace in his current business dealing with construction.Therefore, I was very impressed at his speed in learning the ropes of the business with full confidence and boldness which was a total paradigm shift in the industry for him.

The family business, Solid Horizon, was running on a medium scale until James joined its operations and did some rapid changes. Business picked up at a tremendous pace and regained full turnover.

There were lots of improvements technologically speaking besides improvisations in turning the company around in terms of success rate.

I was surprised too because knowing James, who was mostly confined indoors due to his IT work, was now fully exposed to outdoor activities in the construction industry. One of the key factors that contributed to James success in his career is his determination. Therefore, if he wants something very urgently, he would give his 100% focus and attention to details and be accountable for achieving his goal. No matter what lies ahead, James

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hard daily to bring about positive outcomes in his

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

a very patient and mature person who is willing to listen to his colleagues and accept their feedback.

We have had many special moments together especially in embarking in joint venture businesses dealing with the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry since three years ago as well as being involved in the interior finishing materials trading business now.

He is quick in decision-making and has utmost clarity when it comes to strategic planning. He is also adept at drawing out the master-planning details for the business encompassing a three to five-year business plan.

I am less worried as I have confidence in his execution as he has a clear mindset on set goals.

James has never failed to pull through a perfect business plan which always seems to be able to attract a double-digit turnover.

In essence, James works hard and plays hard too.

To James:- I would like to see you push hard to achieve your career goals and dreams in the near future. I hope that you would get whatever you desire and let the dreams come to pass before reaching 40.

/ Marco Tan Choo Weaw Managing Director Premier Channel Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

JASON

TAY

Jason, a Partner of Tay Ibrahim & Partners always strives to provide his clients with the best service. He believes in achieving equilibrium in all of his undertakings. The motto has always been hard work, perseverance and sacrifice.

T

here is an earnestness about Jason Tay’s

Being friends with Jason has never made me feel

demeanour that characterises his person-

an inch away from him as his first words of com-

ality of being mature beyond his age. He

fort to me were “I’ll always be there for you no

may be born with a silver spoon but was raised

matter what”. These sincere words have carved a

to be down to earth in a responsible family envi-

lasting impression on me ever since. Never doubt

ronment. Since he was young, he has shown true

that this young man has made me fond of him by

maturity in terms of being independent and having

virtue of his sincerity, honestly, reliability and most

his own thoughts, allowing him to decide what is

importantly, trust.

truly right for him.

Continue to be genuine to yourself, and surround Jason is content with what he has, is helpful, kind

yourself with people who have been in the busi-

and shares his effort with the people around him.

ness longer than you. Take every opportunity to

He is a very determined and responsible person

just learn and always keep your ears open to learn

and is the same when attending to matters be it

about every aspect of the business.

on a personal level or when it comes to business relationships.

Not only is he humble – he is also a person who loves to learn and never turns his nose up at any opportunity where he is able to be around people who have more experience than him, especially the elders or those with more experience than him.

/ Sim Leong Yew Financial Director Secret Recipe Group of Companies

JEFF

CHIN My first encounter with Jeff Chin was at an event many years ago. He was a young Radio Deejay (DJ) and the host for the event. My first impression of him was one of a very ambitious person who would plan his future as an Entrepreneur. He impressed me with his vision even at that young age. He understood that the job of an Entertainer or DJ was only a stepping stone towards a successful career as an Entrepreneur in the future and he knew about the importance of personal branding. Therefore, he worked hard in building his

Jeff Chin is the Managing Director of Socialmex Sdn Bhd - a one-stop creative hub that creates the ultimate social media experience under one roof by encompassing people connections, talents and events. He believes that social media will be a marketing catalyst in the future which will govern the way people interact with one another.

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that nothing is more important than being a sincere person be it towards friends, business partners or clients. His sincerity has gained valuable trust and confidence from people around him.

The one special moment that we shared was when I met him at a charity event. He was the host for the event. I was surprised that he did not request for any fees at that event as usually, a DJ would be paid for any events they host. On top of that,

own image and rapport in the entertainment field.

he also donated a substantial amount of money

His most admirable qualities are his perseverance

Entrepreneur as he is also carrying out his role

to that charity. I believe he will be a successful which will benefit the community as well.

I would like to express my best wishes to him as he is venturing out of his comfort zone from being a DJ to an Entrepreneur. It is not easy but he can be successful if he perseveres, works hard and does not give up easily. He has got the

y first encounter with Jeff Chin was

he worked hard in building his own image and

talent, opportunity and the right attitude to be a

at an event many years ago. He was a

rapport in the entertainment field.

successful Entrepreneur. I wish him all the best and

young Radio Deejay (DJ) and the host

he will have all my support. You can do it, Jeff!

for the event. My first impression of him was one

His most admirable qualities are his perseverance

of a very ambitious person who would plan his

in overcoming challenges to achieve his goals. He

future as an Entrepreneur. He impressed me with

is also an enthusiastic and creative person who is

his vision even at that young age. He understood

open to any ideas and suggestions. His positive

that the job of an Entertainer or DJ was only a

mindset and the principles that he adheres to has

stepping stone towards a successful career as an

help him to achieve his goals in life. In addition, he is

Entrepreneur in the future and he knew about

a focused person who will not give up easily on the

the importance of personal branding. Therefore,

goals that he has already planned to accomplish.

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His success factor lies with his sincerity. He believes

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato' Norman Pang Founder and Chief Executive Officer NPG Agencies

JEFFREY YANG

Jeffrey Yang is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Art of Tree, a solid timber atelier focusing on artistic & modern urbane furniture using salvaged trees. It’s his dream to establish a program to rehabilitate Mother Nature through the proceeds of his projects and steer his company to becoming a ‘carbon negative’ entity

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he thing I remember about Jeffrey eight

something new. Any life skills that he thinks may be

I was humbled when he asked me to join him in

years ago when we first talked is his

important, he would just absorb it like a sponge

his business venture. He took me on a tour of his

penchant for seemingly unconventional

and applying it well in a short time. Jeffrey is all

business, from there we met his late mentor and

proposals. Effortlessly funny, charming and witty, he

these at once, gentlemanly and kind, articulate and

I could see he was a man with a plan to succeed

was always in the center of action. As a man with

thoughtful, wise and humble.

in life!

he goes and could make connections to business

Jeffrey is a person that connects the dots. He may

It has been my pleasure to be his life partner all

opportunities easily as he changes the topic to

not know everything but he just moves on to pick

these years. He’s been consistent in his approach to

getting the best food in town.

up one skill at a time till he is where he is now.

life in a great way. “Jeff, you’ve got many milestones

charisma and sincerity, Jeffrey is at ease anywhere

He is man who understand and embrace failures,

to hit and keep going! Proud and happy to call you

Jeffrey is easy to talk to. It is because he listens.

using these experiences as stepping stones to push

my soulmate!”

After getting to know him better, you will find

himself to greater heights. His passion for learning

him down to earth, and that he is always true to

and the ability to adapt keeps him at the forefront

himself. This is clearly one of his traits, as he has a

with new ideas and bringing product innovations

firm grasp of what he could do and knowing when

to market. He is always aiming for the sky, with his

to leverage on others talent. His best quality that

feet firmly on the ground. He is someone you can

I admire about him is his great hunger for learning

ask advice and he will give it willingly.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Joey Woo

Managing Director AOT Gallery Sdn Bhd

JEN

YONG

Jen Yong is the Founder of SYNDES, which was established in 2009 as one of Malaysia’s rising names in the fields of enterprise mobility. She was one of the Malaysia Representatives in Global Forum on Youth & ICT Programme, in Geneva, Switzerland back in 2007. One of the finalist of MSC Malaysia-Ericsson CR Innovation Merit Award Winners in 2008. Recently, SYNDES has been recognized and awarded with SME & Entrepreneurship Business Award 2017 in Enterprise Mobility

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e first worked together on a

implementation. She is ready to give her honest

A moment that stands out to me about Jen,

GPS project back in 2011. I

and unbiased views. She will never sugar-coat

was when she talked about her late father. She

found that she is someone with

anything; what you see is what you get.

kept attributing her achievements to her father’s encouragement and moral support. It is this

strong determination for success in life. My first impression and encounter of Jen Yong was that she

I think the success factor stand out strongly for

personal side to her that I have come to know

is someone who serious and daring to undertake

Jen is she will give in the best efforts to pitch the

about.

enterprise project despite being a young company

project. Once being awarded the project, she was

with limited resources. She wasn’t a typical sales

constantly ensuring it is professional done thru

I would like to say personally thank you for the

person, but spoke with a purpose in sales pitch

use of proper project documentation standards,

successful completion of the GPS project, which

together with her personal working experience

regular updates and always seek clarification and

was carried within budget and as per planned

and preparation prior to our meeting.

engage the customer in major decisions. She steely

schedule. My sincerest wish is that you continue to

determination gets her through until success project

excel in all your endeavors.

As a young entrepreneur who spoke with

implementation. This is a noteworthy quality that

confidence and clarify every point in her proposal.

Jen Yong posses. She always try to accommodate

She is courageous, admit her weakness and will

the customers align with project cost, for example

accept criticism. Her conviction is marked by her

she doesn’t charge for customization efforts

sincerity in thought and action to help win the

which can be done within the realm of her team

project at all costs. Jen is passionate and open

capacities.

to options proposed by our team during project

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ C.Y.Chung Assistant General Manager Strategic Group IT Berjaya Corporation

JESSICA

PUA

Jesstior is an open platform/gateway created, developed by Jessica Pua for women (globally) to venture into the world of entrepreneurship. Her mission is to lead more women, to be more proactive in the society (live out of their comfort shell) and increase their self value. Jesstior’s main objective is to turn an average group of women into a team of “BeautiMom Soldiers” team, where they work synergistically to create and maintain a harmonious teamwork, to achieve their objectives.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

I recall there was a time when my team’s development was at a tip of an iceberg where my sales performance was dropping tremendously and my team was beginning to tumble, where my teammates was at a verge of giving up. I was very sad, feeling hopeless and wanted to give up as I began to lose my sense of direction to lead my team. I was constantly upset and was losing my temper on Jessica. Not only she was not angry with me but she continue to encourage me and show me the direction and method to improve my leadership and performance until I could stabilize my team’s performance and emotions. This is how I could stay on until now.

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I will like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Jessica, for helping and guiding me through this path, to be

y first impression of Jessica was she is a

forget to make the effort and time to learn to self-

able to increase my financial stability. At my most

friendly, gentle and very humble person.

improve in various knowledge and skills which will

difficulty times, you never gave me up but instead

I learnt from her to not give up easily

increase her self-value and the value of her team.

continuously share with me your knowledge and experiences so that I could continue to grow.

without trying harder. No matter whether its personal, management or team related matters,

She works very hard in playing her roles well and

Your constant guidance had made me a braver

she handles the matter with much consideration,

often sacrifices sleepless nights to complete a task,

person to face any challenges that might come my

calm and very rational. Her strong will and

with no complaints. With her strong determination

way, of achieving my dreams.

determination is what kept her going.

and persistency, I believe we will all be able to

She has always been honest, detail, caring, strong-

achieve much greater success and overcome any

Thank you for making my life more “beautiful” and

obstacles together which may cross our path.

upscaling my self-value, allowing us to be more clear of our objective and mission to create a

willed, persistent, brave, & generous in sharing with us all her experience and knowledge. Her strong

I believe her factor for success is her strong

determination to never give up and ambitious

determination and persistency and patience is

in constantly create more value for the team is

what led her to the road of success. She had taken

something I really want to learn from her.

the path which is not easy to cross. Her spirit of not giving up easily had led her to overcome many

Jessica was like any other average women with a

obstacles, problems, and task. Her generosity to

family of 4 children) and household to take care

pass on valuable knowledge and skills to the team

of, but she could still manage and balance her

also made us believe that she cares for us and want

time in playing her role as a mother and wife well,

us to improve as a team, not only as an individual.

while managing her career and her team at the

This selfless act is what we need and what we look

same time. Other than her roles, she also did not

out for in a leader to be a successful team.

stronger “BeautiMom Soldier” team.

/ Rachel Wong Marketing Manager JNK International Sdn Bhd

JOO KIM TIAH

Joo Kim Tiah is the CEO of TA Global Bhd and Principal of Holborn. TA Global’s core business is real estate investment and development with holdings in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Australia and Canada. Holborn is an active and prominent real estate developer in Canada.

I

remember meeting Joo Kim for the first time at a

I have never met anyone who is as disciplined as

He asked me why I was smiling in front of everyone

birthday dinner and I thought to myself, “This guy

Joo Kim. When he sets his mind to do something,

in the room. I didn’t give him an answer at the time

is way too masculine to be a CEO”. However, as I

he makes sure that he achieves it, whether it is as

but I remembered clearly how I thought that it felt

got to know him better, I realised very quickly that

routine as hitting the gym, perfecting his drum skills

like one of the board meetings Joo Kim occasionally

he is more than just another typical businessman.

or fulfilling his responsibility to complete the Trump

chaired - the only difference was the more “divine”

Tower in Vancouver. There were even times when

setting. Plus, I couldn’t help but admire his kindness

As accomplished as he is, he continues to make

there was political pressures affecting work, but he

and think, “How are you going to find the time

himself available and approachable. I’ve had

held steady.

and energy to be here right now. Shouldn’t you be

plenty of opportunities to witness him speaking

somewhere else running the world?”

at public forums and it always amazes me to

Joo Kim and I go to the same church. There was

see his willingness to engage with openness and

a time when our church community was going

Joo Kim, after all has been said and done, if my

authenticity even though he is in a position of

through some crisis. Somehow, Joo Kim came to

role in your life is nothing less than to remind you

constant scrutiny.

know about the challenges that we were going

of God’s purpose for you, then I have fulfilled my

through as a church and he called for a much-

purpose as your friend and brother..

He is also fearless when the time comes for

needed meeting amongst the leaders and Pastors.

standing up for what he believes. When faced with

I remember sitting across the room from him and

opposition, criticism and doubt, he constantly rises

he noticed that I had a big smile on my face.

to the occasion and accomplishes what he sets his heart to.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Herman Kwee Principal Alabaster Homes Canada

KEDA Z.

FENG

Founder and CEO of Amazing Group and KEDA.Z Photography Keda.Z Feng career started to bloom when he was awarded the Fellowship of Master Photographers Association in UK in 2011 being the highest award qualification in UK. Winning string of awards and recognition,. Keda.Z has contributed actively as a lecturer and judge of International Professional Photography from year 2011 till 2017.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

work was all over the photography magazines and

power of staying positive, giving up is not an option.

major camera advertisements.

He told us to just lead the students to the location and continue with the shooting and that everything

Keda.Z have many admirable qualities as a leader,

would be fine.

partner and even as a friend. To name a few of his stronger qualities are his faith and a passionate

Unexpectedly, that was the day when some of the

heart with the right attitude.

Keda.Z always

most amazing images shots by the students during

favours and appreciates people with the good

the rain and after it stopped turned out very well

attitude, humble, willingness to learn and passion

especially some turned out amazing with the wet

to improve the quality of their lives. He is also a

and reflective floors which made all the students

strong believer to learn every technical and skills

view in awe with the results.

set pertained to his work.

I definitely have something to tell Keda.Z.

I

Keda.Z is a strong and distinctive person. We

He has been creating eye candies or superficially

have been achieving our visions through viable

attractive photos for all of us for many years. Not

objectives. Even though we have a strong team,

just mere picture but art. Though he is getting

he will always remind us that direction is more

busier managing the business and the company, but

important than speed. We always have ideas

I hope he can still make more time to capture more

during our brainstorming sessions and meetings,

amazing photography! Because of his expertise

but sometimes we do not have the idea where or

all the beautiful moments of people and part of

how to start, this is when Keda.Z would interfere

the world could be forever preserved. Keep your

first met Keda.Z back in 2012 in New Zealand

and lead us step by step. His dedication towards

extremely creative talents flowing and we will

and my first impression was the positivity of this

the company and work is also a priority which

definitely enjoy it.

person and his oozing charismatic personalities.

adds to his success factors.

Although he is already a well-known person

I recalled back in 2016 when we were leading a

around the world, I felt like I just met a humble and

group of protĂŠgĂŠ for an outdoor photography

passionate photographer, a person full of positive

shooting. It was raining heavily and everyone was

vibes and passionate about the journey of his life.

so upset and decided to call it a day and change

Soon after I returned to Malaysia, I noticed that his

the shooting day. That is when Keda.Z show us the

/ Danny Xeero Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Amazing Group Co-founder of Amazing Academy

KEEGAN SOH

Keegan Soh is the Head of Team IQI Holdings Sdn Bhd. He is in charge of a massive team of property negotiators in Malaysia and overseas.

He is a Regional Trainer for IQI and travels to the different regions of Malaysia to share his experiences with property negotiators.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

is an ideal leader. He builds and maintains every relationship he makes. Whether you are a friend, a colleague, a customer, or just an acquaintance, once Keegan gets to know you, he will remember you, he will contact you regularly and he will maintain the relationship he has with you.

