Quek
Leng Chan Quek Leng Chan was born on August 12, 1943 in Singapore. His father, Hong Lye and uncles Kwek Hong P’ng, Kwek Hong Hai and Kwek Hong Beng came to Singapore from Fujian province in China in 1928. The Kwek brothers opened a trading, property, and finance business in 1941. Quek graduated as a barrister in England. In the early 60’s, he was sent to Malaysia to set up the family’s business there. When Malaysia was separated from Singapore in 1965, Quek pursued his own destiny. Armed with the business acumen he inherited from his father, he decided to expand. Not content with the hardware business, he set up a few companies to engage in the manufacture of building materials. The group expanded rapidly in Malaysia. It moved into financial services in the 1970s, followed by banking in 1981 after the acquisition of Hong Kong’s Dao Heng Bank, and semiconductors in 1984. From the manufacturing of building materials such as ceramic tiles, concrete products, fiber cement board, and steel, the Group also makes furniture, assembles Yamaha motorcycles, and manufactures newsprint, flour, edible oils, and detergents. Hong Leong Bank has 185 branches including the Hong Leong Islamic Bank, 17 business and trade centers, more than 640 self-service terminals, internet, and mobile banking. It also has branches in Singapore and Malaysia. Its bank in Mainland China, the Bank of Chengdu Company Limited is the largest city commercial bank in Western China. In the area of property development, the Group owns GuocoLand Limited, an award-winning developer whose developments are distinguished by quality, innovative designs, and concepts. It has substantial lots in Singapore, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. GuocoLeisure Limited represents the Group’s investment in the hospitality and leisure business. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited, owns and manages 38 hotels in the United Kingdom. In Malaysia, Hong Leong Group owns and operates the Guoman Hotel in Port Dickson, a resort that faces the Malacca Straits. Most Chinese entrepreneurs embraced Confucian principles. One such principle is repaying in kind the favors and services received from society. As Chan himself puts it, “We should be mindful that we avoid building a group whose total concentration is to make profit – devoid of human touch and excitement.” Thus, the Group established Hong Leong Foundation (http://www.hongleongfoundation.org/) in 1982. Chan is also the Chairman of the Hong Leong Foundation. Its programs are geared towards the reduction of poverty in Malaysia by providing scholarships, small enterprise assistance, school buildings, community buildings, and providing relief in times of national disasters. It also makes significant contributions to the promotion of the arts. Sources: Nurani, Norsiah. Hong Leong’s Humble Roots (Posted
on March 16, 2006 in Malaysian Business. Photo credits: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/10/billionaires-2009-richest-people_Quek-Leng-Chan_S1DG.html  |
The Hong Leong Group (http://www.hongleong.com/) was born as a hardware
store at almost the same time that Malaysia was separated from Singapore
in 1965. Today, it is one of the biggest and most diverse conglomerates
in Malaysia involved in banking, hotels, manufacturing, among several
others and is headed by one of Malaysia’s richest men, Quek
Leng Chan.