Kwek Leng Joo
Kwek Leng Joo | |
|---|---|
| 郭令裕 | |
| Born | 24 April 1953 |
| Died | 16 November 2015 (aged 62) Singapore |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman and photographer and enviornmental activist |
| Spouse | Alice Kwek |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Father | Kwek Hong Png |
| Relatives | Kwek Leng Beng (brother) |
| Awards | |
Kwek Leng Joo (Chinese: 郭令裕; 24 April 1953 – 16 November 2015) was a Singaporean businessman, photographer and environmental activist who served as the managing director of City Developments Limited (CDL) from 1995 to 2014, and the deputy chairman of CDL from 2014 until his death.[2] He also served as the president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) from 1993 to 1997 and from 2001 to 2005[3] and a trustee of the Nanyang Technological University.[4]
Kwek Leng Joo had two children,[1] including Kwek Eik Shing.[5]
Life and career
Kwek Leng Joo was born on 24 April 1953. His father, Kwek Hong Png, was the founder of Hong Leong Group, the parent company of CDL. He has an older brother, Kwek Leng Beng. The Kwek family had origins from the Fujian, China.[6] Kwek attended the Anglo-Chinese School and Maris Stella High School; he obtained diplomas in hotel management from New York University and Takushoku University.[7]
In 1976, Kwek became a director of the Hong Leong Group; he became a director of CDL in 1980.[8]
In 1993, Tan Eng Joo, the previous president of the SCCCI, convinced Kwek to run for the president of the SCCCI. Becoming the second-youngest president, he led reforms for the SCCCI by changing the voting system. After the death of his father in 1994, Kwek was active in the business of the Hong Leong Group.[7] He emphasised the importance of unity within the Chinese in his inaugural address.[9]
In the early 1990s, Kwek was one of the first promoters of corporate social responsibility (CSR), where he promoted CSR within CSL.[10] In 1995, he also led the company to adopt the ethos "Conserving as it Constructs";[11] his efforts to publish sustainability reports was dismissed by its investors.[12]
In 2001, Kwek professionally started his photography career after having to photograph photos for CDL's calendar from cost-cutting measures, after beginning an amateur career since secondary school.[10] He raised more than S$3 million (US$2.24 million) through the sales of photography and art works to charity and environmental causes.[1]
On 16 November 2015, Kwek died in his sleep due to a heart attack.[13] A private funeral was held on 20 November, and he was cremated. Before his death, he had donated S$5 million (US$3.73 million) to promote CSR practices to the Nanyang Technological University.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Kwek Leng Joo: Singapore's CSR pioneer". Eco-Business. 2015-11-18. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ "CDL mourns the passing of Deputy Chairman, Mr Kwek Leng Joo". www.cdl.com.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ Chong, Koh Ping (2016-01-19). "Prominent businessman Kwek Leng Joo has died". Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ Hickson, Ken (2013). Race For Sustainability: Energy, Economy, Environment And Ethics. World Scientific Publishing Company. p. 269. ISBN 9789814571371.
- ^ Peh, Shing Huei (2024). Strictly business: the Kwek Leng Beng story. Singapore: World Scientific. p. 212. ISBN 978-981-12-8449-6.
- ^ Cragg, Claudia (1993). Hunting with the tigers: doing business with Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Amsterdam: Pfeiffer. p. 386. ISBN 978-0-89384-204-8.
- ^ a b Visscher, Sikko (2007). The business of politics and the ethnicity: a history of the Singapore Chinese chamber of commerce and industry. Singapore: NUS press. pp. 249–251. ISBN 978-9971-69-365-7.
- ^ "A Tribute to Mr Kwek Leng Joo's Enduring Legacy". City Developments Limited. January 2016. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ Chong, Guan Kwa; Bak, Lim Kua (2019-06-21). A General History Of The Chinese In Singapore. World Scientific. p. 133. ISBN 9789813277656.
- ^ a b "Kwek Leng Joo". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ "2015 PAE Recipients". Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
- ^ Lim, Janice (2024-09-27). "The triple bottom line: People, planet and profit, Sustainability Impact Awards". www.businesstimes.com.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
- ^ Torrijos, Elena (2015-11-16). "CDL deputy chairman Kwek Leng Joo passes away at 62". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2025-02-18.