Robert Kuok Biography
Robert Kuok Hock Nien, a Malaysian business tycoon, philanthropist, and investor (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Gu Hènián; Foochow Romanized: Guóh Hk-nièng; born 6 October 1923), is of Chinese descent. Kuok has been a resident of Hong Kong since 1973. He is the richest Malaysian citizen, with a net worth assessed by Forbes at $11.8 billion as of April 2023. and the 96th richest person on earth.[6] Kuok is the 97th richest person in the world as of April 2023, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2023, with an estimated net worth of $17.7 billion.
Kuok avoids the media and has a low public presence. He and his family own the majority of his businesses. His enterprises have assets in other nations around Continental Asia in addition to overseeing the ownership of a variety of businesses in Malaysia. His companies, collectively referred to as the Kuok Group of Companies, are involved in a variety of business ventures, including sugarcane plantations (Perlis Plantations Bhd), sugar refineries, flour mills, animal feed, oil, mining, finance, hotels (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts), real estate (Kerry Properties), trading, properties (Kerry Properties), freight (Kerry Logistics), and publishing. The largest publicly traded palm oil dealer in the world, Wilmar International, is where he derives the majority of his money.
Kuok was chosen in 2018 to serve on the Council of Eminent Persons, which advises former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Robert Kuok Nationality
Born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, Robert Kuok is a Malaysian.
Robert Kuok Net Worth
Robert Kuok will be the richest Malaysian and the 96th richest person in the world as of April 2023, according to Forbes, when his net worth is predicted to be US$11.8 billion. Robert Kuok is now ranked as the 97th richest person in the world as of April 2023, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2023, with an estimated net worth of $17.7 billion.
Robert Kuok Height & Weight
Robert Kuok is 53 kilograms tall and 5 feet and 5 inches wide.
Robert Kuok Early life and education
Kuok was born to a Malaysian Chinese family on October 6, 1923, in Johor Bahru. Robert was the youngest of three brothers born to Kuok Keng Kang and Zheng Ge Ru, Kuok’s mother, who both immigrated to Malaya from Fuzhou, China, at the turn of the 20th century. During Japan’s occupation of Malaya during World War II, he was raised speaking the Fuzhou dialect of his parents as well as English and Japanese. He attended English College Johore Bahru and Raffles Institution, where he was a classmate of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister.
Robert Kuok Career and business
Kuok claims that he started out in business as an office boy and eventually built a company from the ground up with help from his relatives. He joined forces and started working as a clerk for Mitsubishi, a Japanese industrial company, after graduating. Shoji Kaisha was a conglomerate that, with the aid of a Japanese military unit, monopolized the rice trade in Malaya between 1942 and 1945, when Japan was occupying Singapore. He was shortly given the position of department head for trading in rice. He applied the occupation force’s training to the family company in Johor after the war.
Kuok, his two brothers, and a relative named Kuok Hock Chin established Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd in 1949 to trade agricultural products after the death of the senior Kuok in 1948. After Malaya obtained independence, Kuok’s ties with the Japanese persisted. With two eminent Japanese partners, Kuok founded Malayan Sugar Manufacturing Co. Bhd. in 1959. Additionally, he added numerous powerful Malay elites, including monarchy and politicians, to his board of directors and shareholder list. He began investing heavily in sugar refineries in 1961 and purchased inexpensive sugar from India before prices skyrocketed. By controlling 80% of the Malaysian sugar market at one point and producing 1.5 million tonnes of sugar, or 10% of the world’s total, he earned the moniker “Sugar King of Asia.”
He obtained the land for the first Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore in 1971 through Petaling Garden Berhad, a developer with headquarters in Malaysia. at 1977, he made his first entry into Hong Kong real estate when he bought a piece of land on the waterfront at Tsim Sha Tsui East, which had just been reclaimed. On this ground, he later constructed his second hotel, the Kowloon Shangri-La. His Kerry Group bought Murdoch’s News Corporation’s 34.9% interest in the South China Morning Post in 1993. On April 1st, 1993, Kuok formally retired from the Kerry Group.
