Well-earned victory for companies
THE Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA) has grown from strength to strength. SOBA 2018 – the ninth edition of the awards – saw its highest participation and biggest turnout to-date.
More than 850 guests from various companies and organisations came together on Jan 17 at the New World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, in celebration of the milestones charted by Malaysian businesses.
A total of 93 awards were given out across two broad categories – Top-of-the-Class Awards and Outstanding Achievement Awards – based on two tiers, which are up to RM25mil, and the above RM25mil annual turnover.
It was a big night for Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd which bagged eight awards, including the coveted Malaysian Business of The Year (above RM25mil). Additionally, its managing director Lim Kim Heng was awarded the Outstanding Achievement trophy for Male Entrepreneur of the Year (above RM25mil).
Meanwhile, Secret Recipe Holdings Sdn Bhd group president and chief executive officer Datuk Steven Sim Leong Thun was awarded the Par Excellence Achievement title in the Male Entrepreneur of the Year category while the company received Platinum awards under the Best in Marketing and Best Brand categories.
“We participated in SOBA about four years ago, which we won as well. So we came back four years later and we are glad to be still recognised by the public and by businesses in Malaysia. We always wanted to test the strength of our brand in the market, being recognised in what we are doing. So a break of four years is a good time to reevaluate how relevant we are and it’s good to see that we are still at the top,” says Secret Recipe busi-
ness development director Patrick Sim.
For first time participant Linaco Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, managing director Joe Ling notes that the awards were a great boost for the company. Linaco took home Platinum awards in the Best in CSR and Best Global Market categories.
“We wanted to see how we measure against what the industry practices are and indeed this is a surprise for us. This is an encouragement for us that our job has been recognised. We are not going to stop here, we want to do better than that every year,” says Ling.
In the up to RM25mil revenue tier, Prof Muhaya Eye and Lasik Centre Sdn Bhd earned the Malaysian Business of the Year along with two Gold awards under Best Brand and Best in CSR.
Its chief executive officer Muhammad Addaem Mikhail Chandran was awarded Par Excellence Achievement under the Male Entrepreneur of the Year category.
The awards also acknowledged younger companies, set up for less than three years, under the Rising Star category. LNN Design Sdn Bhd clinched the winning spot under that category while We Build Easy Sdn Bhd received a special mention.
SOBA recognises up-and-coming as well as established enterprises who have been at the forefront in their fields in terms of products, services, practices and innovation.
The awards honours local, non-listed companies and SMEs and is open to all local enterprises that are not part of a multinational or listed group, and incorporated in Malaysia with foreign equity not exceeding 50%.
SOBA has eight “Top-Of-TheClass” awards, namely, Best in Marketing, Best Brand, Best in CSR, Best Green Initiative, Best Employer, Best Innovation, Best Global Market and Best Use of Technology. There are also three “Outstanding Achievement” awards, which are Rising Star, Entrepreneur of the Year (Male/ Female/Young) and Malaysian Business of the Year.
SOBA 2018 is organised by Star Media Group with Digi, PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd and RHB Bank Bhd as main sponsors, Credit Guarantee Corporation as co-sponsor, Matrade as official trade promotion partner and New World Petaling Jaya Hotel as official venue.
SOBA 2018 is endorsed by the International Trade and Industry Ministry, supported by Bursa Malaysia, and audited by BDO, with 988, SuriaFM and dimsum as official media partners.
For details, call 03-7967 1388 ext 1857 or visit www.soba.com.my