‘Emerging Sabah business leaders need exposure' call
Published on: Tue, Jul 15, 2025 Text Size: From left: Datuk Lee Swi Heng, Datuk James Wong, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and Kenji Yeo together with participants of CEO Masterclass Kota Kinabalu: Sabah entrepreneurs possess equal capabilities as their international counterparts but require greater exposure to unlock their potential. 'Our industry friends from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur scaling 30 outlets per year have unlocked their imagination of what is possible.
Advertisement 'We need to bring that confidence to scale up and think big to Sabah,' said Sybil Founding President Datuk James Wong. Local economic growth depends on businesses learning to expand their operations and retain top talent within the State, said James, who is also Sedco General Manager. He was speaking at the recent CEO Masterclass 2025 which attracted 400 industry leaders and professionals to the Sabah International Convention Centre. Jointly organised by the Sabah Young Business and Industry Leaders (Sybil) and the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) Sabah, the event highlighted the ongoing partnership between the two organisations in fostering leadership development and professional networking opportunities. The first session, 'Overcoming the Business Death Valley,' was moderated by Ray Chou and featured insights from Kenji Yeo of Amazing Borneo Tours, Ventamin co-founder Geraldyn Low and Intelligent Capital Director Asgari Stephens, who shared personal entrepreneurial experiences and challenges. A second panel, 'Scaling Beyond Sabah' was moderated by James and featured three prominent figures from Sabahan public-listed companies. KTI Landmark Berhad's Datuk Dr Gordon Loke, Life Water Berhad's Liaw Hen Kong and Colform Berhad' Kang Ket Hung shared their journeys from operating small-town Sabah businesses to achieving public listings on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market. The masterclass reinforced Sybil's commitment to creating valuable networking platforms that connect established business leaders with local entrepreneurs, fostering knowledge transfer and business development across Sabah's commercial landscape. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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