Once when Keegan was first starting out as a trainer, he was giving a training session and one particular group of participants were not able the grasp the concept that Keegan was trying to convey.

However, Keegan never once lost his patience; instead, he calmly explained the concept repeatedly until he was sure that everyone understood. This incident showed me how patient and dedicated

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Keegan is, and how far he is willing to go to make

y first impression of Keegan Soh was

until he achieves it. He will continue to fight no

that he is a very tall man and a cool

matter what obstacle comes his way and will not

demeanour. Although he prefers to stay

stop working until the job is done. Not once did I

quiet for the most part, when he does speak, he

hear him complain about the workload, say he was

shows everyone just how knowledgeable he really

tired or that he needed to rest. Most importantly,

is. He strikes me as a man who is full of knowledge

he creates solutions to the problems handed to

and ideas and he wants to share this knowledge

him. Keegan is highly dedicated to his job and his

so that others may grow and prosper as he has.

innovative ideas and tireless spirit are an inspiration

He is constantly learning and he teaches others to

to all of us.

do the same as well. My first impression of Keegan has grown into a deep respect for his fine qualities

There are two major qualities, which have

as a leader.

contributed to Keegan’s success: leading by example and maintain good relationship. He

Over time, as I have gotten to know Keegan better,

takes responsibility for his actions, he is truthful,

I found that his most admirable qualities are that

helpful, courageous, and persistent, and he listens

his true warrior spirit and determination. Once

when others talk. He is quietly encouraging and

he sets his mind on something he will not give up

helpful without being critical of his juniors. Keegan

sure that the job is not just done, but done right.

Keegan, you are truly an inspiration to us all.

Your infallible determination, your near unending knowledge, your warrior like spirit and your willingness to accept any challenge that comes your way no matter how difficult it may seem, is a feat all of us aspire to achieve.The way you work hard and are able to go so far inspires everyone who knows you. I consider myself lucky to know someone like you and I look forward to seeing you go from success to success, achieving even greater heights.

/ Chen Tse Ping Group Vice President IQI Holdings Sdn Bhd

KEITH

LOH

Keith Loh is the Co-Founder of F&B brands like Snowflake and CookieNation as well as being the current CEO of the CoolBlog brand. The Breakaway Group is founded with a goal of building and innovating unique retail and F&B concept brands for local and international markets. style management is inclusive: an approach to ideation with everyone. And this, I believe, puts him in a league of extraordinary achievers.

He has a finely tuned sense of knowing how to develop great brands and teams. There’s always his unique perspective and inspiration to everything that he embarks on. He never shies away from a

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(Burger King).

new challenge or industry when he believes in its future and potential. He rallies the people working hen I met Keith, it was on a commercial

project

for

an

international fast food chain brand He was pretty hands on and

driven, with sharp knowledge about the industry, kitchen processes, and cost management. The few marketing campaigns that we worked on, created regional buzz, even triggered reactive promotions from competing larger food chain brands. And he anticipated this, he was already ready with future marketing campaigns to be rolled out at an amazing pace. Those years of experience in business and entrepreneurship, continues to give him that edge

with him in the hopes that he can also inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and managers.

Every project that I have been fortunate to work on with him, have opened up invaluable insights about him. I have come to know him as a friend who likes to be involved, even if it’s an idea or creative that has no benchmark in the market, he will give that creative a benefit of a doubt and dive straight into the idea to push it through. He even does cameo in commercials. I have always enjoyed our partnership with thanks to his sense of humor, and adventurous character. He makes me feel

in the corporate environment.

young and the adventure has never stopped since.

Keith has never given up easily into challenges in his

Keith, you bring out the best in everyone and with

life as an entrepreneur, corporate chief executive officer and a family man. In fact, time and time again, he has surprised me with his determination and commitment to think outside the box making him an effective leader. He recognizes people as essential assets,and he believes in building their confidence to perform better and efficiently. His

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me, there’s never a dull moment with you, maybe it’s because we have a common goal to always see things for their potential, and explore with a sense of boldness, taking it to the next level. You have inspired people around you whether they are your colleagues, friends, and associates. I have learnt a great many lessons that no one would

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

share with me but you have, generously, and in some ways, openly honest. Keep up the spirit and move forward with that everlasting spark of being uniquely you. / Peter Chin Founder & Executive Director Shiroku Production & Big Asia Media

KEN

CHEONG SZE KEN Cheong Sze Ken is the CEO of IQI CS Sdn Bhd and is also the Founder of IQI’s DP Team. Ken joined IQI’s CS Group at the age of 26, having very little experience in the property sector, but bringing a bold belief in his own potential and the trustworthy partners that he worked with.

At a time when social media and digital presence in the real estate sector was uncommon, Ken made the bold move to take on this challenge and moved from zero to a hero in a very space of time.

He went onto win the IQI Top Sales 2016 award with record sales of 150 units.

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Most people will say to achieve success is challenging.

For Ken Cheong’s success, it all starts from within.

What he has instilled within are determination, consistency and the attitude to keep on learning and improving. The key to his success is that he does not stop whenever he achieves something.

He is consistent in his job and creates more and more goals and milestones for him to constantly achieve. With this type of attitude, he never stops growing and to achieve more, he finds many ways to improve himself.

hen I first heard the name of Ken

Everyone has their weakness but what I can see in

Cheong, I always picture him as the

Ken Cheong is that he never let his weakness get the

person who always closes a deal

best of him. He is not so fluent in communicating

daily, and at sometimes closes multiple cases in just

in English. But that did not let it be a factor to not

one day! People will be congratulating him and this

achieve great things. From zero English proficiency,

has given me an impression of how extraordinary

he has improved in his communication skill and now

and dedicated Ken Cheong is even before meeting

he has started to give talks and sharing sessions in

him. The first time I met him, he has given me the

English. This shows on how strong his mindset is.

impression of how professional and extensive his knowledge in property. He has such a cool and

First and foremost, we at IQI are very proud

calm aura in the way he presents himself.

to see how far Ken Cheong has grown and has achieved. We would like to congratulate him on all

There is nothing holding him back. That is what I

his success. Nothing is easy and he has proven that

see in Ken Cheong. He has an aggressive approach

with the right mindset and determination, anything

in the way he leads his team, in the way he handles

is possible. Do not ever stop pursuing greatness

tough situations and

find ways to solve the

and all the hard work will pay off in the end. Keep

problem. He doesn’t take things lightly and trains

pushing yourself and do not let anyone tell you that

his team to be independent. And the one thing

you cannot do it. The sky is never the limit and we

that he has with him from the beginning is a strong

will see you at the top.

mindset. He has set his mind to achieve great things in life and he has done everything to make it all happen. He believes that nothing is impossible and has proven it to me.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Anthony Lim Project Director IQI Holdings

KENNIE

CHONG

wise person who knew when to take risks and when not to. His timely decision, investment in promising sectors and hard work have rewarded him well and his industries have made the opportunity for others to earn their daily bread.

Success does not appear until it is worshipped.

To achieve success, the people who desire it need to work hard and if everything goes right, the success will appear finally. The same thing happened in the life of Kennie. He tried his best, passed the worst moments of his life and finally all his efforts resulted in his success. He is successful as he struggled hard. He worked for long hours in the day time and even often in night times. But gradually

Genio Sdn Bhd was established in 2004 and is an award winning integrated event management & production company known for delivering outstanding events based in Malaysia and across the Asia. It has physical branches in Penang and Singapore. Genio is recognized for producing some of the largest, most sophisticated, innovative and memorable events for world leading brands and individuals.

he started developing and diversifying his business. His extreme sincerity brought the changes in his life. Now is a complete successful man. He has gained name in his industry.

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he first time I met Kennie was 5 years

I would like to say that it is pleasant to

Words cannot express how grateful I am for

ago during a business event, and that

collaborate or hangout with Kennie, he is

your kindness and generosity. Thank you so

first impression he gave me was, he

reliable and intelligent person with good

much for being there for me. I just wanted to

is a sincere, communicative and outgoing

sense of humor. His extraordinary ability

write to let you know how much I appreciate the

person. He can easily mix around with any

to analyze problems and outline necessary

positive influence you’ve had on my life. Thank

circle and group of people without any barrier.

courses of action was invaluable. Leadership

you for all your concern and useful advice! I’ll

And the best part is he would by naturally,

requires

sincerity,

be forever grateful. And having spent all these

spreading his great positive vibe that affects

integrity, honesty, punctuality, generosity,

years doing crazy things & drinking with you,

everyone around him. Since the beginning of

eloquence etc. and Kennie owns every one of

I think I may have overlooked thanking you for

our business collaboration I know him as an

them.

being a terrific friend. Thanks, pal!

some

qualities

like

energetic and goal-oriented person, indeed, I realized he is not only a good team-player but

Taking

demonstrates all the qualities of a Leader, in

enhancing the business was his success

fact, a great leader.

mantra. To me, he was an honest, calm and

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

great

decisions

and

gradually

/ Desmond Chee Director Wira Wrought Iron & Stainless Steel Sdn. Bhd.

KK

GOH

KK Goh is the Co-Founder & Director of Awesome Alliance. He is a savvy property investor and also a prolific property speaker and trainer. It was in 2002 when KK saw a turning point in his life. That year, his family faced a financial turmoil and he had learnt that property investment was the best way out - where fortunes could be made. Since then, he developed a passion for property investing; and nowadays, he conducts property classes to share his passion with others.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

to conduct property workshops at Success Resources, a prestigious platform for world-class speakers.

I would say his best qualities are friendly, adaptive and resilient. If KK were a Superhero, he would certainly be Batman - as KK likes to help others in need. The only difference is that the real Batman talks less (no pun intended) compared to KK…….

Nevertheless, I enjoy having conversations with KK. I recalled once that KK came to my house for a gathering with some of my other friends. Our group chatted for hours and hours and hours about property investing, Bazi, different personality types, work and life in general. Adding to the fun of the gathering, KK used my Chromecast TV to share about his property investment journey and

I

also spoke about the ‘crazy’ Superfriends whom he had met over the years. KK is always high in energy first met KK Goh at a property expo organised

by Dato’ Sri Gavin Tee some time ago. KK Goh appeared very enthusiastic and friendly, so

naturally we chatted and ‘clicked’ immediately. He also shared with me how his property investment journey had started: from a meagre S$327 many years ago to a multi-million property portfolio

and is UNSTOPPABLE when it comes to property investing. I guess when you are truly passionate about what you do, you’ll go ALL THE WAY; and in KK’s case, sharing his passion for property investing and making the world a better place for everyone.

I’m thankful to have a friend like KK Goh. Together

today - a truly inspiring rags-to-riches story!

with him, we have formed a team of Superfriends

As I got to know KK better, I realised that he is

expertise in different fields. We are identified by

very passionate about sharing his knowledge on property investment with people from all walks of life. His motivational talks and property classes are aimed at helping others to invest in properties

comprising experts with vast experience and our energy, our ‘superpowers’ and the causes we stand for. KK Goh is known as Batman and he’ll come to your assistance whenever you need his help!

safely and profitably. He has developed a very interesting and unique system of property investing via the Solar System Seven Stars, also known as the 4S System in short. He has even been invited

/ Dato’ Lynnette Seet CEO Daily Suites Berhad

KY

LIM

KYY Empire Sdn Bhd is a property investment consultancy, specializing in market-leading solutions that focus on maximizing returns and offer high capital growth to investment partners. Currently KYY Empire has few innovative solutions to focus on getting investment partner to acquire more properties with minimal capital outlay and to ensure the properties will be taken care by good hand.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

time will take good care of his team members and

I remembered when I had some difficulties in work

take their opinions seriously.

and personal issues, he is always there for me to listen to my problems and offered help in most

I admire KY Lim because he has big dreams, dare

of the time to solve my problems. As I mentioned

to dream and is loyal to his visions and missions.

before, he is one of the most righteous and helpful

He knows how he is going to walk his path of

man that I’ve met in my life.

entrepreneurship. And he has some unpredicted move in building his business and never afraid of

I am being very thankful to KY Lim for our 20

failures. He always pick himself up and come back

years of friendship. Without him, I would not be

stronger after every failure.

the person I am right now. His courage to take on new challenges also motivated me to be more

Another reason that I admire KY Lim is because

adventurous in my entrepreneurship journey.

he has been so kind and helpful to all the business partners, friends and family. He is one of the most

Finally, I would take this opportunity to thank him

righteous man that I’ve met in my life.

again for his help and support all this while and I hope that our brotherhood will be long lasting.

M

He is always full of exciting ideas, but the executions

Last but no least I hope that we will cherish our

were the reasons that make him outstanding. He

friendship like how we cherish our family.

always try new methods when previous ones

y first encounter with KY Lim was way

do not perform. He is a perfectionist on his

back to 21 years ago when we were

business, he always aims for the best. When others

still in Form 1 and we used to hang out

compliment on his achievement or success, he

together for most of the time. He used to be a very

stays humble. He is always hungry for knowledge

funny guy and jokes a lot in school.

and improvement.

Our first partnership was a cyber café back in

We have gone through a lot over the past 20

year 2005 at a tender age of 22. Since then we

years of friendship. He has transformed a lot

venture into a lot of stuff together; from businesses

since secondary school. From a quiet and shy guy

to stockmarket to properties investment. KY has

to a multi-talent and charismatic entrepreneur. I

a good sense of business and money-making

have always enjoyed his presentations on stage.

opportunity. He is always so energetic at the same

Everyone will be glued to him when watching him.

/ Allan Tan Co-Founder and Managing Director Midana Capital Inc.

LAWRENCE CHOONG

THE VBLOC is WeChat Official Account Service and Light App Developer. The company builds the SAAS software, CRM and light app to include services and transform it into a platform for clients to expand their network and enhance communication between their brand and customers.

M

y first impression of Lawrence was that he is a very industrious person at work, even on holidays. He follows his

schedule and often gives up on his vacation time to complete his work. Being a responsible person Lawrence always follows up with the clients and manages his work on time.

Besides that, we all get along with him very well because he is an affable person. We don’t feel any degradations while being around him. He is an open-minded person though at times we do differ in opinions and ideas on certain topics but he is willing to listen to our ideas and decides on the best solution.

The most admirable qualities I noticed about Lawrence is passionate and finds joy in work. This kind of attitude can make a person to learn a lot about the work he involves in. He also possesses eloquence on speaking skill especially when he introduces our company product to potential clients.

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The factors that determine Lawrence’s success is

the end to achieve our common dream. This is the

always able meet up to his client’s expectations

reason we still thrive and never give up.

and timely delivery as per the clients’ request too.

For instance, our teams met up and found an angle

I would like to express how glad I am to have met

for investments especially via WeChat being the

Lawrence at the right time, work hard together and

trend of mobility for social generation nowadays.

share the good and bad moments together. There were times I nearly gave up but your persistence

I can recall our special moments especially during

spirit and trust has further encouraged us to

challenging times together that has kept us strong

continue in this business. Finally, I would like to say,

all this while. I remembered when we first begin

you are the best!

our business and we lacked in funds, contacts, equipment and more. Nevertheless, we believe in ourselves and our goals to pursue in business.

We have differences in our opinions but unite in

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Gan WC Founder THE VBLOC

LAY SEONG TAN

Great Ideals was established in year 2010 by its Founder, Tan Lay Seong. The group integrates various industry expertise in the areas of banking, taxation, law, investment and sales to provide a full range of financial services. To become the commendable agency, the group focuses in grooming a pool of talents that emphasizes exceptional and differentiated customer service to its clientele.

I

first met him in university and it was his sheer passion and enthusiasm towards the industry which impressed me, that brought me to my

decision of joining the insurance career. We have been partners through all odds for more than 20 years and he placed huge efforts and hardworks, never failed to outperform, time and again breakthrough many records. His achievement is indeed exemplary!

I am grateful to be the first female sales manager in the group of 25 whom was successfully spanned off and am impressed not only by his pursuit of excellence but was also awed with his dedication and commitment to evolve the life insurance industry. He is indeed the leader whom I look up to for the past 20 years and will be, for many more years to come!

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

As the saying goes, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.” Great Ideals has never stopped progressing with his leadership and more go-getters are groomed to march on the journey of success.

There was a year where the whole group strived harder than usual towards the common goal. The many times Lay Seong led and motivated the team to compete for the national championship still rings clear. If I were to describe that scene, it would be “The war of fame!”. That was the moment we were recognised on stage to celebrate the moment of victory as national champion! I truly felt the sheer joy from the bottom of my heart and all hard works paid off. Dreams indeed came true!

To innovate the existing model and system to

Lay Seong has not only being my influential leader,

bring the whole group as well as the life insurance

but to many, he is indeed a role model in the life

industry to greater heights, he explores beyond

insurance industry.

the conventional insurance business structure and actively involved in the entrepreneur networks to

I must say, the reason behind his continued success

seek practical tips and strategies to incorporate

lies in him keeping abreast with the industry and

with his own expertise in the financial planning

constantly overcoming each and every obstacle

industry. In hope, that would bring to the realization

and most importantly, taking care of every details

of his ultimate dream to the industry throughout

that could contributes to stir the group to great

these years!

success.