His corporations have financial ties to numerous nations, including Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, China’s mainland, Indonesia, Fiji, and Australia. Ten Coca-Cola bottling firms operate in China, and the Beijing World Trade Center is one of their properties. His firm’s holdings in freight shipping include Transmile Group and Malaysian Bulk Carriers Berhad.
In 2007, Kuok joined forces with Wilmar International to form the largest palm oil processor in the world by combining his plantations, edible oil, and grain businesses.
Robert Kuok-led PPB Group announced to Bursa Malaysia on October 31, 2009, that it has decided to sell its sugar plants and the land used to grow sugar cane to FELDA for RM 1.29 billion. The sales gave the business a one-time profit.
In order to raise $400 million, Kuok’s Singapore-based oil services business PACC Offshore Services Holdings (POSH) began pre-IPO discussions with investors in February 2014.
Robert Kuok Politics
His selection as one of the Hong Kong Affairs Advisors in the run-up to the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and his minority ownership in CITIC Pacific are testaments to his political clout. In addition, he played a key role in coordinating the discussions between the governments of Malaysia and China that resulted in complete diplomatic recognition between the two nations.
Kuok was appointed to the five-member Council of Eminent Persons on May 12, 2018, following that year’s general election in Malaysia, along with Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Tan Sri Hassan Marican, and Jomo Kwame Sundaram, to provide advice to the newly elected Pakatan Harapan federal government.
Robert Kuok Personal life
Kuok has had two marriages. Pauline Ho Poh Lin is his second wife; his first wife was Joyce Cheah. As a result of his marriages, he has eight kids. His son Kuok Khoon Ean, who was born in 1955 and married Kuok Cheng Sui, is a graduate of the University of Nottingham in England with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Kuok Khoon Ho, his other son, who was born in 1951 and has a bachelor’s degree from Canada’s McGill University, is the chairman of Kuok Brothers. His daughter, Kuok Hui Kwong, serves as chairman of Shangri-La Asia and managing director and chief executive of SCMP Group. The majority of the day-to-day management of his company is handled by one of his sons, Kuok Khoon Ean. He is presently a Kuala Lumpur resident.
Philip Kuok Hock Khee, the brother of Kuok, served as Malaysia’s former ambassador to Germany, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark. After marrying Eileen Kuok, Philip gave birth to two sons and two daughters. 2003 saw Philip Kuok’s passing. William Kuok Hock Ling, another brother, was a member of the Malayan Communist Party and was killed in 1952 during the Malayan Emergency. In his memoir, Kuok wrote that his mother Zheng Ge Ru loved and adored William the most out of all the brothers and was devastated to learn of his passing.
Kuok Khoon Hong, his nephew and the chairman of Wilmar International, is one of Singapore’s wealthiest individuals. Robert Kuok’s older cousin Kuok Hock Swee was the father of Kuok Khoon Hong.
Kuok Meng Ru, his grand-nephew, owns the Swee Lee music company and works in the music retail sector.
Buddhist is how Kuok identifies. He resides on Hong Kong Island in the Deep Water Bay neighborhood.
In 2023, Robert Kuok will turn 100 on October 6.
Robert Kuok Facts
Malaysia’s richest man is Robert Kuok. He is the owner of the Kuok group, which has stakes in hotels, properties, and commodities.
In Singapore, he established the renowned Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts group in 1971.
Kuok owns a sizable investment in Wilmar International, which is run by his nephew Kuok Khoon Hong.
Kuok Khoon Hua, the eldest son of Robert Kuok, serves as chairman and CEO of Hong Kong real estate firm Kerry Properties.
Robert Kuok Bibliography
Robert Kuok: A Memoir, a book about Kuok’s life, was released in March 2018. At the 2018 Singapore Book Publishers Association Awards, it was named Best Book of the Year.
