Home-grown brands dominate winners of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Singapore awards

[SINGAPORE] Professional services firm EY has named four leaders as category winners for the annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Singapore awards. 

In its 24th run since it began in 2002, this year’s awards feature winners from “home-grown brands that have thrived through times of change and economic uncertainties”, said Lee Chuan Teck, executive chairman of Enterprise Singapore. Lee is the chair of this year’s judging panel.

This year’s category winners are:

• Patrick Cheo, chief executive of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group – education services;
• Chin Wei Jia, group CEO of HMI Medical – healthcare;
• Kelvin Lim, executive director and group managing director of LHN Group – real estate; and
• Carolyn Choo, CEO and managing director of Worldwide Hotels – hospitality services.

EY said on Thursday (Aug 7) that the winners were selected from a pool of more than 50 nominations by an independent judging panel, based on four globally benchmarked criteria of entrepreneurial spirit, growth, purpose and impact. 

One of the winners will be named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Singapore, and represent Singapore at the annual EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) award in 2026 to compete with contenders from over 40 countries and jurisdictions.

Singapore’s representative to the WEOY award will be announced at the EY EOY Awards Gala on Oct 17. Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat will be the guest of honour at the gala.

Enterprise Singapore’s Lee lauded the winners for “exceptional entrepreneurial grit, innovation and resilience in not just overcoming challenges, but transforming their businesses through decisive strategies and seizing breakthrough opportunities”.

“In doing so, they are helping to shape and elevate their respective industries, and creating broader socioeconomic impact through contributing back to the community, underpinned by a strong sense of purpose,” he added.

Liew Nam Soon, EY Asia East Deputy Regional Managing Partner, Asean Managing Partner and Singapore and Brunei Managing Partner, said the winners’ “combined history of over 120 years in Singapore” speaks to the “socioeconomic role that entrepreneurs play in job creation, industry innovation and quality of life”.

SEE ALSO

Four category winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Singapore awards named

Two other honorary awards will be conferred for Asean entrepreneurial excellence and family enterprise excellence. 

HMI Medical – an integrated healthcare group with more than 25 years of experience across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia – is the winner of this year’s EY-Bank of Singapore Family Enterprise Award of Excellence.

The award is independent of the Entrepreneur Of The Year programme and judging process. The winner was jointly selected by knowledge partners, Business Families Institute @ Singapore Management University and the Insead Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise.

Thai Huong, the founder and chairwoman of strategic council of TH Group Joint Stock Company, an operator of several food and beverage projects in Vietnam, is the winner of this year’s EY-Bank of Singapore Asean Entrepreneurial Excellence award.

The award recognises successful South-east Asian businesses that contribute to the region’s economy and community. Its recipient does not compete for the EOY Singapore 2025 title.