Nominations open for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2026 awards

Nominations for the annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ (EOY) awards in Singapore are now open until 10 April 2026. This year, the awards program marks its 25th anniversary in Singapore, having launched in 2002 to coincide with the government’s focus on entrepreneurship.

The theme for the awards this year is “The Shapers”, which aptly reflects how entrepreneurs are shapers of the future, skillfully molding their businesses to realize bold ambitions. 

Liew Nam Soon, Singapore and Asean Managing Partner, and EY Asia East Deputy Regional Managing Partner, Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, says:

“Having run the EOY program locally for the past 25 years, we have seen how entrepreneurs are shaping industries and the economy through innovation diffusion, job creation and skills transfer, as well as contributing back to the communities they operate in. We remain committed to fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship, as Singapore seeks to strengthen our entrepreneurship ecosystem with recommendations from the Economic Strategy Review. 

We believe that the program can be a galvanizing force in bringing together like-minded entrepreneurs to amplify impact, inspire future generations and grow the Singapore brand internationally. For example, our past award winners, such as Susan Chong, Founder and CEO of Greenphyto, and Zhou Lihan, CEO and Co-founder of Mirxes, are recognized on the global stage for their entrepreneurial acumen, rich experience and deep insights, having been selected to serve on the World Entrepreneur Of The Year award judging panel on several occasions.”

The public and business community are encouraged to nominate outstanding entrepreneurs for the award at www.ey.com/sg/eoy. To be eligible for nomination, the individual must be an owner-manager primarily responsible for the recent performance of a Singapore-based company that is at least two years old; or a founder of a listed Singapore-based company who is still active in senior management. 

The nominees will be assessed by an independent judging panel across the four globally benchmarked criteria of entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, impact and growth (see fact sheet A). Entrepreneurs who excel across the four criteria will be honored as winners of category award titles that are designed to reflect their achievements or sectors. The individual who ranks the highest across all four criteria will be selected as the overall EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Singapore winner to represent the country at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) award in 2027.

From 26 - 29 May 2026, last year’s EY EOY Singapore winner, Chin Wei Jia, Group CEO, HMI Medical, will represent Singapore at the WEOY to compete with winners from close to 50 countries and territories. 

On representing Singapore at the WEOY, Chin says:

“I am honored to represent Singapore by sharing how HMI Medical builds integrated, patient-centered healthcare ecosystems across Southeast Asia. With aging and chronic diseases accelerating globally, we combine clinical excellence, digital innovation and cross-border partnerships to deliver accessible, high-quality specialist care. Our goal is to scale this model into new markets by growing with purpose, strengthening health resilience and creating measurable impact for generations to come.”

Chin was selected among the four EOY category award winners last year, namely:

• EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – Education Services
  Patrick Cheo (周文添), CEO (总裁), Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AK 教育科技集团)
  
  
• EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – Healthcare
  Chin Wei Jia (陈玮嘉), Group CEO (集团总裁), HMI Medical (HMI 医疗集团)
  
  
• EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – Real Estate
  Kelvin Lim (林隆田), Executive Chairman, Executive Director and Group Managing Director (执行主席、执行董事及集团董事总经理), LHN Group (贤能集团有限公司)
  
  
• EY Entrepreneur Of The Year – Hospitality Services
  Carolyn Choo (朱美琏), CEO and Managing Director (首席执行官兼董事总经理), Worldwide Hotels (环球酒店集团)

New special mention award: EY Impact Award of Excellence

To mark the 25th year of the EOY program in Singapore, EY is presenting a special mention award – the EY Impact Award of Excellence – on board the EOY awards platform this year. This special mention award focuses on the purpose and impact of entrepreneurship, reflecting the importance of how business excellence and social impact can go hand in hand. 

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) will jointly serve as Impact Partners in this initiative, developing the evaluation criteria and selecting the award recipient. The recipient of this special mention award will be selected from the pool of nominees this year based on how well they excel in the two judging criteria of purpose and impact. The award recipient does not compete for the overall EOY Singapore winner title (unless the individual is also a category award winner of the main awards).

Liew says: 

“We believe this award will inspire more entrepreneurs to embed social purpose into their business models, showing that doing good and doing well are not just compatible but essential for sustainable success in today's world.”

Lin Sufei, Director, Corporate & Industry Partnerships, NVPC, says: 

“The inspiring entrepreneurs of today are not only driving innovation and shaping the future of our economy, but are also deeply committed to building stronger people practices, strengthening communities, upholding good governance, and protecting our environment. As we mark 10 years of the Company of Good movement, NVPC is pleased to support the EY Impact Award of Excellence as Impact Partner to shine a spotlight on leaders who understand that profitability and purpose go hand in hand. We believe this award will serve to inspire more business leaders to embed purpose into their strategies and build ventures that create sustainable economic value while leaving a lasting legacy for people and the planet.”

Jack Lim, Group Director, Philanthropy Group, NCSS, says:

“Social impact is not just good for society but also good for business. A robust social service ecosystem not only uplifts communities in need but also strengthens our social compact. It is only when the communities in which we operate thrive that businesses can succeed. This initiative complements NCSS’ ongoing efforts to encourage businesses to adopt sustainable philanthropy practices and social impact measurement to achieve social impact alongside business success.”