Not only that, his hunger for success, never-settle-

He is not only my mentor in insurance career but

for-less and always-think-out-of-the-box attributes

one who always inspires and grows me in my life-

allow him to consistently remain the best and

long journey.

outperforms.

If he were to be posed a question, what is his ultimate drive for success? It would be him leading by examples and inspire his business partners to attain the desired goals in life.

/ Neoh Bee Bee Co-Founder Great Ideals Group

LEON LEE

Zeon Properties is a real estate agency specialising in foreign direct investment, international project marketing, retail planning and consultancy, real estate investment advisory, property development and management and Malaysia My Second Home.

Zeon Properties has offices in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan. It owns several Food & Beverage Chain outlets and 10 Hair Saloon Retail Outlets known as Hairstory International in Penang.

I

first met Leon Lee in a multilevel marketing event

Leon was originally a partner of now delisted

in 2001. I noticed a fine young man who was

company that deals in selling laptops and

charming, full of energy and very positive about

computers. His partners got into trouble in Hong

the future. He shows his leadership by managing a

Kong and the company went for closure during the

group of down liners who were mostly older than

economic downturn. Subsequently, Leon started

him. I could see Leon as a promising leader in the

his career in the property industry with zero

making despite at a very young age.

knowledge in 2012. In a short span of time, and with strong determination and sheer hard work,

His determination in achieving his aspirations

his achievement today is envied by his competitors.

is what impresses me the most. On a more personal level, Leon is a person with a good heart,

I would like to express to Leon “Go for your

compassionate and always there for his friends at

dreams. Be the best you can be!”

difficult times.

His perseverance has brought him success after success over the years. He is always innovative in his field of works and his entrepreneurship spirit has gained him support and respect from many in the industry.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato’ Toh Chin Leong Sr General Manager & Chairman of Penang Real Estate Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA) IJM Land Berhad

LIN YIK

TEE

Tee Lin Yik is a Founder and CEO of TEE IP Sdn Bhd. TEE IP offers affordable legal protection of assets in the form patent, trademark, and others.

Its mission is to offer a speedy, convenience and quality services by leveraging on its vast foreign network, unique IP packages and competent employees.

I

planning for his future, even though his goals seem to be very remote from realization; people around kept saying it was impossible to do what he wants.

His success is not only attributed by his vigilant spirit to push forward even with many hurdles ahead but he embodies a crucial trait in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which

have always addressed him as “Tee”. I have

is to have the end in mind.

known Tee for almost 9 year since he graduated from college.

By knowing what is his end goal, which is to be an Intellectual Property Firm owner, he reversed

I remember Tee as having this character that

engineered the process of getting to the goal by

exudes him, which makes me feel he will definitely

getting experience in the field, building a foundation

achieve something extraordinary in future. During

for his business, and transferring the knowledge he

our first meeting, he was a fresh graduate and had

has acquired through the years systemically to his

just started with a new company. I had dealings

team members. It was also important for him make

with the company he was working with, and in just

sure his vision is clear in order to ensure his team

three months he was promoted from an entry

work towards the same objectives.

level employee to the manager of his department.

This gave the impression that Tee was ambitious,

I wish my friend will not be limited by barriers set in

and is not afraid to do whatever it takes to achieve

the field, dare to fight for his dreams and goals, and

his goals.

when success comes, he also helps those around him, like those who have helped him before earlier

Over the course of 9 years, he completed Masters

in his success story.

in Intellectual Property, advanced his career as Senior Executive and representative for MyIPO for 2 years and finally formed his own IP company in year 2010. Tee started TEE IP Sdn Bhd from home and have become a prominent IP company in the market with 25 over staffs. He never stopped

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Lee Kok Phong Advocate Solicitor Messrs M Scully

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

MARCUS K.L LIEW

Marcus Liew is the Director for Sales, Marketing & Business Development of Unique Fire Industry Sdn Bhd, the nation’s provider for total fire solutions and quality fire protection equipment.

Under his leadership, and with current export markets including ASEAN countries and the Middle East, the company strives to keep the community away from fire hazards.

I

first met Marcus in December 2016 when he joined one of my workshops as a participant.

My first impression of him was that he was well

dressed and a very polite gentleman. As someone from a wealthy second generation background, Marcus Liew certainly does not put on any airs. I found him to be very friendly and most willing to share both his ideas and experiences.

Marcus Liew is a very hands-on guy in terms of the company he is running. He is also an industrious man with a strong business acumen. He constantly explores new ideas and most importantly he welcomes new ideas and always tries to be innovative and creative. He is a deep thinker and aspires to deliver quality and innovative products to consumers.

The most admirable qualities that I find in him is

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the way he treats the people around him. He treats

certainly deserves it. I know that it only goes up

everybody on the same level regardless of their

from here and I will keep looking forward to more

status in life. He is someone who is humble in both

achievements from him in his journey.

his actions and speech. He would always try to give support to those around him.

I believe Marcus’s success owes very much to his uncanny ability in having a vision. He is meticulous in weighing every aspect, and never fails to take calculated risks. He is armed with a caring and kind heart and these qualities never fail to earn him trust and faith at every corner.

I would like to convey my most sincere wishes to Marcus Liew and my highest regards and congratulations for receiving this award as he

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Steve Wee Founder Brand Yourself Agency

MASTER

CHRIS

LEONG

Chris Leong is the Founder of Wah Toh Tit Tar. Since 2006, Wah Toh Tit Tar has been providing therapy for bone or joint-related pains ranging from mild to chronic pain and treating people from all walks of life - be they young or old. As such, Chris has travelled far and wide to promote his special technique of bone-setting therapy.

O

Chris, on the other hand, is one of the rare few

wanting to lose to him, I foolishly agreed. Neither

who has succeeded in this field. Not content with

of us knew how to ski. In this maiden attempt, I

just being a normal bone setter, he has built his

slipped off the edge of a cliff and dislocated my

own business and transformed his image from

knee. The doctors at the hospital told me that

being a Martial Arts Practitioner to something

I couldn’t ski anymore and a treatment was

ur first encounter would be in my house

more – whether it is a Business Owner, Social

immediately required.

back in 1993. I was hosting a small party

Media Influencer or Bone-Setting Specialist! He is

at my house for my classmates and

always pushing himself to learn new things, and is

Chris told me not to worry and back in the hotel –

Chris gate-crashed the private gathering.The funny

always wanting to do more. And when he embarks

utilizing his traditional Tit-Tar bone setting skills, he

thing is Chris wasn’t even from my school and yet

on new projects, he makes sure he does them well.

snapped my knee back in place and the next day, I

he blended in so well and even invited himself to

was back on the slopes again!

stay over for the night! My first impression is that

He continuously betters himself by pushing himself

this dude has got guts and is extremely friendly,

to do more. He also believes that as a Social Media

Chris has been instrument in assisting me during

daring and he knows “martial arts!”

Influencer, he has a responsibility to project a

the early days of my career. Back in the day

positive image and to motivate others to improve.

before I launched my career, Chris followed and

Back in the day when everyone was crazy over

He hasn’t slowed down at all after becoming a

assisted me with my international tours and

Jet Li’s “Once Upon A Time In China” - Wong

father. On the contrary, he is working and doing

seminars. Lack of resources for me back in those

Fei Hoong type of movies, Chris Leong is rare

more than before. I really marvel at his tenacity.

days meant I couldn’t afford to hire any assistant.

commodity. Everyone instantly took a liking to him because he was a national martial arts champion!

Chris supported me when I was just a lone ranger During my University break in 1997, I invited Chris

building up my career in the early days. For that, I

to join me for a ski trip at Mount Buller in eastern

am forever grateful. He is a true friend indeed.

His persistence, diligence and his steadfast nature

Victoria, Australia. That was the first time both of

are his winning qualities. Many Martial Arts

us had ever skied. Chris being Chris, somehow

Practitioners and Chiropractors are always trying

managed to convinced me to join him to race

to build a brand for themselves but not many are

down from the “summit” even though both of

able to successfully do so.

us are complete beginners. Needless to say, not

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato’ Joey Yap Founder and CEO The Joey Yap Group of Companies

MICHAEL

TAN ENG JOO

Michael Tan is the Founder and Managing Director of FREEMEN Group of Companies representing one of the most impactful education companies spanning three Asian countries and still counting. Coined as a millionaire-maker, he has assisted thousands of Investors in becoming millionaires through his business strategies and programme. His book entitled “How You Can Be Financially Free Through Property Investments” was a bestseller which was sold out within the first month of its launch.

I

first met him when he was still in his late 20’s

On the other hand, the road to success for him

and he had just started his first business. I was

has been birthed out of pure hard work and focus.

a potential client and although the business was

The memorable moment that comes to mind

brand new, I could see that he had the plan for

would be some time long ago, when he had just

a great business. It was his willingness to engage

left his lawyer’s office after his entire business had

me as a client and make sure I succeeded before

all fallen apart in a massive crash. This would have

anything else, that made me go in 100% to commit

broken anyone. He was feeling all of this pain when

to his company and his dream.

we met over a few drinks. In that moment, I had witnessed him at his lowest point. However, I also

He has this one quality that sets him apart from

witnessed the rebirth of a new version of him that

many others - that is, he must find a way to bring

was more driven and focused in changing people’s

out greatness in people, even when they never

lives for the better. It was like witnessing the rebirth

knew they had it in them.This is one of the hardest

of a phoenix. And, the rest is history.

things to do because people will resist so much towards this concept but he never stops at this

It has been a great pleasure and privilege to be on

pursuit and only gets satisfaction when others

this journey with him as a business partner and

succeed. His “people first” mentality is not only just

at times, with him being my mentor. His positivity

something he says during his seminars but he has

has got me through some tough times as I would

also practised this principle in every aspect of his

ask myself, “What would Michael do in this same

life - from helping ex-convicts to assisting business

situation?” and that has helped me a lot. I have

owners. This is a trait most people can act out but

had many business partners but none like him, and

he lives by this principle every day.

I wish him continued success with his dream of bringing out the greatness in others.

He has been successful because of his drive and energy level whereby he keeps on going when many others would have given up. There has been no lucky breaks nor any shortcuts to his success.

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/ Sandeep S. Grewal Group CEO Subhome Hospitality Group

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

MICHAEL

TAN KOK KUAN

OTS Group was founded by Michael Tan in 2006. It is a Life Insurance Agency in the financial industry which provides professional financial planning solutions and services to customers. Its goal is to provide a platform and equal opportunity for individuals who are seeking success and financial stability by inspiring and developing them into leaders and professionals within the industry.

M

y first encounter with Michael was in

I have known him for more than a decade and his

I sincerely find him to be a trustworthy friend.

the year 2002 when he walked into our

ways and character are always consistent. I learned

About five years ago, it was a coincidence that

bank and greeted me. His handshake

to understand his views of the bigger picture and

both our families met while travelling in Japan.

his visions through his thoughts shared with me.

We ended up spending the holidays together and

was firm, full of energy and he had this vigorous

from there on, our friendship continued to grow

appeal and enthusiastic but professional approach.

Instantly, I was drawn to know him further.

One of his successful traits is his interpersonal skills.

stronger till today.

This trait has attracted many people to grow closer One of the admirable qualities I saw in him was

to him and they are comfortable to follow through

I would like to wish him the best in all his future

his determination in business, patience to look

with his ideas too. The process of expressing

endeavours. He has always been a good friend

at things in a thorough manner and his passion

feelings, ideas, thoughts, information and emotions

and we have gone through many things together. I

towards his team and company. He has a big

encourages a positive business environment for

cannot foretell the future but whatever happens, I

heart and never fails to show care and concern

Michael, his colleagues and business partners.

would always be there for him.

work style has made his vision come to realisation.

We meet up at least once a month whereby we

Michael would always try his best to work out the

discuss on issues concerning business and other

/ Philip Lau

mechanism in achieving his dreams and goals for

matters. There were many special moments we

the company.

shared together including our trip to Hong Kong

to his fellow team mates. The precision of his daily

about ten years ago.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Director Jazzcapital Financial Services Group

NICK LOH

Nick Loh is the Group CEO of Kinabalu Food Industries Sdn Bhd. Founded in 2012, KFI is the sole marketer and distributor for ReadyTo-Eat meals in Malaysia, currently having the brand of “K Signature” and “K Miniature” in the range with more to come. The company’s mission is to establish a more convenient way of eating without compromising on the taste and quality for Malaysians.

W

hen I first met Nick, I immediately

hitting a deadlock or a tough time but not so for

knew that this person has a very

Nick who is willing to face challenges head on.

strong personality. You can see that

One of the special moments that I can recall is

he will drive and push himself to achieve his goals.

when Nick was able to see the fruit of his success

He strongly believes that in order to be successful,

materialise in terms of developing products for the

there are many hurdles or challenges one has to

market that were well received.

face and endure in order to thrive in the business would.

That moment in time is when you know that you have managed to achieve something great and all

The most admirable quality in Nick lies with his

this is due to Nick’s efforts and leadership skills

determination and persistence. Nick is a person

which motivate others.

who, when he sets his mind on achieving something, will pursue the goal relentlessly and go through

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Nick on receiving

whatever it takes to achieve his dreams. He also

this award as I feel that he has come a long way

prefers to be hands-on especially concerning any

and worked hard for it. And, I know that there is

issues or scenarios that may require his assistance

so much more that his company can achieve in

to resolve.

this industry and beyond.The sky’s the limit indeed!

The key factors that have contributed to Nick’s

/ Marvin

success is the fact that he never stops trying to do his best. Persistence and perseverance characterise

Event Manager Broadway Academy

his personality. Anyone can quit at any time when

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

NICOLE

LOW FEEI FEEI

Nicole Low is the Founder of Eciatto, a one-stop beverage supplier operating in Malaysia and Singapore to help F&B business owner achieve more time for their family, less work and more money. Eciatto has become one of the largest coffee suppliers in Malaysia and Singapore by partnering premium brands like Caffe Musetti, Davinci Gourmet, Sanremo, Dalla Corte, iSi, and Stash Tea

W

hen I first met Nicole, she struck

constantly learning from others, even those who

me as a calm and collected person.

have lesser achievements than her. While she cares

She was courteous and possessed

about the business, she also treasures the people

a personality that commanded respect. It was

around her dearly. She responds to feedbacks

obvious that she was a determined person too. As I

positively to promote a better relationship with

got to know her better, I began to understand how

her employees. This has built significant trust

clear her goals were; she could see the big picture

among her staff and they are willing to go the extra

of things while focusing on the minute details too. It

mile for her because they know she would do the

was inspiring to meet a person with such tenacity

same for them.

in meeting her goal and setting tangible steps toward achieving it.

Nicole’s success factor comes from herself. Her character, personality and temperament simply set

Amongst the most admirable qualities in Nicole

her out for success. She has a knack for identifying

is her humility. Despite the success that she has

tasks that should be prioritised and is driven

gained, she is still down-to-earth, approachable and

enough to achieve it. Moreover, she takes precise

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

measures in business to minimise resources spent and maximise profit earned. Added to her traits is an ability to inspire people around her to catch on to her vision and reach their full potential in the process. Her driven character matched with a friendly personality has made her a true gem to behold.

I remembered that Nicole approached me to assist in social media marketing. While she already had plans to kickstart things, she was open to suggestions and did her best to understand things from our perspective. Over the course of the partnership, she would take a step back to evaluate methods and relay them back to us. She also allowed for creative freedom and never once did I feel like I was on a tight leash working under her.

It was amazing working with someone who always had her door open for ideas and opinions.

Nicole, it is always inspiring to look at you and remember how much potential we have in ourselves. I am proud to have shared in this journey with you and hope that you will continue to inspire others like what you have done to me.

/ Xavier Tsai Chief Executive Officer Marketing Connection Studio Sdn. Bhd.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

OWEN

HNG Thunderlab Sdn. Bhd. is started by a group of different professions who combined knowledge and skills to tap the growth in Mobile app business. Thunder lab customizes apps that fulfil clients’ needs. It focuses on niche market, and differentiate by providing this thoughtful services.

And he really likes his job, that’s why he can be determined on what he is doing without giving up or when people doubt at him. He is not just a thinker, he is an executor as well. As he always says, dream won’t become reality if you just putting it

W

inside your mind, you need to plan and execute it in order to make it comes true. hen I met him for the first time, I thought he was a quiet and

It was months ago and we were having a game

introvert person. But, I was wrong.

night with wine and I was same team with Owen.

He is a creative person, he will always surprise you

During the game was going on, he suggested abold

with some idea that you never hear off. He is also

move that surprised me because it was so risky!

a determined person who persistently moving

At last, we were the winner due to his reverse

closer to his goal although there are obstacles and

thinking and think out of the box to beat our

challenges that he needs to face, but he won’t give

opponent. At that moment, I was impressed with

up and compromise. The spirit of an adventure is

his adventurous spirit and creativity.

inside his blood too. He is willing to take risk in decision making because that’s the spirit that an

Besides being thankful to him, I have nothing much

entrepreneur should have.

to say. It is good to have a friend that you can learn from and point your weakness. You always remind

It is not easy to let go to start a new business.That’s

and motivate me to become a better man by keep

what I admire him. He is willing to take risk and start

learning and improving myself. Not everyone has

over a new chapter in life and face the challenges.

a friend who is the 100 Most Influential Young

It really needs a lot of courage and determination. I

Entrepreneur of the year to learn from, I am glad

don’t think I am brave enough to step out from my

and proud to have him as my friend.

current comfort zone.

