This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 30, 2023 - November 5, 2023
A total of 14 people have been shortlisted for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) Malaysia 2023 awards in the emerging entrepreneur, technology entrepreneur, woman entrepreneur and master entrepreneur categories. The nominees in the four categories were identified by a panel of independent judges guided by a set of judging criteria applied globally by the EY EOY programme.
The top nominees in the emerging entrepreneur category are Ker Chin Keong of E Health Sdn Bhd, William Tan Wei Lun of ITMAX System Bhd, Ezra Tan Koon Hock of Kairos Harvest Sdn Bhd and Ian Chua and Venon Tian of ZUS Coffee.
The top nominees in the technology entrepreneur category are Dr Raymond Choy of DOC2US, Giva Kuppusamy of GK Aqua Sdn Bhd and Tommy Lim of ICT Zone Asia Bhd.
As for the woman entrepreneur category, the nominees are Dr Tan Hui Ling of Bagan Specialist Centre, Lee Hui Jing of BilaBila Mart and Sandy Tan Sing Yee of Optimax Holdings Bhd.
In the master entrepreneur category, the top three nominees are Vinesh Sinha of FatHopes Energy Sdn Bhd, Datuk Foong Wei Kuong of JF Technology Bhd and Ong Hang Ping of Sunview Group Bhd.
The winners of the four categories as well as the EY EOY 2023 Malaysia award will be announced at a ceremony in December. In June next year, the Malaysia EY EOY 2023 will join other country award recipients in Monte Carlo, Monaco, to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 award.
Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd and programme director of EY EOY Malaysia Philip Rao said nominees undergo a rigorous evaluation process that spans several months, including thorough due diligence and interviews. “The EOY programme’s prestigious reputation continues to draw nominations from diverse backgrounds and industries, reflecting the programme’s unwavering commitment to upholding steadfast standards and high benchmarks, a tradition carried forward since its inception,” he added.
The top nominees were selected based on the globally benchmarked judging criteria that includes entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and sustainable business, growth-oriented innovation in fostering a pioneering culture, and impact achieved through diversity and inclusion across multiple dimensions, said Rao.
Ernst & Young PLT Malaysia managing partner Datuk Abdul Rauf Rashid said the EOY programme has been showcasing the extraordinary journey of Malaysia’s forward thinking business owners over the past 20 years.
“These pioneers have not only challenged the conventions of doing ‘business as usual’ but have also continued to incorporate sustainable practices into their operations as they reimagine building a better working world. We are proud to share their success stories, valuing not only what they have accomplished, but also the indelible mark they leave on our communities and the nation,” he added.
The esteemed judges include Aeon (M) Bhd group chief merchandise and marketing officer Low Ngai Yuen, Aerodyne Group founder and group CEO Kamarul A Muhamed, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat’s Tan Sri Rebecca Sta Maria, Bursa Malaysia Bhd CEO Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift, Hyrax Oil Sdn Bhd founder and group managing director Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp head of digital investment Raymond Siva, and ViTrox Corp Bhd president and CEO Chu Jenn Weng.
The EY EOY award is the first and only truly global awards programme of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programmes in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries.
For more information on the EOY 2023 Malaysia programme and to submit a nomination, visit www.ey.com/my/eoy.
The Edge is the media partner of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Malaysia 2023
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