1923—
Enterprise, industry and ambition across borders
Builders of Southeast Asian business
Founders, corporate leaders and economists from all eleven Southeast Asian countries whose companies and institutions transformed travel, finance, food, retail, technology and regional enterprise.
How we work
Founders and successorsBusiness profiles prioritise annual reports, regulatory disclosures, institutional records and dated appointments over unsourced wealth estimates.
Read our standardsPhilippine Business Builders
Compare nine careers through founder-led growth, national business systems, family succession and the launch of second ventures.
59 sourced biographiesMore profiles are in editorial review
Malaysia · Business1918—2007
Lim Goh Tong
Founder of Genting GroupThe migrant builder who pursued an improbable mountain resort and made it the foundation of one of Malaysia’s most recognisable business groups.Read biography
Malaysia · Business1964—
Tony Fernandes
AirAsia co-founder and group adviserThe former music executive who co-acquired a struggling airline in 2001 and helped turn AirAsia into a defining low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia.Read biography
Malaysia · Business1951—
Syed Mokhtar Albukhary
Entrepreneur and philanthropistA Malaysian entrepreneur who expanded from commodity trading into transport, infrastructure and industry while building a major philanthropic programme.Read biography
Malaysia · Business1952—
Vincent Tan
Founder and advisor of Berjaya CorporationThe entrepreneur who used acquisitions, franchising and diversification to build Berjaya across consumer, property, hospitality and service businesses.Read biography
Malaysia · Business1947—
Zeti Akhtar Aziz
Economist and former Governor of Bank Negara MalaysiaThe economist who led Bank Negara Malaysia for sixteen years, strengthening financial resilience, regional cooperation and Islamic finance.Read biography
Singapore · Business1893—1967
Lee Kong Chian
Entrepreneur and philanthropistAn entrepreneur whose businesses extended across Malaya and Southeast Asia and whose philanthropy left a durable institutional map across Singapore.Read biography
Singapore · Business1977—
Tan Min-Liang
Co-founder and CEO of RazerA former lawyer who co-founded Razer and shaped its distinctive combination of gaming hardware, software, services and design-led brand culture.Read biography1955—2023
Sim Wong Hoo
Founder of Creative TechnologyA Singapore technology entrepreneur who founded Creative Technology, developed Sound Blaster and led the first Singapore company listed on Nasdaq.Read biography
Singapore · Business1953—
Ho Ching
Former Chief Executive Officer of Temasek HoldingsAn engineer and business leader who served as chief executive of Temasek from 2004 to 2021 and expanded the Singapore investment company’s global reach.Read biography1977—
Forrest Li
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SeaThe founder of Sea, whose Garena, Shopee and SeaMoney businesses became major consumer internet platforms across Southeast Asia and beyond.Read biography1931—2019
Ciputra
Property developer and founder of Ciputra GroupAn architect and property developer who helped build three major business groups and made entrepreneurship education part of his public legacy.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1965—
Susi Pudjiastuti
Entrepreneur and former Minister of Marine Affairs and FisheriesA seafood trader and founder of Susi Air who became one of Indonesia’s most recognisable ministers through forceful maritime enforcement.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1981—
William Tanuwijaya
Co-founder of TokopediaA technology entrepreneur who co-founded Tokopedia and helped make online marketplaces a central part of Indonesia’s digital economy.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1962—
Chairul Tanjung
Founder and Chairman of CT CorpA dentist-trained entrepreneur who built CT Corp into one of Indonesia’s broadest consumer-facing business groups.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1984—
Nadiem Makarim
Gojek founder and former education ministerA technology founder who turned a motorcycle-taxi call centre into Gojek before entering government as education minister.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1937—
Martha Tilaar
Founder of Martha Tilaar GroupA beauty entrepreneur who grew a family-garage salon into a group spanning cosmetics, education, spas and herbal research.Read biography
Indonesia · Business1970—
Erick Thohir
Entrepreneur, sports administrator and cabinet ministerA media entrepreneur whose ownership and administration roles in basketball and football led into cabinet service.Read biography
Thailand · Business1939—
Dhanin Chearavanont
Senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand GroupThe business leader who transformed a family seed enterprise into one of Asia’s largest diversified groups.Read biography1944—
Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi
Founder and chairman of TCC GroupA self-made entrepreneur whose TCC Group grew from beverage distribution into property, hospitality and regional consumer businesses.Read biography1964—
Tos Chirathivat
Executive chairman and CEO of Central GroupThe third-generation executive who led Central Group’s expansion across retail, property and hospitality in Thailand and Europe.Read biography
Philippines · Business1924—2019
Henry Sy
Founder of SM GroupThe entrepreneur who developed a Manila shoe store into SM, one of the Philippines’ largest groups in retail, property and financial services.Read biography1926—2019
John Gokongwei Jr.