Robert Kuok Marital Status
Robert Kuok has had two marriages. His second wife, Pauline Ho Poh Lin, followed his first wife, Joyce Cheah. Eight of his children were born from these unions.
Robert Kuok Family & Siblings
The parents of Robert Kuok are Zheng Ge Ru and Kuok Keng Kang. The youngest of three brothers, Robert was.
Former Malaysian ambassador to Germany, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark was Robert Kuok’s older brother, Philip Kuok Hock Khee. After marrying Eileen Kuok, Philip gave birth to two sons and two daughters. 2003 saw Philip Kuok’s passing. William Kuok Hock Ling, his other sibling, was a member of the Malayan Communist Party and was assassinated in 1952 during the Malayan Emergency.
Robert Kuok wrote in his memoirs that his mother Zheng Ge Ru loved and cherished William the most out of all the brothers, and that she was devastated to learn of William’s passing.
Robert Kuok Children
From his two marriages, Robert Kuok had eight kids. Born in 1955, his son Kuok Khoon Ean married Kuok Cheng Sui and graduated from the University of Nottingham in England with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
His youngest son, Kuok Khoon Ho, was born in 1951 and holds a bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Canada. He is the president of Kuok Brothers. Kuok Hui Kwong, his daughter who is 48 years old and was born in 1975, is the managing director and CEO of SCMP Group as well as the chairwoman of Shangri-La Asia. The majority of his day-to-day company operations are managed by one of his sons, Kuok Khoon Ean. At the moment, he resides in Kuala Lumpur.
The oldest son of Mr. Robert Kuok is Kuok Khoon Chen, popularly known as Beau. He was born in 1954 and is currently 69 years old. His daughter Yen Kuok, who is now 33 years old and was born on January 25, 1990, founded Guiltless International and held the position of Chief Executive Officer. For eight years, his other daughter Ruth Kuok has held the position of Director at Kuok (Singapore) Limited.
At Allgreen Properties, Suon Kwong Kuok currently serves as a Non-Executive Director. Sue Kuok Suon Kwong, also known as Suraya Abdullah, was once wed to eminent financier Tan Sri Rashid Hussain. Jill Kuok Friedman, born on February 28, 1949, is 74 years old. For more than 40 years, she has volunteered, first in Honolulu in the 1970s and then more recently in Singapore, supporting the social and artistic communities.
Robert Kuok Social Media
Robert Kuok’s Instagram handle is @robertkuok_.
Why is Robert Kuok famous?
Robert Kuok is a well-known Malaysian business magnate, businessman, and philanthropist who has lived in Hong Kong since 1973 and celebrated his 100th birthday today, October 6, 2023.
How old is Robert Kuok?
Robert Kuok, a Malaysian business tycoon, philanthropist, and investor, was born on October 6, 1923.
Where is Robert Kuok from?
Robert Kuok is a Malaysian who was born and raised in Johor Bahru, the state’s capital and the southernmost point of the Malay Peninsula. It serves as a starting point for travel to Singapore thanks to a causeway that spans the Straits of Johor.
What are the achievements of Robert Kuok?
He was dubbed “the Sugar King of Asia” because he once famously held 10% of the global sugar market. In Singapore, where Kuok established a headquarters in 1953, the first Shangri-La Hotel debuted there in 1971.
How did Robert Kuok start his business?
He founded Kuok Brothers with other members of his family in 1948, the year his father passed away. The business dealt in wheat flour, sugar, and rice. In 1959, he founded Malaysian Sugar Manufacturing, which grew to become the biggest refiner in Southeast Asia, controlling 60% of the domestic sugar supply.
What were the challenges faced by Robert Kuok?
His father beat him, and his parents fought all the time. When his father’s business faltered during the Great Depression, he thought that most people neglected him and they fell into poverty. During his lifetime, he had to endure both British colonization and the Japanese invasion.