He is a creative and innovative person. He always can find a solution when all of us are out of ideas.

/ Chloe Chua Partner Chua Partnership

PAUL

YUNG

Paul Yung is the CEO of PM International Malaysia (FitLine (M) Sdn Bhd), a wholly owned National Head Quarters of German-based PMInternational AG. It is the sole distributor of two international brands, FitLine and BeautyLine.

Started in 2003, PM International Malaysia has 24,000 customers with an annual revenue of more than RM18million since 2006. Its headquarter is in Subang Jaya, with 4 other branches throughout Malaysia.

I

was impressed by Paul’s hands-on attitude,

and encouraging people with huge potential in

dynamism and fresh energy that provided

fulfilling their dreams.( The company’s vision is to

inspiration to his peers and customers. Perhaps

reach a million Malaysians by 2022 through its

for normal standards it is surprising to become

effective product lines and CSR initiatives.)

a role-model at such a young age but this is an extraordinary asset that makes him so valuable for

Yung is also eternally upbeat, innovative, and always

our company and the community. Moreover, the

reliable and a champion in making the others

excellent motivation, the determination in targeting

around him better. This is the most regarded skill

high goals makes him an impressive driving force.

for a leader. He also has the habit of seeing things into perspective while his attention to details from

It is often difficult to think out of the box and build

an open-minded perspective and high regard for

yourself into a prolific entrepreneur. Nevertheless,

other people opinions bring about added value to

Yung embraced the high ethical values of such

the company.

a great and ever growing company as our PM International as a matter of vision and high regard for quality. This is also an exponent of the culture of giving back to the less fortunate while identifying

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Rolf Sorg Founder & CEO PM International Group

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

PRASANNA

SAILANATHAN There seemed to be this innate desire in her to always be herself without being anybody’s shadow.

With passion for her work and the people around her, she undertakes every little task with love and extends herself with energy and tireless effort.

Although, she is at times, too vocal for my preference, her opinions all come from a good

Prasanna Sailanathan is the Director cum Chief Operating Officer of Talent Development (M) Sdn Bhd. She oversees the regional operations of training programmes for the workforce in the industry of Internet of Things (IOT). More than 60 organisations have participated in their training programmes and global names have partnered with the company particularly in the manufacturing sector.

place. Always the go-getter, she has a thirst for life and knowledge, curious about everything and wanting to know the answers to everything.

During rough times she always quick to pick herself up, stands tall and never looks back. These are admirable qualities of hers which some of us do not possess. Now that she has started her journey in business, I firmly believe that all her dreams are coming true. Although stubborn at times, she is also accommodating to others and smiles through

I

every challenging situation. met Prasanna Sailanathan for the first time at a

Prasanna’s success factors include her persistence

briefing session six years ago. My first impression

and relentless spirit, coupled with her passion for

of her at that moment was that she had a lively

everything. Her ability to give more than what she

personality, with a positive outlook on life. As

receives is the key driver of her achievements.

playful as she seemed to be, I could see from our conversations over the years that she had that

I do see Prasanna in a great place in the future,

undeniable drive to succeed with great persistency.

as what she always say “this is only the beginning”.

I hope she never stops believing in herself and

I believe that her persistency has made her become

continues achieving all she envisions. I look forward

the assertive person that she is today. One of her

to seeing many more great things from her in the

most admirable quality is her ability to drive herself

future.

forward during challenging times and continue her quest for attaining achievements.

Prasanna is constantly generating new ideas and has a vision of her future self. She always have different perspectives in life which got me to think that she has so much more than meets the eye.

/ Dato' C M Vignaesvaran Jeyandran Chief Executive Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF)

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

RAIKK

CHAN Raikk Chan is an Entrepreneur who dons several hats. He is the CEO of Bakewise Academic Sdn Bhd, Co-Founder of Hong Kong based C&C Jewellery and is also the Head of Asia Pacific for the BPP Education Group, UK. He is a frequent traveller and has journeyed to over 40 countries during the course of his work.

I

It is no mean feat to be able to do so many things at once and the reason why he is able to do so well and become so successful is due to the fact that he is such a dynamic person who always remains immensely focused on the tasks on hand.

He is a suave networker who is very adept at building good relationships with everyone around

had the good pleasure of meeting Raikk in

him.

Silicon Valley, the US, when both of us were participants in a start-up programme at Stanford

These traits are no doubt what makes him very

University which was organised by the Malaysian

successful.We spent many good moments together

Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC).

during our days at the Stanford programme and his

We were roommates throughout the two weeks’

winning qualities just shines right through. I enjoyed

programme. As luck would have it, we were both

listening to his stories about the jewellery sector,

doing similar things related to education and

UK education industry and also his vocational

are keen advocates who believe in empowering

training business in Malaysia. Despite being 30

the younger generation to be leaders in their

years old, he possesses great maturity and worldly

respective fields.

experience that will keep him in good stead in his professional and business life.

I’m blown away by Raikk’s ability to juggle so many roles and wear so many hats while remaining

It has been a real pleasure knowing Raikk and I

energetic and passionate about his work and

believe my friendship and association with him will

businesses. I just can’t imagine spending 200 days a

continue for years to come. I truly believe that he

year on work travels, and yet being able to ensure

will be an inspiration for all budding Entrepreneurs

business runs smoothly. But Raikk has been doing

and youths in the country.

this nicely for quite a while now! He certainly has many interesting ideas to share and is always on the lookout for the next business opportunity and new big idea to empower youths.

/ Roshan Thiran Founder & CEO Leaderonomics

REZAL

CHAN

Rezal Chan is the Managing Director of Rexpocentral Sdn Bhd (Malaysia). REXPO is a multi-disciplined solutions provider in global branding and international marketing.

The organisation carries out marketing work in areas of event management, digital marketing and creative design. REXPO has made a mark with their credited network, resources and expertise in the education industry.

M

y first impression of Rezal Chan is that

diversify his strategy when challenges arises. Most

he is the most sophisticated person I

of the time, he sees roadblocks as opportunities

have ever encountered throughout my

and ended up producing avant-garde solutions for

career in international business. We met up to

overcoming challenges. It is almost like there is a

discuss and collaborate on the idea of building an

river of ideas and imagination flowing nonstop at

international platform as an educational hub that

the back of his head. Many of the framework and

could bring in international students to Malaysia.

methodology developed by him are being used by many organisations today.

The thing I admire most about him is he is a visionary who thinks ahead of others. Having

One of the most valuable things that I have learned

worked with him for the past few years, I have

from our collaboration is that he values quality

benefited a lot from Rezal’s vast knowledge and

more than quantity. By doing this, he clocked in

experience. But what is interesting from our

greater results. Being a leader, he is always moving

partnership is how agile the man is to always

the cards. He clearly knows what he wants and

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

remain strong and uncompromising when it comes to every little thing that could discourage his goals.

When you take care of the small things, then great things will happen.

Personally I never thought that behind the grin of a man-who wears skinny jeans and imposes the rugged outlook- lies an ocean of ideas and experiences. He is an unsung hero, at least for me.

I am truly amazed that this man who uses football as analogy to explain the mechanics of his plan has achieved and done so much for the industry. To learn about his successes from the people around him was a very special moment for me.

Rezal, I just want to say never give on your dreams.

Thank you for setting the bar so high and making it impossible to find another partner as good as you. It has been an absolute privilege and honour to work with you and thank you for being an inspiration. / Steve Santosh Subramaniam Group General Manager REXPO Group of Companies

RINA

TEOH

Rina Teoh is one of the Founders of The Edison Hotels and the Executive Director of The Edison George Town, Penang which is the brand’s flagship hotel. Being a true blue Penangite, she is protective of Penang’s heritage, culture and food, and she is always ready to share and explore Penang’s celebrated street foods.

M

y first meeting with Rina was some 12

touches, refined quality, and the soul of a stay

years ago. I was particularly struck by the

experience. These qualities differentiate her from

air of confidence that she exuded. This

her peers. Being passionate and persistent in her

level of confidence makes Rina very attractive and

beliefs are also equated to her success, though she

easy to strike up a conversation with.

is mindful that success is only possible when there is a good team to exchange ideas and learn new

Since I have known Rina, to having her as my life

things from.

partner and the mother to our children, there has been a gradual growing admiration and

It would not be just a special moment but the

appreciation of her qualities. The couple which

journey whilst developing the brand – The Edison

particularly stands out are her distinctive knack of

Hotels. Rina’s approach to confronting challenges

knowing when to stress over details and when not

still amazes me. I think that she makes a wonderful

to, as well as her persistency in driving home a

role model to any young aspiring entrepreneur.

thought, vision or belief. In my business of having to deal with big looming datelines, the ability to

I have never said this to Rina before - Keep

decipher which detail is more important than the

disrupting, be always willing to explore the other

other is pertinent. In life as in business, we have

side and continue that wonderful ability of yours

successes and failures, and Rina’s always “can do”

to separate the wheat from the chaff.

stance is admirable as she will bide with time to drive home the prize.

As a persistent disruptor in the hospitality business; Rina sells and pitches hospitality through personal

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Eugene Tan Managing Director Concept Works Sdn Bhd

RITA DATO’ SOSILAWATI

Rita Dato’ Sosilawati is the Managing Director of Nouvelle Beauty Centre Sdn Bhd which carries the Nouvelles Visages (NV) line of cosmetics and spa products. The company was founded by Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and is estimated to be worth over RM100 million as the empire currently spans across Brunei, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

M

y wife Rita is one person I know so well.

She is in fact, a person who would never say “No” to anyone. My first impression

of her is that she’s a very friendly and happy-golucky woman. She is a very straightforward and good-natured person who finds it tough to tell a lie. Instead, she is direct and voices out her opinions in a proper well-mannered way.

There are many special moments we share

My wish is for her to maintain her sincere ways,

My first encounter with Rita was at a dinner

together as a couple. Last July, I gave her a surprise

unique style and beautiful character always and not

function where I was immediately attracted to

birthday dinner at the Trace Restaurant in Element

to change for anyone or anything. I know that she

her. Being a very accommodative person to me

Hotel, being the tallest eco-friendly hotel in Kuala

will be very successful in any venture she puts her

and our family, Rita has shown her total love and

Lumpur. She has always been the one asking

mind to pursuing.

dedication towards being an Entrepreneur, a wife

me to spend special moments with her during

and mother too. I am truly impressed with her

anniversaries or birthdays but this year, I decided

“Rita, always continue to be persistent and diligent

character that never loses hope but continuously

to surprise her instead.

in pursuing your entrepreneurship spirit. Carry on

strives to be the best in all her ventures.

to find victory at the end of the tunnel and never I booked the entire area and told the Chefs to

I admire her determination and sincerity in all her

prepare Rita’s favourite dishes and the staff to

endeavours. She has the strength to pursue her

decorate the area especially for Rita. When the

further studies even after being married, is rarely

time arrived, she was completely taken aback

weary and is an open-minded person. These are

with her birthday surprise dinner. We enjoyed a

the success factors which has kept the business

beautiful view of KLCC with the whole restaurant

running and her life well-sustained. Also, any of her

only booked and limited to the both of us. It was

plans or ideas are always shared with me.

truly a memorable time for Rita and me.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

give up!”

Khamarulazlan bin Mohamad Hanafiah Special Officer to Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, YB Datuk M. Saravanan Ministry of Youth and Sports

RON

ONG KIT WEE

Ron Ong Kit Wee is the Managing Partner of Messrs Kuek, Ong & Associates (Petaling Jaya branch), a boutique law firm located at Klang & Petaling Jaya, Selangor which specialises in commercial law, contracts and agreements, employment and industrial relations, family and matrimonial law, property and conveyancing and tax advisory planning. Its primary aim is to deliver superior legal services for clients with integrity, professionalism, and innovation.

M

y first encounter with Ron was in

challenges risks or problems without shrinking

This year, I have been greatly inspired by Ron

February 2010 at a social event. At first

back and is able to make clear decisions without

during our many encounters. Along the way - from

glance, I perceived him to be a sharp

fear or favour. I have seen Ron personally solving

the day we met till to date, I have taken pleasure in

and smart person. He is well-verse in business

issues in an impeccable way with a refined ability

learning and getting acquainted with some matters

and knows how to be diplomatic with people. I

to deal with challenges at hand and not simply just

from a broader view and perspective thanks to

was attracted to his energy and positive attitude.

walk away, ignore problems or give up.

Ron. In fact, Ron is the best person I have met!

We have had many special moments together

I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations

and a few occasions really brought out the best in

and all the best wishes to him in conquering greater

Ron is a fast-paced person who does not

Ron. Whenever I needed legal advice or business

heights and to more successful achievements in his

procrastinate in achieving his business goals. He is

consultation from Ron, he was always willing to

career and life too. I have full confidence in Ron

also a very humble person who never fails to greet

offer assistance to me freely despite his busy daily

and his bright future ahead.

his friends and business partners. I have witnessed

schedule.

Even though he looks young, his level of maturity is impressive.

him offering a helping hand to a friend of mine once who was short in cash and that really bore

Ron is about eight years younger than me but I

witness to me what a good and kindred spirit he is.

value our friendship deeply and as people say, respect is earned. He has definitely earned my

One of the key factors that has led to Ron’s

respect in exceedingly larger and progressive ways

success would be his never give up attitude. His

as time goes by.

ways are impressive in that he takes counter

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Law Seong Heng Director TX Consultancy Sdn Bhd

RUBEN

EMIR GNANALINGAM

Ruben Emir Gnanalingam is the CEO of Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which envisions itself to be a successful gateway for the nation’s Trade Inventory and the benchmark of employee relations, customer satisfaction and revolve around corporate citizenship. The company’s main businesses are in port and logistics, marine facilities, container freight station, warehousing and storage facilities as well as a one-stop business centre for inbound and outbound clienteles.

I

have known Ruben since our younger days and

of tasks. Even though a person fails but is honest,

darkest secrets with him which obviously stays with

we attended the same primary school in Bukit

he would always advise the person to try again

him. Ruben prefers it if I make my own decisions

Damansara, and later on in Victoria Institution,

as Ruben values honesty and being fair to all

and come up with the solutions myself so that the

Kuala Lumpur. During my final undergraduate year

people but he expects the same treatment to be

result doesn’t just come from his judgement or

in London, we were housemates for one year. He

reciprocated too.

influence, unless he sees an unforeseen mistake.

tallest but always humble and possessing a pleasant

The success factors which have brought him to

There are uncountable special moments spent

smile always. Ruben is a warm and approachable

this level is the fact that he reads consistently

together with Ruben. He always navigates his

person. He’s always well-known among his friends

and what piques his interest is his hunger for

way through any problem. Being an influencer, if

whom he helps often. He has a laid-back attitude

knowledge. Ruben reads a lot - particularly on how

it wasn’t for Ruben, I don’t know how I would

which brings out his natural DNA in full.

to improve his management and technical skills. He

have ended up being an Entrepreneur. Ruben has

has always been a larger than life friend, being the

is a perfectionist however, and can be impatient

won many battles and forgiven his opponents, and

Ruben likes to try and experience new things as

due to that trait. Whenever he seeks perfection,

this has taken me awhile to understand. I am very

well as ideas and he carries this trait with him till

especially in entrepreneurial aspects, his father

proud of him. My wish is that he will always stay

today. Being a very easy-going and casual character

and colleagues would advise him to also be fast in

the same simple person and reach greater heights

who has now assumed an important position

execution. Ruben is a great believer in people so

in his life while continuing to touch and influence

makes others wonder how he can possess a very

he doesn’t micro-manage but encourages people

more people.

down-to-earth and exemplary character. But what

and shares business connections with them.

I really admire most about him is his just attitude and how he treats people fairly.

As his closest buddy, Ruben has helped me out on numerous occasions. Be it concerning career or

Ruben is a very demanding person when it comes

personal advice, I can always confide in him. He has

to achieving results as he demands the completion

been a loyal friend so I am confident in sharing my

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Puvanesan Subenthiran Group Chief Executive Officer Privasia Technology Berhad

SEAN

LAW

Sean Law was born in 1975 to a very poor family. Both his parents were not educated and worked very hard to raise him and his younger brother. At age 21, he became a Door To Door sales man selling credit card earning on commission. His experience during those 10 years of hard knock sales developed his character today. And soon he earned a reputation as the Millionaire Maker.

I

On stage, Master Sean is always energetic. His high-

I remembered one of the memorable moments

level and dynamic thinking, as well as his unique

during his training is when we shared our victory

teaching methods has deeply intrigued me. He

that we have achieved. Master Sean will always

never shows tiredness.

be excited and touched as he equates our achievements as his own and this deeply motivates

n the journey of seeking “change”, fate has brought me to my life mentor who has

Master Sean uses very practical methods to

completely changed and transformed my life –

teach. He does not only teach by words, but by

Sean Law.

application.

us.

