Yanlord founder eyes century-old legacy for firm

IT seems a remarkable feat for century-old companies to have weathered the turbulence of wars, financial crises and political transitions, and yet remain steadfast in their development path. This is what makes United Engineers Limited (UEL) and WBL Corp venerable - and has in a way stoked the interest of Yanlord Land Group to invest in these companies.

"As the founder of Yanlord, I also envision my company lasting beyond a century. While I cannot guarantee that, I aim to do so through beefing up our corporate branding and long-term plans," Yanlord's founder, chairman and CEO Zhong Sheng Jian, 60, told The Business Times.

Known for its high-end development projects in China, Yanlord has not made a business move in Singapore until its stake acquisition in UEL in July. It thus marked a major milestone in Yanlord's diversification strategy, granting it immedi…