Edmund Santhara is Malaysia’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year
by Joyce Au-Yong & Ooi Ying Nee

KUALA LUMPUR: Masterskill (M) Sdn Bhd’s CEO Edmund Santhara is Malaysia’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2007, triumphing over Master category nominees who have contributed to the business world for more than six years.

Edmund was chosen from a selection of 13 outstanding entrepreneurs, each and everyone of them, leading captains of industry in their own right. This is the first year that the recipient of the award is not from the Master Category.

The 36-year-old also walked away with the Emerging Entrepreneur of The Year award.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Effendi Norwawi presented the awards at the ceremony here last night.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Effendi, said: “More and more, we see how our entrepreneurs matter towards nation building in today’s increasingly global economy.

The tide has certainly turned, given the emphasis on the private sector-led growth in our national development.

“The Ninth Malaysia Plan targets a 60% private sector growth contribution as opposed to 40% in the Eighth Malaysia Plan. This would mean that the ratio of public to private contribution would be reversed from 60:40 to 40:60 by 2010,” he said.

E&Y Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Samad Alias said: “Our government support for entrepreneurship is noteworthy especially with its incentives and fund allocation to this sector. This year is particularly special as it coincides with the 50th year of independence.

“We celebrate 50 years of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs from all walks of life play a significant role in shaping the economy. Without doubt, entrepreneurs would have and will continue to play a significant role by 2020, turning dreams into reality, hoping to inspire and motivate the next generation of entrepreneurship.”

“I am very excited and surprised to win this award. I am also extremely touched,” Edmund said, adding that his winning the award would propel Masterskill to further growth.

Masterskill is the operator of Masterskill Nursing and Allied Health that offers courses in pharmacy, physiotherapy and lab technology. In just two years, Edmund transformed Masterskill by implementing various measures such as procuring study loans from various funds and revolutionising the nursing and healthcare educational delivery system.

The company has also achieved 100% employability for all its graduates. Edmund will represent Malaysia at the global Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Award to be held at Monte Carlo in May next year. The global event will see 50 of the world’s best entrepreneurs vying for the coveted title.

Founder and managing director of retail chain Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd, Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin was presented The Masters Category Award yesterday. Ameer is credited for turning the humble hypermarket into a company that made a pre-tax profit of RM50 million and employs 6,500 workers. Mydin competes with the likes of Tesco, Carrefour and Giant.

Nigel Lee Siew Tat, the CEO of Mesdaq listed TechnoDex Bhd, was given the Technology Category Award. TechnoDex Bhd is an e-business solutions company that currently has offices in China, Australia and Vietnam. Under Lee’s leadership, the company provides Malaysia’s first homegrown open source technologies software platform.

Co-founder of TA Enterprise Bhd, Datin Alicia Tan Kuay Fong, received the Women’s Category Award. TA is the first stock broking firm to be listed on Bursa Malaysia, and is one of the top retail stockbrokers in the country. Due to Tan’s foresight, the company has diversified into property development, becoming a leader by setting the pricing and concept benchmarks for luxury properties.

“We take great pride in the role we have played, and will continue to play in celebrating the story of how so many hard-won dreams have come true. It was indeed a challenge for the judges to select one single award recipient, as each top nominee is a winner in his or her own right,” said See Huey beng, country managing partner, Ernst & Young in a statement yesterday.

The four entrepreneurs emerged as winners out of a total of 13 nominees. Some of the judges include previous Malaysia Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006, Datuk Tony Fernandes, group CEO of AirAsia Bhd; Vincent Leusner, president of the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce; and Datuk Dr Abu Talib Bachik, senior vice-president of the Technopreneur Development Division, Multimedia Development Corporation.

Last year’s winners include Emerging Entrepreneurs of the Year, brothers Kenny Goh Chee Ken and Henry Goh Chee Heng, respectively CEO and COO of Macro Kiosk Bhd; Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, Simon Loh Wee Hian, non executive director of e-pay (M) Sdn Bhd and Nafisah Radin, principal architect of NR Architect, who clinched the Woman Entrepreneur Award.

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