It is very fortunate to meet Master Sean in my business journey! I also feel very grateful that

My first impression of Master Sean is that he is

The SME Owners that are facing difficulties

Master Sean helped me to stop being a “firefighter”

indeed a person that takes things seriously, strictly

will achieve brilliant results if they apply Master

and focus more time and energy on other aspects

and strives for perfection. I was so impressed

Sean’s business systems formula and marketing

in my business. The extra time I gained have

that he shares with us every knowledge he has

strategies. It is no doubt that a successful teacher

helped me to focus on building a trustworthy

accumulated over the years.

will foster students with great and extraordinary

team and together, we can create more business

achievements!

opportunities! I had also made friends with a group of awesome persons and partners, and I will not

How fortunate I am to meet a selfless mentor passing down his world-class marketing and

Master Sean has a high standard of ensuring his

be alone in my business journey. We will make you

business know-how.

training participants achieve excellent results in

feel proud of us! Thank you, Master Sean!

their business. Undoubtedly, he has very high Master Sean always create a fun and comfortable

expectations of every participant.

environment during our training, so we can be free from any distractions and learn without any

That is the reason why he will constantly upgrade

pressure. We are always amazed of how he designs

the standards of every training to let us have a

his training venue to be like a concert, so we can

better understanding of his “Secrets”!

be focused to learn in his training!

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Law Kah Me Director Artmatic Sdn Bhd

STEPHENIE LEE

Stephenie Lee is the Director of SS Hightech Sdn Bhd. SS Hightech create and innovate software solutions for their clients from various industries to ensure that their every business’ need is met with prompt precision. The team’s combined experience allows SS Hightech to provide software solutions including customised software development for small businesses to a full suite of complex system for bigger companies.

M

y first encounter with Stephenie Lee was

and never giving up spirit: when she wants to get

early this year. We met at the Malaysia

something done, she will do it immediately and

Retail Chain Association (MRCA) youth

stops at nothing.

gathering. I found her to be a very friendly person from our initial meeting as we got along well and

She is also a very confident person. She carries

even developed a business relationship together.

herself well and is a very competent lady. She

Her most admirable qualities are she is a very

shared with me before that if you strongly believe

hardworking and helpful person. She will try her

in something that you want then you will be able

best to help her colleagues, business partners or

to achieve it with hard work and determination.

friends in whatever that they want to do and when I would like to tell Lee to keep going in what she

she will deliver what she promises.

has set her heart out to achieve and to keep the strive to fully

momentum going as I believe she will be very

understand your needs, or the problems you are

successful in the future. I would also like to add

facing from all possible angles. She identifies and

that she has also got a strong personality and never

analyse your needs or problems on multiple levels

give up attitude.

Stephenie listens to you and

– from the company itself, the management, the end-users.

She is someone who will never give up on what she wants and will continue to strive hard to make

Her leadership has enabled her to put together a

sure that she will achieve the goal or get something

team of experts with combined experiences and

that she really wants.This never give up spirit in her

skills to create a solution.

is something that I admire in her.

Nevertheless, I would say the main factor that

/ Melissa Lee

contributes to her success is her hardwork ( sometimes she will work till late) and determination

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Business Development Director UP Multimedia Sdn Bhd

SUNNY YAW

Elabram Systems was established in year 1999.

Its main office is in Malaysia and branches in Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore and Cambodia. Elabram offers telecommunicationengineering services to Telecommunication & ICT (Information Communication Technology) sectors; specialized in Manpower Solutions Outsourcing (MSO), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Network Planning & Optimization (NPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) in Asia Pacific.

W

e met when I was returning back from my posting in Nairobi, Kenya.

Sunny approached me for an

opportunity in Indonesia. Well, I would say that he was very convincing, and managed to secure me for the role in Indonesia. He has a soft approach towards managing situations and persistence to complete tasks. I’ve noticed a high degree of sincerity while dealing with Sunny and he tries to refrain from over promising to his team. He delivers as per his commitment, and treats his team as his asset.

I take him as one of my mentors. He’s the most down-to-earth person I’ve ever met. In fact, he’s very approachable by mostly everyone. He can start a conversation with anyone in just a second.

I like his warm and approachable character which

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

stands out in the crowd. Despite his tight schedule, he allocates his precious time to visit old folk homes. He also provides food for them during his visits. I was perplexed to see his humbleness. Well, I would happily say that all the blessings from the Old folk homes has strengthen him.

He works hard and smart. He doesn’t spare any moment to sit idle. He’s always in the run looking for success. He always craves for growth, desires to earn more and achieves great moments in life. I believe he has a strong strategy to further enhance his organization. He’s a visionary with strong calibre. Nothing is impossible to him, as he takes all hurdles as a challenge and pushes through.

He has a clear roadmap of his organization and has a strong implementation plan, not forgetting his empowerment of his team.

He is genuine and helpful; he treats his friends with high respect and dignity. He’s a good listener and also a good advisor. I’m thankful to the Almighty for our friendship and I truly hope it continuous forever. We’ve met sometime in 2006 and I feel our friendship has grown stronger year after year.

To me, I believe everyone has a guardian angel in their life and I feel Sunny is one to me. Sunny appears when I’m in need of a helping hand and I truly thank him for it. Honestly, I feel him to be a brother rather than a friend.

/ Mahendran Sethuraman Head – Network Services APAC Tech Mahindra (ICT) Services Sdn Bhd

SWEE LEE THIONG

Alex Thiong is the Managing Director of TSL Bestmas Manufacturing Sdn Bhd with over 10 years of experience in the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry. Innovative in coming up with marketing strategies particularly for the new range of Bestmas products, determination is another one of his successful traits. His envisions the company conquering the international market in time.

staff. He believes that when the Company grows, everyone benefits from the expansion.

He is a good team player and a leader who believes in team work. During one factory visit, he keenly shared his business vision in wanting to expand the production capacity of his food manufacturing plant in future to capture more business. During

M

discussions

about

the

manufacturing

plant

y first impression of him is here

processes, he suggested great ideas including for

is a very simple, humble and very

machine automation to be more cost-effective in

approachable person. He came across

long-term.

as friendly, polite, casually attired and a soft-spoken He values suppliers as the company’s “business

person. Punctually present at our pre-scheduled appointment, he was very attentive and focused

overseas as well. His vast experience in the food

during our discussions on various topics during the

manufacturing plant process – from the setting

meeting.

up of a new processing plant, getting the most efficient machinery and also knowledge in the

He is a good listener who is open to new ideas

aspect of sales and marketing has make him into

and suggestions. He is also willing to share his

being a successful Entrepreneur.

opinions and ideas with others. Despite being a serious businessman, he has a good sense of

I would attribute his success to his strong will

humour and is able to create a comfortable and

and determination to succeed coupled with his

relaxing atmosphere during the meeting.

adventurous characteristic that has propelled him to venture into the foods business on a large

Besides business topics, he also has good general

production scale. He is very stringent on food

knowledge to share with others during meetings.

quality control thus he spends most of his time at

He has a positive and self-confident attitude

the production plant to ensure only good quality

towards the business ventures he undertakes and

products are produced.

has a good business acumen.

He is a very hard working and disciplined man who Here is a man on a mission and vision to venture

always focus on his daily tasks. He is also a good

not only into the local food business scene but

mentor and motivator to others, especially to his

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

partners” as he believes that when his business grows, the suppliers’ business also grows together alongside. A mutually beneficial long-term business relationship with the supplier creates a mutual winwin situation.

I hope he can continue his passion in producing increased good quality and tasty food products for consumers nationwide. Keep up the good work!

/ Lee Yeut Kunn Director Sri Segar Food Corporation Sdn Bhd

TENG BOON ONG

Teng Boon, Ong is the CEO and Executive Director of D’Aman Residences Sdn Bhd, the Best Affordable Housing Developer 2017 awarded by Property Insight Prestigious Developer Awards. Teng Boon’s current project consists of 1320 units of affordable homes strategically beside Asia’s first animation theme park. In hand, Teng Boon has a few affordable housing projects which provides thousands of homes in the near future. He believes in creating value for home buyers and contributing back to the community at large.

W

hen I first met Teng Boon, I felt that

Over the years, I found that he comes from a

the room. In his organization, he built his team with

he has a genuine personality. He

reputable family in Taiping. His parents are always

morale and passion. He drives people, he excites people. That is his biggest effect.

always make himself approachable

there to give moral support. Teng Boon always

to everyone in the room. His trademark is his

has his charming wife by his side, who helps and

smiley face. I realized he engaged easily with

supports all his ventures throughout these years.

It is hard for me to pin point one special moment with Teng Boon. We always stay in contact and go

everyone in the room and also in different type One of the key qualities that I’ve seen, he is always

out with each other from time to time. There are

willing to share and give ideas to friends and

too many occasions to name one. There are many

Subsequently as I’ve known him better, I found that

associates. He always make it easy and comfortable

times and events where I’ve seen he overcome

he is always helpful to whoever needed assistance.

to talk to him. During my discussion and “debate”

challenges, get up and eventually shine through it

Due to his legal background and knowledge, he has

time with him, he always put his cards on the table

all. He never fails to amaze me.

the ability & capability to advise according to the

and being open and frank. I always enjoyed these

situation and also in legality. Amongst those who

sessions as I find them engaging, interesting and

Teng Boon is doing a great job in his property

know him, he is known to be one of those who is

fruitful discussions.

development. He has focused his efforts in building

of crowds.

affordable housing especially in Perak. This is

prepared to go all the way to help and assist when the matter arises.

There are a few success factors that set Teng Boon

admirable as it requires commitment in the long

aside from the rest, he has this incredible ability to

haul. As a person who known him well, I believe

Teng Boon is highly educated, with wealth of

network with people from all ages and different

that he has the full potential to grow further in his

experience. A law graduate who believes in

type of backgrounds. As a leader, he engages and

business ventures. One thing that I always would

continuous live long learning. Last year, he went

connects with every single one. He always has his

like to say to him again and again, “It’s time to quit

to a course in Harvard University, USA to learn

own style, where he is a team leader and also a

smoking”.

creativity! His experience started from legal

team player. He has a talent in organizing, bringing

profession and now he is excelling in property

people together and boost morale of everyone in

development.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Tan Sri Dato’ Chang Ko Youn Chairman Perak Transit Berhad

TERRY

LEE JUN HUI

Terry Lee Jun Hui is the Co-Founder of Rector Group Sdn Bhd and Co- Founder Skala Bina Sdn Bhd which are focused on strengthening relationships with people and helping them in every aspect including financing and upgrading their lives through the proper guidance of finance and investment strategies via bulk property purchase. The company also aims to assist its clients to maximise their investment profits while ensuring sustainability.

I

have known Terry for the past 25 years and to

he possesses is in managing to build a company

is a person who is always open to explore new

me, he has really been a great buddy. He is a very

from nothing and work his way up to establish a

business opportunities that have the potential to

humble person but yet is always very determined

concrete platform for the business.

become successful ventures.

to achieve his dreams. He always thinks of how he

The success factor of Terry’s achievement

He is never willing to give up on his dreams of

can be successful in life and also helps others to

definitely lies in his vision of building his business.

owning multiple businesses and building an

succeed as well.

He recognises opportunity when the time comes

organisation. We have shared many great moments

in setting his goals and directions straight in order

and is very creative in determining the right

when we managed to build multiple businesses in

Terry possesses the typical qualities of an

business model to go along with his vision. He

different industries and learn the tricks of the trade

Entrepreneur whereby he is a self-starter driven

is very persuasive and persistent in working out

of each of them.

by determination and is very competitive. For

his vision and therefore along the way, he attracts

example, he established Rector Group Sdn Bhd in

like-minded Entrepreneurs and Investors who will

To Terry – Do continue to work hard and inspire

2015 with a vision to provide a good property

work together with him to achieve the common

people around you. You have made a great deal

investment platform for Investors to invest in

goal to be financially free.

of difference to those around you. Continue to

properties. And, in just a short span of two years,

grow exponentially and lead your team to greater

he managed to secure solid property deals from

To me, the ability to sell the vision to others and

heights while inspiring people around you to do

reputable developers such as Nusmetro Group

also work towards it is definitely a good trait as

the same. Also, congratulations in having achieved

and Jakel Development.

an Entrepreneur and Terry has got what it takes

the success that you have built around you today.

to succeed. I have worked with Terry as a business

You deserve the recognition!

Apart from that, he has also successfully coached

partner for the past three years. In this short time

more than countless property investors on the

frame, we have successfully built multiple business

right strategy to employ when investing in the

ranging from property investment, renovation

property market. The most admirable quality

and the Food and Beverage (F&B) business. Terry

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Chris Tan Director Skala Bina Sdn Bhd

VERY

ONG BENG NONG

Hong Da Fesyen Sdn Bhd is a footwear retailer and wholesale company established on 5 July 2010 with trademark “Viola”, the company actively works toward their vision to be the best in e-commerce in Malaysia and South East Asia in the segment of modern and aesthetic footwear by providing quality products and services.

M

y first impression of him was very

He knows how to harness employee’s unique skills.

kind and gratitude. His body language

He also communicate and provide training to the

displayed confidence and calm nature.

employees’ to ensure effective communication and

He always gives a good eye contact when talking

to reduce conflict among the employees.

to me. He told me that he believes in building the relationship and not merely selling product.

Finally, his comprehensive knowledge makes

Besides that, I believed he is very knowledgeable

customers allow him to choose the right price,

as in meetings, he can answer questions with

quality, and design that is suitable.

good examples backed up with data. After you encounter with him once, you will feel like wanting

There was one time when I have a personal

to meet with him again and again.

problem and asked him for help. He acted fast and contacted those who able to help to solve it. From

I believe the most admirable qualities about him is

here, I knew he is a warm, generous and wise. I am

the commitment to others and the ability to see

lucky to know such as a person like him.

different perspectives prior to making a decision.

He will not make empty promises. Furthermore,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank

he has good manners and gratitude, he respects

for everything he did to help me in my business.

and is polite to others people regardless of their

I would also want to tell him that do not forget

status. Moreover, he is also willing to learn; he will

about your company goals, keep the focus on your

do own research and join training class to improve

mission and vision, improve your management

himself. he is a person who enjoys learning new

team and keep them stronger and stay with the

facts and acquiring new knowledge.

plan, I believe everything will go smoothly.

He has great management skills which help in

/ Alan Foo Chee Chuen

promoting teamwork toward the strategic goals established to ensure the company operation is running efficiently and effectively.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Managing Director Ascent Pu Sdn Bhd

VINCENT HO

Vincent Ho is the Group Managing Director of Kimarie Group of companies, an award-winning group with core business in hairdressing, beauty salons and academies. He is also a director in a hair products company as well as a properties investment company.

I

met Vince about 12 years ago through my brother and we clicked pretty well. We got along well despite the first time meeting each other

perhaps due to his well mannered, and slightly reserved character (although he looks like a rock star!) After a few drinks, Vince finally loosen him self up and show the more fun part of him. This was followed by 12 years of a strong friendship.

That we knew each other as friends and business partners, I have the chance to know the different sides of him: The fun and the serious part. As a person, Vince is very easy to get along with, he means what he says, is a deep thinker, and has a good memory (means that he still brings up stuff from the past which I have conveniently forgotten).

Probably the most admirable quality in him is that

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

he’s a man of his word, which is a quality the world needs more of today. He also means what he says; once he’s made a decision about something, he gets it done.

There are too many “special moments” and it’s hard to single out one. I guess if there are memories of him that best describes his character, it’s when we have debates on certain topics. Although we see most things in the same light, on things we disagree, he would find one hundred and one ways to make you see his point of view. In a nutshell, he has strong determination.

I don’t think there’s anything much that I’d like to say to him that I haven’t already through the years, but I’ll take this opportunity to say this again: I love you man!

Andrew Lai Co-Founder Curious Grocer

VINCENT NEE

Vincent Nee is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of Maxihomes Group of Companies.

With the intention to help people to grow money thru Property investments. We are creating & contributing values to people on Buy - Reno Rent in a creative way & turning it into a money making machine. Passive Income is the Goal! See you at the Top!

I

first met Vincent when he attended my course a few years back. I was immediately impressed with him. It was amazing that someone so young

could be so good in property management and business. He is a true-blue entrepreneur. It was no surprise that he took off and manage to secure his investment properties relatively easy. Furthermore, what impressed me the most was his unselfishness to help the rest of his team to also invest and purchase their deals. He’s willingness to give and help others makes him a true leader.

The most admirable qualities I have found in Vincent is his persistency to succeed as well as his desire to achieve more in life. He has the tenacity to keep going forward, with a big vision to do more in life. Vincent is one person I know who will never walk alone in his journey to success.

The success factor of Vincent is his hunger and drive. He is one person who is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. He is also willing to learn and improve, constantly growing to acquire the skills necessary for him to obtain the results he wants. I have seen him work for almost 24-hrs a day just to get to where he wants to go.

