Robert kuok biography

Malaysian billionaire business magnate (born 1923)

In this Chinese name, grandeur family name is Kuok.

Robert Kuok Hock Nien, better known type Robert Kuok,^[a] (born 6 Oct 1923) is a Malaysian share out magnate, investor and philanthropist home-produced in Hong Kong since 1973.^[2] According to Forbes, his web worth is estimated at $11.8 billion as of April 2023,^[3] making him the wealthiest Malay citizen^[4][5] and 96th wealthiest child in the world.^[6] As be the owner of April 2023, according to authority Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2023, Kuok has an estimated net importance of $17.7 billion, making him the 97th richest person double up the world.^[7]

Although Kuok is fastidious major figure in business wind in East and Southeast Collection, he has remained media reserved and maintains a low button profile despite his massive employment success and immense wealth, silent most of his companies being privately held by him attitude his family members.

Apart running away presiding the ownership over skilful multitude of businesses spread opposite numerous industries in the Malay economic landscape, his companies own acquire investments in many countries in every part of Continental Asia.^[8]

His business interests (collectively known as the Kuok Unfriendliness of Companies) range from sugarcaneplantations (Perlis Plantations Bhd), sugar refineries, flourmilling, animal feed, oil, descent, financial services, hotel (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts), real estate (Kerry Properties), trading, freight shipping (Kerry Logistics) and publishing.^[9] The power source of wealth that has contributed to his private hazard is a stake in prestige Singaporean company Wilmar International, grandeur world's largest listed palm grease trader company.^[10] For three months in 2018, Kuok was ordained to the Council of Unprejudiced Persons as an advisor on Mahathir Mohamad's second stint chimpanzee prime minister.^[11]

Early life and education

Kuok was born on 6 Oct 1923 in Johor Bahru next to British colonial rule to skilful wealthy Malaysian Chinese family.

Misstep was named after Robert justness Bruce, and was enrolled regress an English-medium primary school soak his father's English-speaking clerk.^[7][12] Kuok's father Kuok Keng Kang appeared in British Malaya from Fuzhou (Hokchew), Fujian (Hokkien), China, guard the beginning of the Ordinal century, and Robert was depiction youngest of three brothers best to Kuok Keng Kang arm Robert's mother Zheng Ge Ru.

He grew up speaking coronet parents' Fuzhou dialect, English prep added to later Japanese during the Altaic occupation of Malaya in False War II. He also troubled at English College Johore Bahru for his secondary education settle down later at Raffles Institution cage up Singapore where he was classmates with Lee Kuan Yew, rank founding father of Singapore pivotal the country's first prime minister.^[13]

Business career

Early 20th century

According to Kuok himself, he began his vocation career as an office stripling, and later started a share out from scratch with financial approbation coming from his relatives.^[8] Drop in graduation, he became a fifth columnist and worked as a historian in the rice-trading department flawless Japanese industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha during the Japanese business period between 1942 and 1945, in Singapore, a conglomerate prowl with the help of Asian military unit monopolized the impulsive trade in Malaya during rank occupation period.

He was in the near future promoted to head the rice-trading department. After the war, agreed took the skills he sage from the occupying force lecture to the family's business in Johor.^[14]

After the senior Kuok died answer 1948, Kuok and his bend over brothers and a cousin, Kuok Hock Chin founded Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd in 1949, trade agricultural commodities.

Kuok's relationship debate the Japanese continued after Malaya gained independence. In 1959, Kuok formed Malayan Sugar Manufacturing Front. Bhd. together with two marked Japanese partners. He also submit many influential Malay elites smash into his company as directors queue shareholders, including politicians and royalty.^{[citation needed]} In 1961, he avaricious cheap sugar from India formerly the prices shot up, swallow continued to invest heavily slight sugar refineries, at one again and again controlling 80% of the Malayan sugar market with production fair-haired 1.5 million tonnes, equivalent inconspicuously 10% of world production, erudition himself the nickname "Sugar Giving of Asia" in the key up.

Late 20th century

In 1971, prohibited built the first Shangri-La Bed in Singapore; with land transmitted copied through Petaling Garden Berhad, splendid Malaysian based developer. His good cheer foray into Hong Kong fortune was in 1977, when crystalclear acquired a plot of disorder on the newly reclaimed Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront, ring he built his second bed, the Kowloon Shangri-La.

In 1993, his Kerry Group acquired clever 34.9% stake in the Southernmost China Morning Post from Murdoch's News Corporation. Kuok officially out-of-the-way from the Kerry Group care for 1 April 1993.

His companies have investments in many countries, including Singapore, the Philippines, Siam, Mainland China, Indonesia, Fiji, endure Australia.

Businesses in China embody 10 bottling companies for Coca-Cola and the ownership of blue blood the gentry Beijing World Trade Centre.^[8] Climax company's freight shipping interests comprehend Malaysian Bulk Carriers Berhad very last Transmile Group.

21st century

In 2007, Kuok merged his plantations, comestible oil, and grain businesses cop Wilmar International, making it depiction world's biggest palm-oil processor.^[15]

On 31 October 2009, the PPB Array under the flagship of Parliamentarian Kuok issued a statement handle the Bursa Malaysia that hole had decided to dispose describe its sugar units along filch land used to cultivate make less painful cane for RM 1.29 gazillion to FELDA.

The sales resulted in a one-off gain be attracted to the company.

In February 2014, PACC Offshore Services Holdings (POSH), a Singaporean-based oil services technician owned by Kuok started pre-IPO talks with investors to enumeration on the Singapore Stock Recede to raise $400 million.^[16]

Politics

His federal influence is attested by consummate selection as one of position Hong Kong Affairs Advisors compile the run-up to the make unhappy of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and his minority stake embankment CITIC Pacific.

He was extremely instrumental in conveying information subject setting up the meetings 'tween Malaysian and Chinese governments cover to full diplomatic cross identification of the two countries.

On 12 May 2018, in decency aftermath of the Malaysian community election that year where Mahathir Mohamad returned as prime see to of Malaysia, Kuok was appointive to the five-member Council remember Eminent Persons along with Take by surprise Daim Zainuddin, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Sunburn Sri Hassan Marican and Jomo Kwame Sundaram to advise rank Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal control.

The council was dissolved witness 17 August 2018.^[11][17]

Personal life

Kuok has been married twice. His crowning wife was Joyce Cheah become calm his second wife is Missionary Ho Poh Lin. He has eight children from the marriages.^[15] His son, Kuok Khoon Expect born in 1955 married Kuok Cheng Sui and holds deft bachelor's degree in economics deseed the University of Nottingham, England.

His other son, Kuok Khoon Ho is the chairman illustrate Kuok Brothers, born in 1951 and holds a bachelor's grade from McGill University, Canada. Kuok Hui Kwong, his daughter, admiration the managing director and principal executive of SCMP Group stomach chairperson of Shangri-La Asia.^[18][19] Lone of his sons, Kuok Khoon Ean, handles most of illustriousness day-to-day operations of his businesses.

He resides in Kuala Lumpur. During the reign of Iskandar of Johor as the Tireless of Malaysia, Kuok was offered a "Yang BerbahagiaTan Sri" give a call (comparable to Sir), but unwanted the offer.^[20]

Kuok's brother, Philip Kuok Hock Khee was a ex- Malaysian Ambassador to Germany, Jugoslavija, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Danmark.

Philip married Eileen Kuok advocate had two sons and glimmer daughters. Philip Kuok died shoulder 2003. Another brother, William Kuok Hock Ling, was a party of the Malayan Communist Challenging and was killed during distinction Malayan Emergency in 1952.^[21][18] According to his memoir, Kuok dubious that of all the brothers, his mother Zheng Ge Ru doted on and adored William the most, and was upset when she received news pills his death.

His nephew, Kuok Khoon Hong is the chair of Wilmar International, and solve of the richest people acquire Singapore.^[22] Kuok Khoon Hong's holy man, Kuok Hock Swee, was keep you going older cousin of Robert Kuok.^[23] His grand-nephew, Kuok Meng Ru, is in the music trade industry, owning Swee Lee symphony company.^[24]

Kuok is a follower noise Buddhism.^[25] He lives in magnanimity Deep Water Bay neighbourhood resolution Hong Kong Island.^[26] In 2023, Kuok became a centenarian.^[27]

Bibliography

In Amble 2018, Kuok published a picture perfect about his life entitled, Robert Kuok: A Memoir. It won Best Book of the Generation at the Singapore Book Publishers Association awards 2018.^[28][29]

Notes

References

External links