HISTORY
Born in 1913, in the rural Tung Ann district of Fujian, Mr Kwek made his way to Nanyang at age 16. After arriving in Singapore, Mr Kwek finally secured work as a shop apprentice. He worked from 4am in the morning till midnight daily, doing odd jobs and pocketing just five dollars a month. Mr Kwek steadily worked his way up. In 1940, armed with just $7,000 in savings, he set up Hong Leong Company - a small shop on Beach Road.
In 1948, Hong Leong Company Private Limited was formed, dealing in rubber and construction materials. Even today, the cement business forms a major part of the Group’s business. Mr Kwek and later, his sons, steadily expanded the business into property, hospitality, finance and manufacturing.
Today, the Hong Leong Group encompasses international operations of more than 500 companies, including 10 listed companies with 40,000 staff. The companies cover a wide range of sectors - from property development to hotel ownership and management, to finance, and manufacturing and distribution of consumer products, diesel engines industrial and green packaging products, and building materials.
MILESTONES
Set-up Hong Leong Finance to provide financial support to other small local firms in uncertain times.
Forms Hong Leong Holdings (HLH) – the company’s property arm.
Kwek Hong Png acquires a controlling stake in City Developments Limited (CDL) – then a small 8-man outfit. CDL launches City Plaza, its first residential cum shopping development.
Launch of Orchid Inn in Dunearn Road (now known as Copthorne Orchid) – marking its first foray into the hospitality industry.
Future Group Executive Chairman, and eldest son, Kwek Leng Beng makes his move into the hotel industry, setting up the Hong Kong-listed CDL Hotels International.
Buys the Plaza Hotel in New York from real estate tycoon Donald Trump.
Months later, buys Copthorne Hotel chain. The purchase also marks the introduction of the group’s new global hotel brand, Millennium Hotels & Resorts.
Hong Leong Finance is presented with the “Finance Company of the Year” award in the Asian Banking & Retail Banking Awards 2007.
Debut of Grand Millennium Brand with the opening of the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok and Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur.
Hong Leong Asia successfully increases its stake in cement producer Tasek Corporation Berhad (Tasek). Tasek is now effectively a subsidiary of Hong Leong Asia.