Founder of JG Summit HoldingsA Cebu entrepreneur who built JG Summit into a diversified group spanning food manufacturing, aviation, property, banking and petrochemicals.Read biography
Philippines · Business1953—
Tony Tan Caktiong
Founder and executive chairman of Jollibee GroupThe chemical engineer and entrepreneur who turned a family ice-cream venture into Jollibee, a Philippine brand with an international restaurant portfolio.Read biography
Philippines · Business1959—
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
Chairman of Ayala CorporationThe Ayala Corporation chairman who led a 26-year chief-executive tenure and repositioned one of the Philippines’ oldest business groups around new industries and sustainability.Read biography
Philippines · Business1934—
Lucio Tan
Chairman and CEO of LT GroupThe immigrant entrepreneur who built Fortune Tobacco and expanded into brewing, banking, spirits, property and Philippine Airlines under the LT Group.Read biography
Philippines · Business1950—
Teresita Sy-Coson
Vice chair of SM Investments and chairperson of BDO UnibankThe SM Investments vice chair and BDO Unibank chairperson who helped turn her family’s retail roots into a connected national platform in stores, property and banking.Read biography
Philippines · Business1946—
Manny Pangilinan
Managing director and CEO of First PacificThe First Pacific co-founder and executive known as MVP whose Philippine companies span PLDT, Meralco, Metro Pacific infrastructure, healthcare and sports development.Read biography
Philippines · Business1966—
Lance Gokongwei
President and CEO of JG Summit HoldingsThe JG Summit president and CEO who succeeded founder John Gokongwei Jr. and has led the group through professionalisation, digital change and post-pandemic portfolio decisions.Read biography
Philippines · Business1977—
Edgar “Injap” Sia II
Chairman and CEO of DoubleDragon CorporationThe Iloilo entrepreneur who founded Mang Inasal, sold the restaurant chain to Jollibee and partnered with Tony Tan Caktiong to build DoubleDragon.Read biography1905—1976
Bado Dangwa
Transport entrepreneur, guerrilla officer and governorA self-taught mechanic and transport entrepreneur whose wartime service with northern Luzon guerrillas preceded a decade in provincial government.Read biography
Philippines · Business1949—
Manuel Villar Jr.
Entrepreneur, legislative leader and presidential candidateA housing entrepreneur who became Speaker of the House, Senate president and the third-place candidate in the 2010 presidential election.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1968—
Phạm Nhật Vượng
Founder and chairman of VingroupThe entrepreneur who moved from an instant-noodle business in Ukraine to build Vingroup and launch Vietnam’s most ambitious global vehicle brand.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1956—
Trương Gia Bình
Co-founder and chairman of FPT CorporationThe mathematician and entrepreneur who co-founded FPT in 1988 and helped turn it into a multinational technology, education and digital-services group.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1971—
Đặng Lê Nguyên Vũ
Founder of Trung Nguyên LegendThe entrepreneur who founded Trung Nguyên in Buôn Ma Thuột and used coffee retail, instant products and cultural branding to expand internationally.Read biography1970—
Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo
Founder and chairwoman of VietJet AirThe entrepreneur who founded VietJet, expanded private aviation in Vietnam and became the country’s first self-made woman billionaire after the airline listed.Read biography1953—
Mai Kiều Liên
Chief executive of VinamilkThe dairy engineer who joined Vinamilk’s predecessor in 1976 and has led the company as chief executive through modernisation, listing and international expansion.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1969—
Nguyễn Đức Tài
Co-founder and chairman of Mobile World Investment CorporationThe retail entrepreneur who co-founded Mobile World in 2004 and helped expand it from a Ho Chi Minh City phone shop into a nationwide group spanning electronics, groceries and other consumer formats.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1964—
Đặng Thành Tâm
Founder and chairman of Kinh Bac City Development Holding CorporationThe marine engineer turned industrial-park developer who founded Kinh Bac City and built manufacturing locations around northern Vietnam’s growing export economy.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1955—
