EY announces Top Nominees of the 25th EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2026 Malaysia awards

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 SEPTEMBER 2026 – EY today unveiled the Top Nominees for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) 2026 Malaysia awards, celebrating 25 years of recognizing entrepreneurs who drive innovation, create opportunities and contribute to the growth of Malaysian businesses.

The 12 Top Nominees in the Emerging, Technology, Woman and Master categories were selected by an independent panel of judges based on the program’s four judging pillars: Entrepreneurial spirit, Purpose, Growth and Impact.

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Malaysia Top Nominees are:

Emerging Entrepreneur category:

• Esther Erin and Ethan Wong, Dododots
• KeYee, Notti Pet Food 
• CJ Woo and William Tham, The Solar House Sdn. Bhd. 

Technology Entrepreneur category:

• AK Tan, Agmo Group 
• Dr. Sunny Ooi, ClickAsia 
• Datuk Wira Ts. Cllement Tan, Ramssol Group Berhad 

Woman Entrepreneur category:

• Ain Azizah Arifin, Bubbles O2
• Jennifer Kok, Media OutReach Newswire 
• Siti Farhana Abu Osman, PTTI Group Sdn. Bhd.

Master Entrepreneur category:

• Dato' Calvin Chan, Oriental Kopi Holdings Berhad 
• Dr. Chieng King Chong, PMG Healthcare
• Dato' SK Fong, SkyeChip 

Winners of the four categories, as well as the coveted EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Malaysia award, will be announced and celebrated at an awards ceremony on 1 December 2026. In May 2027, the EOY 2026 Malaysia award winner will join country award recipients from around the globe to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2027 award in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Encik Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, who said:

“For 25 years, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program has done more than recognize successful business leaders. It has helped elevate entrepreneurship as a vital force in Malaysia’s development while inspiring generations of entrepreneurs to think bigger and aim higher.

“As we look ahead, entrepreneurship will become even more important. Malaysia's long-term success will depend in no small measure on the ability of our entrepreneurs to innovate, grow and seize opportunities in an increasingly competitive world. Congratulations once again to EY for its enduring commitment to championing entrepreneurship.”

Dato’ Abdul Rauf Rashid, Malaysia Managing Partner, EY Malaysia, said:

“As we celebrate the silver jubilee of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program in Malaysia, we are proud to recognize the remarkable entrepreneurs who have transformed ideas into businesses, created lasting impact and contributed to the country’s development.

“The increase in nominations this year across all categories demonstrates that Malaysia’s entrepreneurial spirit remains vibrant and resilient. We are honored to play a role in recognizing these inspiring individuals whose leadership and innovation continue to drive progress for our economy and communities.”

Philip Rao, EOY Malaysia Program Director and Partner, EY Malaysia, said:

“For 25 years, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program has celebrated the entrepreneurs who help shape Malaysia’s business landscape. This year’s theme, The Shapers, reflects the influence these business leaders have beyond their own organizations. We are proud to recognize a new group of Top Nominees who are shaping industries, strengthening communities and contributing to the future of our nation through their resilience, innovation and vision.

“This year’s response has been particularly encouraging as we received a record number of overall nominees, which demonstrates the program’s growing reach and its ability to uncover outstanding entrepreneurs beyond our existing community. The nominee pool also reflects a diverse range of business, including technology and consumer products, healthcare and renewable energy. Collectively, they generate more than RM5.7 billion in revenue and support over 10,000 jobs, highlighting the important role entrepreneurs play in driving economic growth and creating opportunities across Malaysia.”

To commemorate the program’s 25th anniversary, EOY Malaysia has launched Road to Monaco, a podcast series produced in collaboration with BFM. The three-part series brings together accomplished entrepreneurs to reflect on the lessons, resilience and purpose that have shaped their journeys from ambitious founders to business leaders. To watch the full series, visit ey.com/my/eoy.

The EOY 2026 Malaysia judges

The EOY 2026 Malaysia panel of judges comprised the following:

1. Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Bursa Malaysia Berhad
2. Ganesh Kumar Bangah, Founder and Executive Chairman, Commerce.Asia Group of Companies | EY Technology Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Malaysia
3. Ooi Lay Pheng, Executive Director and Group CEO of L&P Global Berhad and Chief Executive Officer, Berjayapak Sdn. Bhd. | EY Woman Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 Malaysia
4. Anuar Fariz Fadzil, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
5. Ronnie Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer, OMS Group | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Malaysia
6. Sharala Axryd, Chief Executive Officer, The Center of Applied Data Science Sdn. Bhd. | EY Woman Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 Malaysia
7. Dato’ Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Uzma Berhad | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Malaysia

The EOY 2026 Malaysia sponsors

The EOY 2026 Malaysia awards program is also proud to have these organizations on board in support of entrepreneurship:

• BFM Media Sdn. Bhd.
• Bits and Pixels Sdn. Bhd.
• Bursa Malaysia
• MDEC
• Nanyang Siang Pau Sdn. Bhd.
• The Edge Malaysia and The Edge CEO Morning Brief

In an engaging panel titled Beyond success: What’s next for Malaysian entrepreneurs?, EY brought together distinguished entrepreneurs and business leaders to discuss what it takes to build enduring businesses, create meaningful impact and navigate the challenges that come with growth and succession. The conversation explored topics such as founder’s syndrome, agentic AI and how entrepreneurs can continue to innovate and remain relevant in an increasingly dynamic environment.

The panel featured industry leaders, including:

1. Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria, Director, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS); and Pro-Chancellor, Sunway University | Past EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Malaysia Chair Judge
2. Dato’ Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed
3. Ganesh Kumar Bangah
4. Joel Neoh, Founding Partner, First Move | EY Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Malaysia

Moderator: Shankar Kanabiran, Malaysia Consulting Leader; and Partner, EY Malaysia

Through a candid discussion, panelists shared perspectives on business transformation, leadership transitions and the evolving role of entrepreneurs in a rapidly changing world. They also exchanged views on the shift from generative AI to agentic AI, the varying pace of adoption across industries and the need to balance technological innovation with practical business realities.

For more information about the EOY Malaysia program, please visit www.ey.com/my/eoy.

-ENDS-

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ is the only global program of its kind that supports entrepreneurs as they unlock their ambitions. Established in 1986, this flagship program operates across more than 60 countries and jurisdictions and boasts a global ecosystem of over 30,000 distinguished entrepreneurs. Program participants benefit from lifelong connections, learning resources and insights to help navigate their growth journey, and opportunities to raise the profile of their companies. Each program concludes with a competition and announcement of a winner who goes on to represent their country or region in the ultimate global competition and event for entrepreneurs: EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™. ey.com/eoy

About EY 

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All in to shape the future with confidence.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn. Bhd. (EY Malaysia), a member of the global EY organization.