Partners and supporters of EOY awards program

Bank of Singapore, the wholly owned private banking subsidiary of OCBC, continues as the platinum sponsor of the EOY awards for the third year.

Jason Moo, CEO of Bank of Singapore, says:

“Now in our third year as platinum sponsor of the EY EOY awards in Singapore, Bank of Singapore is proud to stand alongside EY in recognizing entrepreneurs who push boundaries, elevate industries and contribute to Singapore’s long-term progress. Their vision, courage and resilience to transform bold ideas into meaningful impact continue to inspire us.”

The Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) continues as a partner of the EOY awards for the seventh year.

Pol de Win, Head of Global Sales and Origination, SGX Group, says:

"Our continued partnership with EY reflects a simple belief that strong entrepreneurship needs a strong environment to thrive. As market activity picks up and investment interest broadens, it’s important that founders know there is a trusted platform and network behind them that can provide efficient access to capital and enhanced visibility. At SGX Group, we are focused on strengthening that foundation so ambitious businesses can grow with confidence, at every stage of their journey.”

The official media partners of the EOY awards are The Business Times, The Edge Singapore and Portfolio magazine. The supporters are Action Community for Entrepreneurship; Enterprise Singapore and Singapore Business Federation.

The EY EOY awards program was launched in Singapore in 2002 to honor entrepreneurs who have created and sustained successful business ventures, as well as to coincide with the government’s focus on fostering entrepreneurship and grooming local entrepreneurs. Now in its 25th year, the program has evolved into a leading business award in Singapore with an international presence and footprint. For more information about the EY EOY program, please visit ey.com/sg/eoy

-ends-

Notes to Editors

About EY

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, a member of the global EY organization.

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™. 

www.ey.com/eoy

About Bank of Singapore

Bank of Singapore is the dedicated private banking subsidiary of OCBC. Backed by OCBC’s strong credit ratings of Aa1 by Moody’s and AA- by both Fitch and S&P, it offers a unique value proposition as a safe Singapore-registered private bank.

Its open-architecture product platform backed by strong research capabilities provides clients with first-class private banking and bespoke wealth planning solutions. It is also able to leverage OCBC’s capabilities to extend its clients a broad array of services across the OCBC’s regional and international network.

Bank of Singapore serves high net worth individuals and wealthy families in its key markets of Asia, Greater China, the Indian subcontinent and other international markets.

Headquartered in Singapore, Bank of Singapore and its subsidiaries have offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre, Hong Kong, London, Malaysia and Manila. Its strong performance has won it numerous industry recognitions. Bank of Singapore was named Best Chief Investment Office in Private Banking in Asia by PWM/The Banker in 2024 and Best Private Bank in Asia for use of Technology by PWM in 2025.  

www.bankofsingapore.com

About Singapore Exchange (SGX Group)

SGX Group seeks to serve as the world’s most trusted and efficient international marketplace, operating equity, fixed income, currency and commodity markets to the highest regulatory standards. As one ecosystem with global relevance and influence, we offer multiple growth avenues to our stakeholders through listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository, data and index services. We are committed to lead on climate action by developing a world-class transition financing and trading hub through SGX FIRST (Future in Reshaping Sustainability Together), our multi-asset sustainability platform. Headquartered in AAA-rated Singapore, we are globally recognized for our risk-management and clearing capabilities. Find out more at www.sgxgroup.com.

Fact sheet A: Eligibility and judging criteria

Eligibility criteria:

To be a nominee, the individual must be:

• An owner-manager primarily responsible for the recent performance of a Singapore-based company that is at least two years old, or
• A founder of a listed Singapore-based company who is still active in senior management

Judging criteria:

The following four judging criteria sets the global standard adhered to by countries participating in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards.

Entrepreneurial spirit: How bold and resilient is the entrepreneur’s mindset and journey?

• Sees opportunities others miss, whether solving real problems, reimagining what’s possible or creating new value that drives growth and innovation
• Takes bold personal and business risks, learns from experience and shares their journey, motivations, and challenges overcome
• Demonstrates resilience, creativity and determination to overcome significant challenges
• Cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset and culture that inspires innovation and action within the organization

Purpose: What values drive the entrepreneur and their vision for the future?

• Leads with a clear purpose – personal and business – focused on why the business exists, who it serves and the difference it aims to make
• Innovates in ways that prioritize long-term value for various stakeholders including people, planet and business
• Builds trust by staying true to mission and values, even in uncertain times
• Champions inclusive leadership and builds a culture that aligns strategy with core values and vision
• Demonstrates how purpose shapes strategic direction and influences business decisions.

Impact: What real-world positive difference is the entrepreneur making?

• Serves customers in ways that meaningfully improve lives, communities or industries
• Builds inclusive teams and creates access to resources and opportunities for all individuals, recognizing differing needs and experiences
• Introduces new or improved solutions that create lasting benefit for people, markets or society
• Helps protect, restore or regenerate the environment for future generations
• Creates impact in community through initiatives such as volunteering and philanthropy

Growth: How is the entrepreneur scaling their business and preparing for future growth?

• Demonstrates consistent growth in financial performance, operational viability and return on equity while scaling the business responsibly
• Develops strong, adaptable teams and expands the customer base, leveraging a range of skills, experiences and perspectives
• Uses innovation, new approaches, and technology to lead, improve and evolve their industry
• Creates an agile, resilient business that delivers long-term value for all stakeholders