FOR Chin Wei Jia, healthcare is a social responsibility.
“Every life we touch is an opportunity to create lasting impact,” the group chief executive officer of HMI Medical declares.
That conviction has powered her two-decade journey with the organisation, during which she has transformed a small, crisis-hit hospital operator into a regional healthcare group touching more than three million lives each year.
Chin personifies the entrepreneurial spirit, finding opportunity where others see only obstacles.
“We believe healthcare is more than treating patients. It’s about helping people stay healthier for longer, so they can lead their best lives. This belief is what keeps me pushing forward,” she says.
For her bold and transformational leadership, Chin won the 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the healthcare category.
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From crisis to transformation
In the early 2000s, out of a sense of duty, Chin put her doctoral studies on hold to return from the US to Singapore to support her family’s hospital operations.
The organisation was then reeling from the Asian financial crisis, the attacks of Sep 11, 2001, and corporate restructuring.
Undeterred, she chose to face the challenges head-on.
“I saw every challenge not just as a setback, but as an opportunity to serve better,” she says.
One of Chin’s boldest early moves was to convert HMI’s under-utilised Singapore hospital into a training institute, now known as the HMI Institute, which has since become a vital source of healthcare talent.
After a short sabbatical to reflect on her passions – healthcare, education and the environment – she returned with renewed purpose.
By the time she became CEO in 2015, she was ready to reshape the business for long-term impact.
Under her leadership, HMI has evolved into a connected healthcare ecosystem spanning hospitals, ambulatory care, specialist centres, primary clinics, executive health screening, as well as a network of 2,000 panel clinics across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
“Commercial growth matters because it allows us to invest in better care and reach out to more people, but our purpose to make quality, accessible healthcare and health education available to the communities we serve keeps us grounded,” she says.
Her entrepreneurial vision also saw HMI embrace healthtech and managed healthcare platforms that link patients, doctors, insurers and corporates.
Today, the group supports more than 7,500 corporate customers and 14 insurance partners, delivering value-driven care at scale while holding fast to its mission of accessibility.
Leading with resilience
Crisis leadership has been another hallmark of Chin’s journey.
“In moments of crisis, I always ask: ‘What decision will truly make a difference right now?’” she says.
Chin steered HMI through Sars, but it was the Covid-19 pandemic that most tested her mettle.
She acted swiftly to safeguard staff and patients, setting up a group steering committee, activating business continuity plans and securing protective equipment.
At the same time, HMI stepped up to support Singapore’s national fight against Covid-19, managing community care facilities and training more than 85,000 swabbers to aid the country’s reopening.
“In healthcare crises, the right choice at the right time can save lives,” she reflects. “And above all, we must protect our teams because when they feel safe and supported, they can give their best to patients.”
The experience reinforced her belief in clarity, trust and collaboration as the bedrock of leadership.
Shaping the future of care
Looking ahead, Chin sees healthcare becoming “more personal, more preventive, and more precise”.
Advances in technology will allow earlier detection, smarter interventions and tailored treatment.
But her goal is to ensure that these advances empower patients rather than overwhelm them.
“The opportunity lies in making health management simple and empowering, and not overwhelming,” she says.
“The future of healthcare is not just reactive treatment – it’s proactive, personalised care.”
By reimagining HMI’s role in the region’s healthcare landscape, Chin has shown that relentless tenacity and social purpose can go hand in hand.
Her legacy is not just in building a larger business, but in proving that healthcare, done with compassion and conviction, can transform communities for generations to come.
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