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I remember well when Vincent’s strike his first

Vincent is really an up and coming superstar. I

multi-million-ringgit deal. He has seen us do it

would like to express my sincere pride in knowing

before, but he has never had the experience. With

such a young and talented friend. I am honored

no track record, little knowledge of the industry, he

to have worked and grow together with him.

started to find and negotiate on deals, constantly

Furthermore, he has a big heart with really good

trying, knocking on doors, talking to the VIPs, failing

intentions. I would like to bless Vincent with the

and trying again. When he finally zoomed into the

best of everything, may he achieve all he’s heart

deal, he was relentless in making it happen. It was

desires and more.

persistence that sealed the deal.

Furthermore, he worked very hard to ensure the final product would serve all parties whom was involve, from his business partners to the investors related, Vincent would see to it that everyone would benefit from the project. His uncanny ability to seek out great deals, coupled with his perseverance to seal the deals and benefit all parties who are involved is something that I truly admire about Vince.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Michael Tan Managing Director & Co-Founder Freemen Group of Companies

VINESH

SINHA

Vinesh Sinha is the Managing Director of FatHopes Energy Sdn Bhd. The company, established more than a decade ago, is a pioneer in waste and residue vegetable based oil collection and the production of alternative biofuels in South East Asia. FatHopes Energy’s goal is to ensure that all waste and residue vegetable based oils are expired via a stringent and environmentally compliant method

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Our acquaintance started not long ago and began with a casual meeting in a cafĂŠ. For the very first time, we did not talk about business instead we discussed on the environment and our families. We spoke at length about our children, especially on education and what would be the best ways to bring them up.

From this conversation, I discovered a more personal side of Vinesh. He has a big heart and is an extremely caring and loving father. He will always focus on doing his best for his family with the same passion and ingenuity that he has shown in caring for the environment.

Vinesh, keep your die-hard passion and love going for the environment and continue to do what

V

is right. Step up your efforts in spreading your story to the younger generation on caring about inesh and I got to know each other when

vegetable oils into biofuel as he strongly believes

he was invited to present a business

that this is how he can make a positive impact

proposal to my company about a year

and contribution towards the environment. The

ago. While presenting his ideas, he also talked

current scale of his business may be small to what

about his journey on how he got to where he is

meets the eye but is actually a huge operations

today. My first impression of him is that he is an

with large turnover and generating our chain of

intelligent and daring young man, who is not afraid

restaurant huge amounts of revenue, but to Vinesh,

to think out of the box. He is innovative, unafraid

he is determined to do what he believes is right

of changes or the unfamiliar, and is someone who

and aims to educate more people to adopt the

has no fear of failure and will continue to explore

right approach in protecting the environment.

different approaches to achieve his dreams.

I would say the success factor that made Vinesh There are many admirable qualities that can be

who he is today lies in his abilities to stay focus on

attributed to Vinesh’s personality. The ones that

where he is going which becomes the driving force

stand out are his love, passion and great care for

of his success. He always sets his eyes, heart and

the environment. He set up FatHopes Energy, with

mind on his dream.

the aim to recycle used cooking oil and other waste

the environment via powerful entrepreneurial initiatives that can create bottom lines, like you have before. Inspire them with your real-life stories and your belief that every small contribution can make a difference. It is admirable that at your age you are able to develop and put into action business models that bring benefit to all stakeholders and for this I am extremely proud to have a follow such Malaysia. Great job and keep it up.

/ Kelly Chan Supply Chain Director McDonald’s Malaysia

WEI QING LEE

Lee Wei Qing, Lee is the Founder and Director of WELL Healthcare Group. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the National University of Malaysia (UKM). On the corporate side, Lee sets the company’s directions and lead the management team in achieving the company’s milestones. Clinically, Lee conducts paediatrics occupational therapy and sensory integration therapy sessions with special need children in WELL.

I

have known Wei Qing for more than 15 years

business. Look at how many patients his company

with Wei Qing is that, it does not matter if we

since our school days in Sekolah Menengah Jenis

has served since establishment in 2011 and the

stay up late “chilling out” or have discussions after

Kebangsaan (SMJK) Jit Sin.

company is still rapidly expanding.

a long day; he is able to wake up early the next morning and commit to his schedule while staying

When I first met him, the impression that came to

In my opinion, perseverance and self-discipline

energetic throughout the day. This reflects his

my mind about him were “cheeky”, “unorthodox”

are some of Wei Qing’s major success factors.

sense of responsibility towards his business and

and “radical”. It is no surprise to me that he is now

Founding a healthcare start-up is never an easy

team as he believes that a leader’s passion towards

innovating and performing game-changing moves

task, especially when it is done by someone who

the company is the best way to boost the team

in his profession of healthcare. He is a maverick

has not received any professional training. Growing

members’ morale.

who does not play by boring rules and create his

a small team into a multi-level rehabilitation group

own ways in getting things done.

while managing a group of high-performance

To Wei Qing, I sincerely hope that you are able to

healthcare professionals can be a daunting

keep a work-life balance in your daily life. Success

The most admirable quality that I find in Wei Qing is

challenge. As the leader of the team, having a high

is never a destination but a journey and we do not

his effectiveness at execution. His mind is churning

level of determination is the key to success.

always need to be a sprinter in a marathon.

as ideas if we lack the ability to execute them into

The journey of entrepreneurship can be a lonely

actions. He is fast when it comes to action-taking

one if we are not able to connect with someone

/ Jeffrey Hwang Shin Hung

without neglecting the social responsibilities of his

who share the same values. My personal experience

out ideas 24/7 and we all know that ideas remain

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Executive Director Qdos Holdings Berhad

YENKAI

CHONG anything, he is constantly learning new things to prepare himself to be the industry’s next gamechanger the moment opportunity knocks – ready to accept with no regrets. Yenkai also has a unique belief that small is the new big, walking the talk of leading his creative agency to punch above its own weight and achieving milestones that seemed only possible by larger agencies.

It’s a wonder to see him and his team grow so

Yenkai is the Founder of Dreamteam Worldwide Sdn Bhd - The Ministry of Creativity; a Secret Creative Force for the serious marketers and entrepreneurs who dream the impossible. His agency serves with honor in creative ideations, branding, marketing communications, design, video production, influencer marketing, web, mobile, and anything that sparks their brain cells.

much from the day he started. I remember the time he told me that he quit his last job without any savings to start his entrepreneur journey. It is naïve but it proves that a willing heart is a winning heart – that’s the must-have entrepreneurial quality. From starting with zero to working with some of the largest corporations in Malaysia,

Y

Yenkai and his team were awarded numerous awards this few years in the branding & marketing enkai and I came to know each other a

field, an achievement made possible with Yenkai’s

few years back. I thought he was a fine,

bold choices to stray from the norm and his team’s

young man who had a good head on his

incredible talent and creativity.

shoulders – solid handshake and confident smile yet soft-spoken. Despite his young age, Yenkai is

Just like the saying “Put a lion to lead a herd of

a strong-willed hustler who believes in giving his

sheep and the sheep will play as a lion too but if

100% in everything he does no matter the size of

you put a sheep to lead a group of lions, the lions

the task. He is someone with passion and drive to

will play as a sheep.”. It’s never the size of the team

realize his goals because his ideology is: if someone

but it’s always how a leader leads a team. That’s

can do it, he can too; and if they can’t, he must

why I have confidence that Yenkai will continue to

make it happen.

grow and lead his team into more future successes and continue to help accelerate SMEs too on

As a leader, Yenkai is determined yet calm and down-to-earth. He doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him even in critical, high-pressured situations but rises to the challenge instead. To him, a solution is always just around the corner with a little creativity. Another admirable quality about him is how he will never shy away from asking for my advice in order to grow and learn. More than

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

gaining recognition in a global scale.

/ Dato' Tony Looi National President Malaysia Entrepreneurs’ Development Association (Persatuan Usahawan Maju Malaysia – PUMM)

YIEWIN

KANG A graduate in Film & Animation, Yiewin Kang has won couples of international awards in Wedding Film contests & Short Film contests since 2003. Yiewin holds the Southeast Asia Ambassador contract from Germany camera lenses - Zeiss and over hundreds of workshop students. Yiewin has been conducting numbers of cinematography workshops in Malaysia, Singapore & China since 2012.

Y

iewin was a highly celebrated individual

creative and hardworking to achieve this. Another

in the wedding cinematography industry. I

success factor will be his hunger for knowledge,

first met with him at an annual photography

and always learning from different industries.

conference. The part that got me wanting to know him better was after he presented a very touching

These are best kept secret! But the best time I had

short film to the crowd that teared me a little.

with him are the ones where we both can just sit back and relax over beer. Work hard, play hard and

Getting to know Yiewin better makes me a proud

then work even harder.

friend. He is a man whom works extremely hard for what he wants to achieve, a friend to rely on

Congratulations again buddy! Throughout the

when in need of help, a great teacher, and also one

times of knowing you I have congratulated you

of the most stubbornly (in a good way) filmmaker

many times on all your different achievements, so

I have ever came across.

don’t let it stop you to be somebody; somebody whom is greater than the Yiewin Kang today. Proud

I believe what makes him as successful today, is his hard work and determination to always keep himself and his company as the market leader. It is never easy to maintain ranks in a competitive industry. One needs to be equally passionate,

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of you my buddy!

/ Victor Tong Director CASH Studio

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

ZACHARY

HARIS ONG

Zachary Haris Ong & Associates is a design partnership based in Kuala Lumpur specialising in graphic design, visual identity and branding. Our team is led by Zachary Haris Ong (M.wREGA), who was listed in Prestige magazine’s Top 40 Movers and Shakers of Malaysia Under 40. In October 2015, he was unanimously voted as the first Malaysian (and ASEAN) President of the International Council of Design (ico-D).

T

Be it as a peer or as a friend, he will do his best to

synthesized into a two-way coaching session. No

extract you away from where you are and placing

doubt that it was subconsciously initiated, but it

you where you should be; reminding us that ‘our

was definitely a welcomed surprise and a significant

word is our bond’, and that everyone should

turning point for me as it was the moment where I

identify the hidden racket that’s holding them back.

was finally liberated from my former-self.

and his business partner was conducting

Incidentally, the word ‘integrity’ tends to rolls off his

The post-coaching eureka moment was indeed

a speaker’s interview for their first design

tongue, for example “…without integrity, nothing

Zach’s enlightenment as he continues to unravel

works”.

the possibilities not only for me, but for the team,

he first time I met Zach was when he

conference back in 2009. This was due to the fact that a creative director who couldn’t make it recommended me as the substitute.

the design industry, and finally, himself. We’ll save Zach’s success factor lies in his ability to anticipate

that for another day.

what’s at the end of the road beyond the noise.

William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and

Zach was composed throughout the interview as

One might say that his positive attitude is a

not expressing it is like wrapping a present and

he has to analyse the weight of bringing someone

constant contributor to his accomplishments, but

not giving it”, and with that I would like to express

relatively unknown into the spotlight. Despite

only a handful has witness what goes behind the

my sincerest gratitude to Zach for putting up with

the odds, he saw the possibility of collaborating

scenes. He surreptitiously and diligently grinds

my idiosyncrasies (almost on a daily basis) and for

together in the long run and approved the

hours on end yet hardly discloses the details of

believing in me from the day one.

recommendation almost immediately.

his obstacles.

Being one of the very few whom he implicitly

He has a unique trait of unlocking someone’s

The end genuinely justifies the means as he

trusts, it’s not only an honour but also a privilege

true potential through patience, observation, and

certainly has something to show for it. At times I

that reflects where we are today - and for that, I

discourse.

do worry for him as he is headstrong in completing

thank you. It is a pleasure working side by side with

the task at hand but this was never an overnight

you Mr President. More adventures to come!

As Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson continues to

success story.

solve the mysteries of the known universe, here’s one that they might be intrigued with. Zach has

Seems like it was only yesterday when we have

this inexplicable determination in staying positive

this legitimately deep 4-hour conversation about

throughout the toughest of situations.

the future of the design industry that suddenly

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Arez Ezman Associate / Creative Director Zachary Haris Ong & Associates

ZAFFUAN

ZIN

personally. Zaffuan is extremely humble person, he is always down-to-ear th whenever he speaks, wherever he goes. He treats everybody the same, regardless of their stance in life.

The most remarkable thing about his success is that he never sees himself as a successful person. He remains humble and supportive as he feels people should not validate themselves as successful because it may hinder progress. Zaffuan’s leadership and diligence are contributing factors to his success. He sees all problems as challenges and part of the learning cycle. In order to pursue a goal, he always seeks mentor for more counsel and advice.

Every time I meet Zaffuan, he always pays attention to what I say and take the advice I impart. He is such a good listener that he won’t give too much of opinion too fast but rather listen to all the details

I

from you, and analyse them later. Zaffuan is also very considerate. His good social networking skills was enchanted with Zaffuan’s enthusiasm and

also contributes to him getting done efficiently. He

profession when I met him for the first time as

is a true inspiration for a young entrepreneur and

a young entrepreneur in maritime industries. My

leader.

first impression about Zaffuan is that he is not, only focused on what he is doing but passionate over

To Zaffuan, I just want to say, that this life journey

ideas on business transformation and the maritime

is always a never ending one. You are developing

industry. His capabilities in handling issues and

a rags- to- riches story with faith, discipline and

excellent personality led him to have a good

strong value. I’m glad that success and fortune

networking team, and communicate with people

have not changed you as a person. Keep humble

without any obstacles. While he has true potential,

as usual and people will love who you are. Your

he was also genuine in his manner and words.

hardworking spirit and passion will make you be a more successful person in your industries. Keep

The most admirable qualities that I have found in him is that he is a very hardworking person.

He often sticks to what he wants to do, with a lot of determination and resilience. He knew specifically what he wanted to do in life, and moves straight into it. He never allows negativity

looking forward. Needless to say, I’m proud of you!

/ Jeneral (B) Dato’ Seri Diraja Tan Sri Haji Mohd Zahidi Bin Hj. Zainuddin Chairman AFFIN Holdings Berhad

to get to him, and never takes things too

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Zaffuan Zin is the Managing Director of D’Aquarian Sdn Bhd, a company that provides marine engineering solution such as mechanical, electrical and electronic.

D’Aquarian has established a system and services centre in Lumut to provide a direct and immediate service, advise and training to customers. The facilities provided has achieved tremendous service capability and gained the confidence of the customers.

/2

SPECIAL COMMENDABLE

ART & CULTURE

DATO’

AC

MIZAL

Dato’ Mizal Zaini or fondly known as AC Mizal, is an actor, singer, comedian, and former FM radio station in Malaysia. AC Mizal was once the lead singer for the allboys’ band 4U2C, winning him the Most Popular Group Artist award in 1997 besides claiming other Platinum Awards in Malaysia and Singapore. Now, the DNF GROUP Sdn Bhd Chairman, who has leapt over many hurdles, will officially air his latest venture: a RM100 million ringgit five-channel station called Syiok TV.

D

AC to me is an intelligent entertainer.

Success comes from his sharp survival instincts as

Working on a projects with him is a joy as he

That in itself is a very valuable commodity

well as always thinking about how to help others

always keeps the atmosphere light by constantly

in our industry. Knowing his history in the

help themselves by creating opportunities for

joking away to reduce even the most tense if

entertainment industry I can conclude that he is a

people to catch fish rather than giving them fish.

situations.

person that is constantly trying to better himself.

Having an in-depth knowledge of the workings

Constantly reinventing himself to keep himself

of the different disciplines of business like

The way he loves and cares for his family is

relevant in an ever-changing industry where you

conventional trading, Multi-Level Marketing, Online

exemplary and is a source of inspiration to me.

can be popular today and a nobody the next

marketing and also the digital radio business gives

I am very proud to know someone as talented,

day. Met DAC during our singing days and never

him an edge over many with regards to insights

caring and as driven as Dato’ AC. Having him

thought one day that we would be partners and

on what is required to make a business successful.

as a partner i find as a blessing, because we complement each other strength, weaknesses and

brothers in arms in this industry.

DAC is a doer and he also puts trust in people he

differences to become one of the major forces

DAC is a very talented entertainer and what is

is working with. As a film director it is so easy to

in the entertainment industry in Malaysia today.

important is that he knows his worth and has been

work with him as he is disciplined and executes

To be in business with someone who always has

able to sustain his popularity for almost 3 decades.

instructions to a T. A perfectionist. It is wonderful

your back is a godsend and this creates a great

One does not achieve such a feat without having

to work with him as you know the outcome of

environment for our business to thrive.

a deep understanding of how the industry works

your project is going to be great with him in it. He

and using that knowledge to his advantage.

has no qualms to go out of his comfort zone and

He is a very brave businessman and is not afraid to

to try new things. Has the balls to venture into

stand up for what he believes and is not afraid to

the unknown at times (even though my efforts to

fight for what he wants, even though it might rub

get him to eat fruit is still un-fruitful until today).

people the wrong way.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Dato’ Afdlin Shauki Co-Founder Syiok Media TV

DATO’

AFDLIN

SHAUKI

Vision Works is a local audio-visual production house committed to providing creative and exciting content for television, film, theatre and live or recorded musical performance.

The brainchild of Dato’ Afdlin Shauki, who also heads Shauki Vision and Comedy Planet.