Nguyễn Thị Nga
Founder and chairwoman of BRG GroupThe entrepreneur who founded BRG as an import-export business in 1993 and expanded it into a private group with interests across finance, property, hospitality, golf and retail.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1970—
Lê Hồng Thủy Tiên
Chief executive officer of Imex Pan Pacific GroupThe former actor and flight attendant who moved into retail management and became chief executive of IPPG, helping scale international fashion, food-and-beverage and airport retail in Vietnam.Read biography
Vietnam · Business1983—
Bùi Quang Minh
Founder and chairman of Beta GroupThe entrepreneur known as Minh Beta who founded Beta Group in 2014 and built a cinema, production and distribution business around lower-cost access to theatrical film.Read biography
Cambodia · BusinessContemporary
Kith Meng
Chairman and chief executive of Royal GroupThe Royal Group chairman whose investments place him at the centre of Cambodia’s telecommunications, media, financial services and infrastructure sectors.Read biography1952—
Mong Reththy
Agribusiness entrepreneur and senatorThe entrepreneur who built one of Cambodia’s most visible agribusiness groups from trading and transport into plantations, livestock and port infrastructure.Read biography
Cambodia · BusinessContemporary
Pung Kheav Se
Banker and chairman of Canadia GroupThe entrepreneur who returned from Canada to build Canadia Bank and later chaired a group spanning finance, insurance, construction and urban development.Read biography1948—
Sok Kong
Founder and chairman of Sokimex Investment GroupThe entrepreneur who built Sokimex into a major Cambodian conglomerate spanning fuel, hotels, tourism and large property developments.Read biography1958—
Ly Yong Phat
Businessman, L.Y.P. Group founder and Cambodian senatorThe Koh Kong-born businessman and senator whose L.Y.P. Group became a large diversified conglomerate and was sanctioned by the United States in 2024.Read biographyContemporary
Sear Rithy
Founder and chairman of WorldBridge GroupThe logistics entrepreneur who founded WorldBridge and expanded it into property, banking and industrial development after the Paris peace transition.Read biography1948—
Leuang Litdang
Founder of Dao-Heuang GroupThe entrepreneur who began Dao-Heuang as a small import-export business and built a diversified Lao group closely identified with coffee.Read biography1966—
Valy Vetsaphong
Healthcare entrepreneur and business association leaderA healthcare entrepreneur, legislator and association leader who helped make women-owned businesses more visible in Laos.Read biographyContemporary
Souliyo Vongdala
Co-founder and chief executive of LOCAThe technology entrepreneur who co-founded LOCA, a locally built ride-hailing platform that expanded digital mobility services in Laos.Read biographyContemporary
Timothy Ong
Business leader and founder of Asia Inc ForumThe Bruneian businessman who founded Asia Inc Forum and has connected corporate, government and civil-society leaders across the Asia-Pacific.Read biographyContemporary
Hafimi Abdul Haadii
Executive director of LVK Group and regional business adviserThe third-generation Bruneian business leader whose work spans a family group, entrepreneur networks, competition policy and regional advisory councils.Read biographyContemporary
Haslina Taib
Chief executive of Dynamik TechnologiesThe technology executive who returned to Brunei after an international career and led Dynamik Technologies through major national digital projects.Read biography1953—
Serge Pun
Founder of SPA Group, FMI and Yoma StrategicThe entrepreneur who built a regional business network across real estate, financial services, automotive distribution and consumer sectors.Read biography20th century—
Aung Ko Win
Chairman of KBZ GroupThe former teacher who took control of Kanbawza Bank and expanded it into the centre of a large family-owned business group.Read biography1967—
Zaw Zaw
Founder and chairman of Max Myanmar GroupThe entrepreneur whose Max Myanmar group expanded across construction, energy, hospitality and banking while he became a powerful football administrator.Read biography1978—
Nilton Gusmão dos Santos
Energy entrepreneur and football administratorAn energy-sector executive who moved into football administration, founding a domestic league organisation and later leading the national federation.Read biographyContemporary