Goh Cheng Liang (born 1927) is a Singaporean billionaire businessman who founded Wuthelam Holdings, which manufactures paint and coatings.[1]

Goh Cheng Liang
Born1927 (age 96–97)
OccupationBusinessman
Known forFounder, Wuthelam Holdings
SpouseMarried
ChildrenGoh Hup Jin
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese吳清亮
Simplified Chinese吴清亮
Hanyu PinyinWú Qīngliàng

Early life

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Goh Cheng Liang was born in Singapore.[2] He is the son of Wu Songchang and Li Xiuying.[3]

He grew up in poverty and sold fishnets and rubber tapper for income. After World War II, he began buying cheap paint from the British army which he turned into a local company.[4]

Career

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He set up his first paint shop in Singapore in 1955, and became the main distributor there for Nippon Paint in 1962.[5] Wuthelam Holdings, which has interests in the paint business and property development, was founded in 1974 as a real estate concern.[1]

In 2020, his son Goh Hup Jin helped conclude a deal which enabled Wuthelam Holdings to formally take control of Nippon Paint.[4] The merger added approximately $3.8bn to his overall net worth.[6] According to Forbes, his net worth stands at $12.7 billion as of 2024, making him the second richest person in Singapore.[7]

Personal life

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Goh Cheng Liang lives in Singapore.[2] His Goh Foundation has made large donations to several charitable causes.[8][9]

He has a son, Goh Hup Jin, who has been the chairman of Nippon Paint since March 2018 and runs their privately held joint venture, Nipsea.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Wong, Sterling (19 January 2015). "Raffles Hotel Job Helps Make Goh Cheng Liang Singapore's Richest". Bloomberg Billionaires. Bloomberg LLC. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Forbes profile: Goh Cheng Liang". Forbes. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  3. ^ "立邦漆背后的百亿富豪:从贫穷子弟到亚洲"油漆大王"的励志转身". Sina (in Chinese (China)). 27 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b Tan, Jessica. "Paints Tycoon Goh Cheng Liang Pulls Off A Master Stroke And Takes Control Of Nippon Paint". Forbes. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Our History". Nippon Paint SG. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  6. ^ Tan, Jessica. "Paints Tycoon Goh Cheng Liang Pulls Off A Master Stroke And Takes Control Of Nippon Paint". Forbes. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  7. ^ Ang, Prisca (3 April 2024). "Sons of late banker Wee Cho Yaw among world's new billionaires on Forbes list". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  8. ^ Lee, Hui Chieh. "$12m gift for leukaemia research" (PDF). National University Hospital Singapore. The Straits Times Singapore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Goh Foundation Endowed Scholarship". Singapore Management University. Retrieved 6 June 2015.