Currently a producer, creative writer, singer, actor, and comedian. Afdlin also founded charitable organisation Yayasan Afdlin Shauki.

I

was watching a movie of his production, Papadom,

authentic he is as a person. As a well-known and

in the cinema. I was so touched with his role as

multi-talented actor, producer and director in the

the father and how he was trying to protect his

entertainment business, he is truly down to earth.

daughter. I could feel him. I was telling myself, one

Being a celebrity and distinguished industry leader

day, I want to know this guy closely and hope to be

with many awards to his name, he can choose

his friend. And my prayer was answered. Not long

to be aloof, but instead he is always modest and

after, I saw him having breakfast at McDonald’s at

humble.

the airport. I braved myself to speak to him and asked if I could write about him, his character and

Determination and passionate about giving and

share about his new movie. He said yes and he

helping others. Afdlin is a super hardworking

gave me his contact number. I felt like jumping up

man that I have ever known. He’s definitely a

and down when I got his number.The rest is history.

rare to find person. He could work continuously for days without eating or sleeping. He is a

His most admirable quality is he has big heart. He

crazy-hardworking-workaholic and he deserves

loves to help others. He has always given help

everything that he has now and much more in the

selflessly to many, even to those who in return

future.

backstab him. It may seem silly but that is how

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

When the chaos between Palestine and Israel started few years back, it was a heart-breaking and terrible moment for us as many civilians and innocent lives were lost. I remember out of a sudden, Afdlin said that he wants to go to Palestine to extend his support. And I was like, “Are you crazy bro? You don’t just wake up in the morning and suddenly decide that you want to fly to a war zone country to help? And you? A well-known celebrity and artist? Renown film director?”

He said, “Yes, I want to go there. I want to gather support from many others and highlight to everyone that we must show our support for the Palestinians and our Muslim brothers and sisters.”

You know what? He knows very well that he might not be coming back alive but he just went ahead and did it. And that’s him. He is very determined and big-hearted when it comes to contribution and love.

I personally admire him and his talent. I appreciate his authenticity and his heart to travel to help the Palestinians and Syrians. This is the key reason why he wants to grow his business. I know many artists and celebrities have a big heart to contribute as well, but ever since I knew Afdlin as Afdlin, I’m blown away by his selflessness and willingness to help anyone at anytime when the opportunity arises. He is willing to sacrifice so much just to contribute to others. This is truly a remarkable individual. My well wishes and prayers for him to have a blessed life always.

/ Azizan Osman Founder & Executive Chairman Richworks International Sdn Bhd

ELFIRA LOY

Work hard for what you really want and be as independent as you can. I have learned a lot from EL to be honest. She has taught me to let go and not to hold grudges on people. If people were to wrong you, you forgive, and you learn from it, you let it go. I don’t think a lot of people out there are aware of this, but EL is one of the most caring, most forgiving human beings I have ever met. She makes time for the people she loves, despite her being so occupied with work.

I would say EL’s success factors are determination and maturity. She is not afraid to try things out, she knows her potential and she knows what she is doing. I think these traits of hers, help her a lot.

We have shared a lot together and we have been to a few places together. I remember falling asleep in a Taxi in Indonesia and she too, was exhausted but she tried her hardest to stay awake just to

Nurul Elfira Loy Binti Ahmad Sabri or Elfira Loy is an actor, public figure and entrepreneur. She was voted best supporting actress at Anugerah Skrin 2011 and a nominee of Anugerah Bintang Popular. She is the face for many brands such as Honda Motor, Sunway Lagoon, Mie Sedap, National Heart Institute, RHB Bank, Mamee Slurp, and Maybeline. Elfira Loy also founded TwinklebyElfira, Love Me Seven Days Café’, El by Elfira Loy and Beach Market by Elfira.

I

was one of them. When I was doing my Bachelor’s Degree in Liverpool, I remember her taking a train from London to Liverpool just to spend a few hours with me because she knew how much I missed home. That was love… I will never forget

first saw her at an event before we started

that.

following each other on MySpace in 2007/2008.

We didn’t know each other but then I saw her

I’m sure she knows this already but, I am so,

walking with her mom carrying her -make-up bag-

genuinely happy for you, Elbee. I am proud of

that I was so into at the time. Long story short,

everything you have accomplished. Please remain

a friend of mine introduced me to her. And of

true to yourself and who you are, I am so positive

course, like everybody else, my first impression of

that you will continue to achieve many many great

EL was, “You’re so petite!”.

things in life, InsyaAllah.

I love how hard working she is. She is such a go-

/ Syahiera Khamsan

getter, and she’s too humble to admit it but she’s such a good role model to millennials nowadays.

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keep both of us safe. I treasure little things, and this

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Legal Correspondent Nano Malaysia Berhad

FARAH

ANN ABDUL HADI and her success is a result of her continuous efforts to do her best at everything she does. There are not many people who are able to balance being a full-time student, a professional athlete, having a career while living up to expectations as a national role model and ambassador to the numerous brands. Farah is one-of-a-kind.

One of the special moments I shared with Farah was when I flew to Rio, Brazil to support her at the Olympic Qualification Tournament. I will never forget her face when I walked up to her at her

Farah Ann made her first professional appearance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Her big breakthrough came a few years later at the 2015 SEA Games where she competed in all events – bars, beam, vaults, floor exercise, individual and team – and went on to secure her first gold medals in team events and floor exercise.

Recently, the 23-year old successfully defended her SEA Games gold in the women’s individual floor exercise, defeating Philippines and Indonesia.

hotel in Brazil and hugged her from behind. She had no idea I was coming, it was a surprise!!

During the competition a fall on an apparatus

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during the games cost her the qualification ticket to s her older sister, my very first encounter with Farah was on the 5th of May 1994, the day she was born. First impressions

of her was that she was a very tiny human being with amazing lung capacity. To this day our family reminds her to lower the volume of her voice when she gets excited. She’s just super bubbly and hyper-active!

Farah is naturally competitive and driven. She has worked hard everyday of her life since she was 5 years old to achieve her goals and that has translated into her everyday life. I also think her most amazing qualities are that she still remains humble, nice, and down-to-earth despite all the success and recognition. All her achievements in the sporting world and out are a testament to her tenacity and drive.

Farah is successful because she did not let the tough moments get her down. She got up, dusted it off and trudged on. She is relatable, well-rounded

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

the Olympics. As the only Malaysian who qualified to this stage she was extremely disappointed and upset. She had worked up to this moment all her life and she was worried she had missed her shot.

After the tournament we went up to the viewpoint in Rio -The Redeemer- overlooking the Sugarloaf with the amazing view of Rio. She brushed it off and set a new goal - qualifying for Tokyo 2020.

I’ve seen Farah growing so much over the years. I am extremely proud of her and the woman she has matured into. You are an amazing role-model to the younger generation and just an incredible person in general. I am lucky to have you in my life as a trusted sister and confidant. I love you and wish you all the best in the coming years ahead!

/ Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi Programme Director DSA Artistic Swimming

GERALDINE

GAN

Geraldine Gan is the Champion of Astro Star Quest 2011. She won the most awards at the Malaysia ‘PWH Music Awards 2015’ and ‘AIM Chinese 2016’.

In ‘The 7th Global Chinese Music Golden Chart Awards 2017’ which held in Beijing, her first lyric written song [A Solitary Adventure] won ‘MY FM The Most Required Song of The Year’.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Later, Chiu, the director of “The Journey” was looking someone to sing the theme song of this movie, under my recommendation, Geraldine passed the vocal casting. She was selected to be the lead singer for the theme song as well as the postlude for the movie, due to that, we also planned for her solo album. However, due to some other factors, the movie only can be released in 2014.

The detention of the movie affected Geraldine’s solo plan. Therefore, the only thing she could do was to wait.

However, in my opinion, I personally think that the detention was actually good for Geraldine. To become a successful artist, she has to able to stand the obstacles and difficulty. During the period of waiting, Geraldine adapted the hobby of reading and exercising. By reading, simply improved the

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content of her talking; by exercising, it helps her n recent years, she is a new singer recipient who

After winning the champion, Geraldine was sent

received the most awards in Malaysia Chinese

to Taiwan and attended “Taiwan Million Stars”

Music Industry, as well as one the most favourite

singing contest, it was an important step for all

singer in media.

the newly won singer. During the hard time, Geraldine was all alone for 6 months in a totally

I first met Geraldine when she was attending a

strange country along with all the shooting and

promotional activity held by Astro Star Quest

singing competitions. With all the stresses of daily

2011. back then she was performing “If I Ain’t Got

practice, routines, performing as well as the harsh

You”. This girl who performing on stage has her

comments from the judges, due to all the pressure

unique, warm but powerful voice. She is definitely a

caused, Geraldine faced her dark time. She got

potential singer, artist with her bright eyes.

into trouble, feeling anxiety and lost confidence!

However, under such high pressure, she still able to

During the final of Astro Star Quest, she performed

won the fifth in the contest.

a song by Faye Wong with a unique way on stage.

She impressed the audience by sitting in a box

Even after coming back to Malaysia, all the negative

while holding a small megaphone to perform this

vibes were still lingering, there is no other thing

powerful classic song. Besides, she also performed a

to do except giving her supports and showing

Malay song “Bukan Cinta Biasa”. Her special charm

confidence towards her. During this period, we

also let her became the champion of the night.

produced a song “BFF”, Geraldine performed

Later became the singer signed by Astro Artiste

together with her partner JY and the song had

Management, and began to start her artist journey.

become the most favourite song by all the youngster in this country.

to build a better stamina. There are the main two factors for an artist, it also helped Geraldine a lot during the promotional activities of the movie that held in various venue. Due to all these, Geraldine became the most famous and popular theme song singer. Because of the great mass rage, Geraldine launched “The Journey EP” and hit a sales record of seven thousand album, as well as more than 1 million views online. “The Journey” that hit 10 million at the box office is still holding the status of local Chinese movie highest box office record.

It is pleasant to work with such amazing artist, I hope that in the future with her spirit of determination, Geraldine continues to develop and blooming with her charm to the international stage.

/ ShaSha Chong AVP Astro Artiste Management

JANNA

NICK

Nurul Jannah Muner born on June 1, 1995, better known as Janna Nick is an actress and singer of a Malay , Chinese and Pakistan decent. She is acted in the Love Vlog (2012) telefilem. Her first single titled “Mungkin Saja” was launched on January 23, 2016 and later In May 2016, she became the spokesperson for FullAMark’s education portal owned by The New Straits Times Press. She is also ambassador for Fantasy Color Cosmetic (FCC) beauty product.

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he first time I met Janna Nick was around

encourage her to improve herself. She inspires to

5 years ago. When she was introduced

be a business woman. Dato’ Seri Aliff Syukri, Dato’

by a friend, my first impression of her

Vida and Neelofa are her idols; they are highly

was that she was shy person, and non-talkative.

disciplined, punctual and respect people’s time. If

But later on when I grew to know her better I

she’s finishes the day early, she’ll take time to sleep.

found she’s actually a happy go lucky, and has a

She use her time fully and efficiently.

good sense of humour. She is a positive person and brings up joy in every person she met. I consider

The most unforgettable moment was when she

her as family as we go everywhere and get things

held a surprise birthday party for me – at Lexis

done together. I even take a long & unpaid leave

Hibiscus, Port Dickson. She gathered all of our

from my job so that I can be with her and help

friends to celebrate my birthday and she covers

her in career as her PA. She’s still a humble person

my eyes from Seremban to PD to surprise me.

despite being popular; she still treat her friends and

It was so sweet of her and i didn’t expect she

family the same.

would go through such hassel for me. After weeks of working together we finally have a chance to

She is honest to herself and career. She likes

spend quality time together – with friends and

being herself. She dont show to people if she’s

family. It was a lovely moment for me.

stressed out and keeps to herself, which I find very professional.

Janna, I hope you become successful in everything in life and may you have a kind and lovely husband.

Her happy go lucky character makes working

spend her free time bringing her family to watch

I want to see you become millionaire before you

environment more lively and fun; people are easy

movies or having dinner together. She’ll work very

turn 30. Don’t forgot to pray and don’t forget

around her because of her humour.

hard, and then take a long leave to spend time with

about your parents. Family always comes first.

her family on vacation.

She likes to plan ahead. At 22 years old, she already owns a home, stable financially and invest

She’s an all goer and doesn’t like to procrastinate

on assets rather than spending on goods. She does

and she hates people who procrastinate. She

everything for her family and is very close to her

is always open to new opinions and accept

younger sisters (Balqis & Iris) and her mom. She’ll

constructive criticism. She loves people who

/ Sakinah Hj Awang Personal Assistant

MICHAEL

ANG

Michael Ang hails from Melaka and a Broadcasting graduate. Bored with doing tv commercials, he decided to produce movies, drama and musical theatre. In a span of only six years in Malaysian entertainment industry, he has produced & directed Astro’s highest rated drama Suri Hati Mr Pilot. He also directed Malaysia’s first Korean drama adaptation ‘My Coffee Prince’.

M

y first impression of Michael is that

A special moment you have shared with Michael

he is a relaxed and easy-going person.

that best describe his character would be the

Although he is a very happy-go-lucky

moments when we are candid and frank with each

person, he is a perfectionist almost in anything he

other. We laugh so hard every time we spend time

does.

together in a cafe sharing jokes. I never get bored of his silly humour and funny character.

What I admire about Michael the most is his openness and humility. He is colorblind as he

Michael, I would like to say thank you for being a

never compares the differences between race and

‘nut head’ just to cheer me up on my bad days.You

religion.

are a invaluable friend to me. I hope we remain friends until we turn old and grey. Also, I hope you

I would attribute Michael’s success to his humility,

find someone to share your life and celebrate your

and simplicity. He always wears simple outfit every

wins in the near future. Please get married soon as

time his out on a casual outing. Other success

you deserve to have a family, a happy family.

factors includes his relentless and perfectionist nature. He never gives up and always want the best outcome in work.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Puteri Zarith

Director VS Beauty Expert Sdn Bhd

NABIL AHMAD

Ahmad Nabil Ahmad is a comedian, tv presenter, emcee, radio DJ, and singer who hails from Mambau, Negeri Sembilan. He made his mark in the industry after winning the second season of Raja Lawak in 2008, earned the name ‘Nabil Raja Lawak’. Now, he runs his own film studio Nabil Production Sdn Bhd while engaging himself as TV presenter for MeleTOP and GegarVaganza.

I

solution to any problem, and not whining about it.

It is hard to see him stressed out or angry about anything. His attitude makes everyone who works with him loves him and he always fulfill client requirements.

He respects everyone even that he met. He treats people kindly and gifted in convincing people to see his point of view. He loves to talk and with

’ve have known him for 9 years and we have gone

his sense of humor, he makes everyone feel

through a lot together, be it good or bad.The first

comfortable around him. He is a PR champion.

time I met him was after he won the Raja Lawak

Season 2 contest in 2008. He’s a funny guy, very

We share the same hobby: riding on our

creative and easy to work with. Even though he’s

motorbike. Most weekends we will find delicious

from the kampung and doesn’t really know anyone

food and lepak together with our gang. We talk

in the industry, but he is an independent person

about our families, new projects, and ideas. The

with a big heart and even bigger ambitions. He

most memorable moment with him is when we

dwells well with everyone in the industry. People

went for a holiday together with our families in

hardly have a problem with him as he’s down-to-

Koh Pangan, Thailand. It was a 5 days 4 nights

earth and polite. He is a very good listener as you

holiday and this was when I grew to really know

can share anything with him and he always try to

him. My family loves him and he is my children’s

help sort your problems. He’s still a humble person

favorite uncle.

despite being popular; he still treats his family and friends the same.

I wish you success in everything you do. I love you as my own brother. I hope this friendship will stay

He is generous even in giving ideas or comment

long until we die. Take care and enjoy the rest of

and easy to work with. To me we are a good

your life as you deserve the best in life.

combination, we complete each other and help each sort out our weaknesses. Whenever we had problems or argument, he’s so professional and mature in handling it. He will always find the

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Helmi Yusof Film Director Califwork Studios Sdn Bhd

NAJIB

ASADDOK

Najib Asaddok is an Internet Entrepreneur since 2009 and currently the CEO of Momentum Internet Sdn Bhd. He is one of Malaysia’s top ranked trainer, speaker and also the author of 2 Top Selling books, Roket Emel and Roket Bisnes.

Najib Asaddok had trained more than 20,000 entrepreneurs from all over Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. His followers on Facebook consistently grow to almost 500,000 followers.

I

first met him in 2015, at a business seminar. My

having learned from his own mistakes in the past.

copywriting and improve my content to highlight

first impression when i met him was he looks

It is his hope that his students do not fall into the

my product’s benefits.

like a good gentleman and trustworthy. His way

same pitfalls. He loves to learn as well and to do

of communicating and body language exudes

so he travel overseas to Los Angeles , California,

Please don’t stop doing what you do or grow

confidence. His views was easy to understand

San Diego ,Silicon Valley and San Francisco. He

tired to give knowledge to people and continue

and relate to. Perhaps it was how he arranged the

meets with famous and great entrepreneurs to

add value in people’s life. Eventough there’s some

words and express his thoughts which I felt was

learn. He believe, human life can change if there

mistakes that you have made and people use it

unique. He knows exactly the right words to say.

is knowledge, attitude & passion. He also believes

against you, do not be afraid in moving forward and

that being a faithful and humble according to Islam

learn from mistakes. We as human beings are never

He’s a very good listener and always have ideas on

teaching helps oneself on personal and business

detached from making mistakes. Thanks for being a

how to help people around him. He’s very open

success.

good friend of mine and thanks for giving me great

to opinion and suggestions and he is pretty good

advice. Thanks for being my friend during the bad

at convincing people as well.

