Royalty with impeccable timing

HE IS a man who really needs no introduction. Sam Goi, Singapore's "Popiah King" and executive chairman of Tee Yih Jia Group, acquired the company in 1977 and built it into the global food manufacturing group it is today.

He was a pioneer Chinese immigrant returning to support and build his hometown in 1979. In doing so, he contributed to the early social and economic developments of the mainland even before Singapore and China formally established diplomatic relations in 1990.

Since then, he has further strengthened diplomatic ties between the countries by championing bilateral relations through his work with Network China, IE Singapore, Singapore-Zhejiang Economic Trade Council, Su-Tong Science and Technology Park, and providing advisory and consultative assistance to several Chinese provinces.