This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on May 29, 2023 - June 4, 2023

THE EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) Malaysia programme is back for its 22nd year and is inviting members of the public and business community to nominate distinguished entrepreneurs for a chance at winning the coveted title.

Nominations for this year’s awards are open from now until June 30. Entries can be made in four categories — Emerging, Technology, Woman and Master — and an overall country winner, who will be chosen from among the four category winners, will go on to represent Malaysia at the prestigious EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) event in 2024.

The awards this year seek to recognise entrepreneurs who are continuously repainting and reframing our economy from innovative new angles through their work ethos via the theme “The Art of Entrepreneurship”.

“The theme this year pays homage to the artful balance of passion, determination, character and skills that is needed to create businesses that address the most complex challenges and build a better working world. 

“Outstanding entrepreneurs, in the pursuit of their entrepreneurial aspirations to build a company that is resilient to challenges and disruption, persistently demonstrate these exceptional qualities. In doing so, they create genuine masterpieces that leave a valuable and lasting impact on the communities and the economies in which they operate,” says Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd partner Philip Rao, who is the programme director of EOY Malaysia.

Rao says that the EOY Malaysia programme has grown to become an important part of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem over the last 21 years.

“To date, the programme has had the privilege to celebrate over 300 of our home-grown entrepreneurs, representing various industries and scales. We look forward to showcasing more of such inspiring visionaries and innovators, their successes and their positive impact through the programme, both on the national and global platforms,” he adds.

Rao urges local entrepreneurs, regardless of their industry, size or background to participate in the EOY programme.

“We believe there are many inspiring entrepreneurial stories in Malaysia that deserve to be shared and celebrated,” he says.

The nominees for the awards will be assessed based on entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact by a panel of independent judges who will be guided by a set of globally benchmarked criteria.

Next month, the winner of EOY Malaysia 2022, ViTrox Corp Bhd’s president and CEO Chu Jenn Weng, will be representing Malaysia at the WEOY in Monte Carlo. He will compete with winners from close to 60 countries.

EOY is the first and only truly global programme of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries.  

The Edge is the media partner of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Malaysia 2023

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