One of the great moment that I remember was

times and good. I hope this friendship stays until

when I shared a hotel room with him. We were

Jannah – thank you.

He’s so committed in giving knowledge to people

attending an inner circle meeting with Azizan

and loves to see his students become successful.

Osman in January 2016. I learned new knowledge

He shares everything-all of his experience in sales

from him as we spend a time changing opinions

and internet market-which makes him a great

on how to improve our business and ourselves.

mentor and teacher. He has a good foresight after

He taught me how to create a perfect online

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Leo Adi Putra CEO Amani Life Sdn Bhd

PANDELELA

RINONG Pandelela Rinong Pamg – Malaysia’s Diving Princess made her ‘big splash’ in diving by grabbing the bronze medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, earning her the title as the first female Malaysian athlete to win a medal at the Olympics. The fresh-faced Bidayuh lass from Sarawak started diving at 8 years of age, working her way from State-level to the National Team. Pandelela indulges in her passion for K-Pop music, and fashion styles.

She takes a special interest in environmental and animal conservation. trustworthy friend and we could share and talk about anything, be it good or bad. During her bad days, I can see she is upset just by looking at her face. Knowing her character, I would ignore her at first, and wait for her to calm down before I could do or say anything to make her feel better.

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he first time I met her was in 2007 at Bukit Jalil Sports School. She was very quiet and shy. To me, she seems like a very nice person and so I approached her.

I was also impressed that she could speak Mandarin fluently.

When we became roommates, she became more comfortable with me over the years.

We started to open up more to each other and understand each other better.

Despite our different personalities, we could tolerate each other and she became my confidant when in need. I never expect that she would be my best buddy as our characters are totally the opposite. She is a

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She is very kind and soft on the outside but strong spirited within. She’s a tough girl and she likes adventures and takes setbacks as challenges in life. She remains humble despite having achieved so many awards in her career.

Although she’s my best friend, I still look up at her as my idol because of her achievements.

She has given me the motivation to push myself to be as successful as her.

Her discipline and the support from everyone especially her family have contributed to her success. Her strong mentality has given her the strength to compete under pressure. She also prays to God for guidance and thanks to Him for the success. Another factor is that she knows how and when to manage her stress.

For example she goes to Kpop concerts

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

to chill out. Other than that, she keeps a balanced lifestyle like eating healthy food and getting enough sleep. On her moody days, she would dine out and eat her favourite food; Chilli Pan Mee would make her day, anyday.

Over the years, we grew closer and created an unbreakable bond like sisters. We do get a lot of comments from people that we look alike and sometimes people mistook us as twins. We love adventures and we did an impromptu trip to Langkawi for a weekend gateway just to go parasailing and jetskiing.

We do enjoy going to the Kpop concerts especially BigBang. Being roommates for about 8 years now, we basically do almost everything together: eat, sleep, train, shop etc.

The best part is that we “go crazy” together and laugh all day at ourselves.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to say thank you “chingu”(friend in Korea) for sincerely being my best buddy for almost 10 years now ( and counting). I hope our friendship would last forever. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am now.I love you as my best friend and I am proud of you. You have inspired so many people and made all Malaysians proud. My dear friend, always remembers to keep your spirit high no matter what. / Tracie Ang Malaysian Artistic Gymnasts

ROZITA CHE WAN

Rozita Abu Bakar or better known as Rozita Che Wan and Che Ta was born on March 9, 1973 and is a famous Malaysian Actress, Host and Entrepreneur. She is well-known for the comedy series Kiah Pekasam which managed to place her as one of the most popular female comedy actresses. Despite being famous for comedic characters being nominated several times at Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian, she was also nominated for the title of Best TV Actress Anugerah Skrin 2011 and Best TV Supporting Actress Anugerah Skrin 2008 for her serious acting in the drama Masih Ada Harapan and Wasiat Fitrah.

Che Ta is really smart and intelligent in handling

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beauty and perfume empire called RCW and is he first time I met her was in Malacca. She had just finished her Teleraya Movie shoot with ASTRO and my first impression

of her was she’s a beauty with brains. She’s the real definition of woman power. Not only does she talk with confidence, is knowledgeable and experienced in business - Che Ta is also an avid Investor who also owns a few businesses. She is particular in everything including what she wears and always aims to look good in front of the camera. Attaining a sense of excellence is evident in her family life as she is the lovely mother and powerful businesswoman combined. She can take care of her family while being an ambassador to her businesses – giving talks and attending events.

She is also an open minded mother and her sons and daughter really adore her.

several businesses from the way she talks to clients, VIPs and Ministers will blow your mind. It is rare to see a woman who is so beautiful but at the same time has a broad knowledge about business and investments.

She is confident in the way she carries herself which is also evident in her dressing which makes everyone who meets her being fascinated by her and because of that quality, she now owns a building and has a lot of products which successful in the market to her name. She owns her own clear about what she wants in life in terms of her vision and mission.

Che Ta is committed and focused in getting what she wants in life. We have had a lot fun together and I cannot single out one particular instance – but many in which we always have so much to laugh about when we meet. She is a funny, charming and beautiful person, and everyone loves being around her.

I hope everything goes well for you, your family and businesses. Keep on achieving great things and do not be defeated by challenges in life. The sky’s the limit! Thank you for being a good friend all this while, through thick and thin.

/ Afeeq Abd Wahab CEO Laugh Out Loud Entertainment Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

WAK

DOYOK

It’s hard to have over a million followers and remain a mystery, yet Wak Doyok manages to do so with style. Borned Mohd Azwan Nor, Wak Doyok is living proof of the old business mantra ‘timing is everything’. An early Instagram user, and a former labourer, he filled a vacuum in the social media. Over the years, he leveraged his brand into a series of beard oils, barbershops and even a became part of a reality TV series in Malaysia and Indonesia.

T

Success factors of Wak are his focus and commitment – he will not do his job half way. He always make things happen but focuses on one tasks at a time. He makes sure he completes a project successfully and then only he would move on to another. He’s so committed and keen to learn anything new in business.

Most of the special moment that we had is during our vacation overseas. Wak loves to travel. Traveling

he first time I met Wak was on 12th

with him is so much fun. That’s his true self, witty

September 2014, which was three years

and full of energy and fund. What you saw in TV is

ago. I met him after the TV program called

his true personality. The most memorable memory

‘Ke Korea Ke Kita’, which he hosted. Out first

with Wak was when we travel to Milan. We arrived

meeting was in Hard Rock Café, Jalan Tun Razak.

at the Milan airport but he landed in Rome, and

He wanted to have his own business, but was

instead of being panicky we found it hilarious.

afraid to trust anyone and asked me to guide him in doing business. I said okay I was charmed with

I hope Wak can get married next year to someone

his unique personality and more importantly, he

who could take care of my brother and business

was easy to talk with.

partner. All the best in any of your business endeavour and do not be beaten by the challenges

The greatest thing about Wak is he’s always on

in life. Always be happy and grateful with what you

time – no matter with whom he’s meeting with.

have now. All the best in life.

Timing is very crucial for him as he is a busy man.

He would come 30 minutes early in any meeting and even when in a shooting of a program, he would show up early.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

/ Asyraf Mazlan Director Puncak Global Ventures Sdn Bhd

WINNIE K

Winnie K is a popular Singer who was awarded with the title “Vocalist Extraordinaire of The Year 2017” at the McMillan Woods Global Awards and “Malaysia Most Impactful Award 2017” in Asia’s Most Impactful Awards. Recently, she was named “Outstanding Performer 2017” in CHINA ASEAN’s Top Business Awards that was held in Guang Zhou, China. Winnie K has released five solo albums and 10 compilations album and is the first Chinese singer who released a Malay language album in Indonesia.

I

her success is her determination to succeed.

She practises very hard before any performance.

Winnie has been singing for almost two decades and has won so many recognitions and awards.

She is also very well-known in the industry and is always invited to events locally and abroad.

We have shared a lot of special moments together.

Winnie often confides in me in terms of advice or views as well as about her family and personal

first met Winnie after returning home from China two years ago. Before this, I was based in China for ten years after my stint as a Stewardess

with Singapore Airlines. I met Winnie who is also my neighbour at G Tower in Kuala Lumpur. Winnie has been a very friendly and easy-going friend to me. People draw close to her because of her helpful and caring nature.

She is very passionate about her singing career.

She started singing at the tender age of three.

She turned her hobby into a successful career as a Singer now with thousands of fans and followers.

To me, Winnie is a very talented person as she is able to sing in a few dialects including Mandarin, Hokkien, Bahasa Malaysia, Indonesian and more.

Despite this, she is still a very down-to-earth and humble person to me.

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Some of the factors that have contributed to

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

encounters. At times, I invite her to my house to spend leisure time together with my family.

I understand her position as a singer which is not an easy feat as she practises often for her performances and spends lots of time away from her family and friends. On a personal level, she makes a very good confidant. It was a great pleasure to have an opportunity to know her - up close and personal.

I always tell her that all her efforts and diligence will surely pay off in the end because of her passion and her sincerity. I would like to wish her even more success in her life and career but most importantly, to start building a home and family life for herself.

/ Tung Mei Chin Ex-Miss Malaysia Universe 2001

YANA

SAMSUDIN

The Malaysian darling of entertainment industry, Yana Samsudin, a talented actress, singer songwriter, film director is also a successful entrepreneur. She is theFounder of Ayana Hijab, and YanaSuperCookies, a F&B catering business operating in Shah Alam. She is also the Board of Director of Prokuya Studios, an online advertising, TV commercial production & celebrity.

in 2011. She won as the Most Popular Film Actress

I can say that while she is very workaholic, there

in Anugerah Bintang Popular 26.

are things that public don’t know about her. There was atleast twice when she was advised to be

All the award winning never changed her

admitted due to exhaustion. But her reply was

personality. She still a humble person who never

“Doctor, you do what you need to do to heal

look down at anyone. She is an inspiration to me

me tonight, because tomorrow morning i will go

and all her fans. All her motivational words, keep

to work, and i will never let the production team

us moving forward to achieve our dreams and

down”. This was what happened when she was

become a better person each day.

shooting for ‘Cerita Kita’ in 2013.

Yana Samsudin who was very passionate

She show her fans gratitude a business she

Early 2015, she was appointed ambassador of a

with her work. She finished a “Adnan

established called YANASUPERCOOKIES by letting

beauty product “Sofeeya Diamond” and ahead

Sempit” film shooting at 4am and continued a

her fans make extra money during ramadhan for

of the launching date she suddenly collapse after

drama shoot with another production just for

almost 6 years.

contracting dengue fever. After only two days in

E

ight years ago i witnessed a young girl name

hours later at 8am. Wow! this is no ordinary girl i

hospital ward, she was discharged to attend the

thought to myself. She is energetic, motivated and

I would attribute her success to discipline and focus.

launching event. When she was newly married, just

result oriented.

She has passion to ensure anything she is involved

3 days after wedding, we came back to KL from

with will come to success. She will do whatever it

Johor to shoot for Super Coffee TV Commercial

takes to complete the task.

and subsequently attending event and talks.

talents in the entertainment industry: sing, act,

She never stops learning new things to improve

Sayang, you are my greatest wife, greatest mommy

direct a movie and editing videos. Nominated as

herself.We experience a lot doing business together,

to my son, my best friend and my awesome

youngest female director at her age of 23 years old

in particular at YanaSuperCookies doing seasonal

business partner. Every day I pray that we will

directing her 1st film Selamat Pagi Cinta for MIG

cookies for Ramadhan and Aidilfitri. The company

always be loving to each other, always in a good

Pictures Sdn Bhd. I learned a lot from her.

has become one of the preffered food caterers in a

health and wealthy. One day we will become more

factory in Shah Alam. Our second company Prokuya

successful in life and continue to contribute back to

All her hardwork pays off when she being selected

Studios does advertising, celebrity management

our family and society.

as Best Supporting Actress at Festival Filem

and TV Commercial production. Meanwhile, theres

Malaysia 23 in 2009. Best Heroin in Anugerah

Ayana by Yana Samsudin, a cloting line of a modest

Blockbuster 1 in 2010 and Anugerah Blockbuster 2

attire business.

She is like a super women, she can drive and makeup at the same time. She has showed many

May Allah grant us Jannah, Amin

/ Fadzil Zahari

Managing Director / General Manager Prokuya Studios Sdn Bhd

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

ZIZAN

RAZAK

Zizan Razak is a comedian, television host, actor a rapper and singer. Born in Dungun, Terengganu, he has been active in the Malaysian entertainment industry since 2007.

Known from the infamous Raja Lawak show, this multi-award-winning artiste and soughtafter actor has several televisions, reality shows and movies under his belt including the highest grossing film Police Evo.

W

hen I first met Zizan for the first

When people ask me to share our special

time, I thought he would be a little

moments together, I’d say the times when the

arrogant since he’s a big Malaysian

both of us could spend some time away from his

star but honestly I never expect him to be this

busy schedule just to chill and lounge around at

humble and down-to-earth. Since the nature of his

home are the most special. He is a totally different

job requires us to spend a lot of our time together,

man when his mind is clear from work thus being

we had the opportunity to know each other better,

able to have proper conversations about life in

maybe sometimes a little bit too much. I’ve learned

general is something I would cherish forever. But of

that he is a kind-hearted, open-minded and a funny

course, having the opportunity to be a part of the

man on and off camera.

entertainment industry with him is an experience I will never forget.

One thing I admire most about him is that he never judges anyone. I could tell him almost anything

If you’re reading this Zizan, never stop doing what

random and he would just listen. On top of that,

you love but please don’t forget to take a breather

I would say that he is my biggest inspiration as he

occasionally. How are you going to fulfil your

gives the best advices and motivates me to be a

mother’s wish for you to be married next year if

better person.

you’re constantly working?

Zizan is unquestionably the most hardworking actor I’ve ever met. He is willing to sacrifice a lot of his family time, birthdays and other personal

/ Khirool Anuar Personal Assistant Rocketfuel Entertainment

events in order to be where he is now. His success comes from his hard work & the support from his fans. Without them, I don’t think he would be able to achieve the superstardom.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

ABOUT

PUBLISHER E

ntrepreneur Insight is a monthly entrepreneurial magazine published by Armani Media Sdn Bhd. In line with its motto “Entrepreneurs Growing Entrepreneurs”,

Entrepreneur Insight engages numerous platforms which include among others, the Malaysia Entrepreneur Convention (MEC) which made it into The Malaysia Book of Records as Malaysia’s Largest Entrepreneur Convention, having recorded over 3,036 participants to the event.

Under its banner, Entrepreneur Insight also hosts the Entrepreneur Insight Summit, Entrepreneur Insight Workshop and Entrepreneur Insight Insider which all serve as gateways for Entrepreneurs to grow and excel together while taking success to the next level.

The exclusive Entrepreneur Insight Club also takes precedence under Entrepreneur

Malaysia’s Largest Entrepreneur Convention

Insight’s initiatives, gathering like-minded business owners and Entrepreneurs to propel their skills and knowledge in business. A unique aspect of this club lies with its community focused business mentorship.

Entrepreneur Insight is also very active with its presence felt on print and on its online platform. Fresh, updated and comprehensive coverage including video content is updated daily, making this the go-to place for catching up with the latest news and business trends unfolding in the industry.

AHBA LOGO DESIGN

ASIA HALAL BRAND

AWARDS FONT: VOLLKORN REGULAR COPPERPLATE GOTHIC BOLD

Konvensyen Usahawan Bumiputra (KUB) is also the brainchild of Entrepreneur Insight which serves as a unique platform created to address what was perceived as a missing niche in the market with regards to Bumiputra Entrepreneurs.This platform was created to assist new Bumiputra Entrepreneurs to develop and sharpen their business acumen and grow their businesses. Held for the first time ever this year, KUB 2017 successfully garnered a record 2,630 participants which is by far, the largest Bumiputra Entrepreneur convention ever held.

13-14 JAN 2017

Adding another feather to its cap, this year, Entrepreneur Insight is upping the ante by further organising the Asia Halal Brand Awards (AHBA) 2017. This is the first halal award of its kind which is endorsed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and Halal Industry Development Corporation (HIDC).

In addition to this, Entrepreneur Insight also has the foresight to organise the first-ever privately organised Kuala Lumpur International Halal Expo (KLIHE) 2018 which will be held at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre.

+

Moving forward, EI+ is the latest apps which will be launched under Entrepreneur Insight which is a disruptive application technology that is anticipated to revolutionise the entire Entrepreneurs’ community ranging from networking, equity funding to barter trade.

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THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS