Wong Yip Yan
Wong Yip Yan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1946 (age 77–78)[1] |
| Other names | Y.Y. Wong |
| Citizenship | Singapore |
| Organization | Wywy Group of Companies |
| Spouse | Geok Choo[2] |
| Children | 3 |
Wong Yip Yan, also known as Y.Y. Wong, is a Singaporean Chinese businessman, and founder of the Wywy Group of Companies.[1][3][4] According to Businessweek, the Wywy Group controlled 76 companies and had annual sales of over $900 million.[1]
Career
When Wong was 26, he became the first Singaporean director at Borneo Company Limited, a British trading company. Wong said his boss told him that a Chinese couldn't get promoted to the company's main board of directors, causing Wong to start his own business.[1]
To start the Wywy Group, Wong got funding from executives of Fujifilm, who had worked with Wong at Borneo. They helped him get a credit line of $178,000 from The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, which allowed him to start the Wywy Group as a distributor of copy machines.[1]
Wong also served as the Chairman of Yeo Hiap Seng, Singapore's largest drink manufacturer.[5]
Family
Wong is married and has three grown children.[2] Wong's oldest son, Dr. Wong Meng Ee, contracted retinitis pigmentosa when he was 11 years old.[1] The condition resulted in permanent blindness. Dr. Wong Meng Ee is currently the president of the Retinitis Pigmentosa Society Singapore.[6]
Wong is the brother of Wong Yip Chong and uncle of Wong Meng Cheong. Meng Cheong is a prominent Singaporean physician who famously took his father's mistress to court over his $7 million house after his passing. He ultimately lost his case against his father's mistress.[7]
Education
Wong is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Y.Y. Wong Owns 76 Companies And He's Still Hungry". Businessweek. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Directors". The International Forum. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
- ^ "Company Overview of Wywy Group of Companies". Businessweek. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^ "Dr Yip-Yan Wong". Wolfson College. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^ "TEA FOR TWO". Asiaweek. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^ "About Us". Retinitis Pigmentosa Society Singapore. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^ "Sons lose $7 million house to father's mistress". Asia One. Asia One. Retrieved 17 April 2014.