George Goh Ching Wah

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George Goh
吴振华
Singapore Non-Resident Ambassador to Morocco
In office
1 June 2017 – 9 June 2023
MinisterVivian Balakrishnan
Personal details
Born (1959-11-25) 25 November 1959 (age 64)
Negeri Sembilan, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
CitizenshipMalaysia
(1959–1990)[1]
Singapore
(1990–present)[1]
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)
Tan Nan Ci
​
(died)​

Lysa Sumali
​
(m. 2001)​
Children4
EducationTrinity College London
Occupation
  • Businessman
  • entrepreneur
  • philanthropist
  • diplomat
Websitegeorgegohchingwah.com

George Goh Ching Wah (Chinese: 吴振华; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gô͘ Chín-hôa; Hokkien pronunciation [ɡɔ˨˦ t͡ɕin˦˨ hua˨˦]; born 25 November 1959) is a Malaysian-born Singaporean businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former diplomat who is the chairman of Ossia International and the founder of Harvey Norman Ossia. He had served as Singapore Non-Resident Ambassador to Morocco between 2017 and 2023.

On 12 June 2023, Goh announced his intention to run for the President of Singapore and stand in the 2023 presidential election.

On 18 August 2023, the Elections Department announced that Goh did not qualify to run for the presidential election and therefore did not receive the Certificate of Eligibility.

Early life and education[edit]

Born in Negeri Sembilan during the era of the Federation of Malaya, Goh was one of the eight children in his family.[2] Due to his family's financial situation, Goh dropped out of school and moved to Singapore, having started working at the age of 16, to support his family.[2] Goh found a job as a sweeper and general worker on a weekly salary of $15 at a shoe factory in Geylang.[3]

In 2022, Goh graduated in music performance[4] from Trinity College London after having studied music, specializing in classical singing.[5]

Business career[edit]

Throughout his career, Goh has owned several listed companies, including Ossia International, Harvey Norman Ossia, and United EnviroTech.[6][7][8]

Goh started DeClassici Shoe Manufacturer in 1982, in a factory at Bartley Road, producing 30 pairs of leather shoes every month.[3]

In 1990, he co-founded Ossia International Limited and serves as its group chairman.[6] In 1996, Ossia was publicly listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.[9]

Later that year, Ossia established a property division, Ossia Land. In the following year, Goh collaborated with Waterbank Properties, NatSteel Properties, and a LSE-listed company Regalion Properties as a part of Ossia Land's venture.[10]

In 1999, Goh partnered Gerry Harvey of multi-national retailer Harvey Norman to establish a S$33 million joint venture named Harvey Norman Ossia (Asia) to retail the Harvey Norman brand in Asia.[7]

In 2000, Goh founded ITG International, an internet technology company that expanded into property development in 2005.[11] In 2002, Goh founded VGO Corporation (World of Sport). VGO Corp carried out an acquisition of a mixed property development group of companies in Malaysia in 2017.[12][13]

In 2003, Goh co-founded wastewater treatment firm United EnviroTech.[8] In 2005, Goh founded SGL Capital Investment Management, a property fund management company.[12][14]

Other roles[edit]

On 1 June 2017, then-President Tony Tan appointed Goh as Singapore Non-Resident Ambassador to Morocco.[15] On 9 June 2023, Goh tendered his resignation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to run for the 2023 presidential election.[16]

Goh is both a council member of the Singapore Red Cross and a member of the Singapore Red Cross Society's operational committee for humanitarian assistance and international relief.[17]

Goh is an executive board member of the Presbyterian Community Services.[18] He is an advisor to the Puan Noor Aishah Intercultural Institute and served as a board member of the Creative Malay Arts and Culture.

Outside Singapore, Goh is the Founder of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Adjunct Lecturer at BML Munjal University and Tribhuvan University in India. He is also an Honorary Advisor to the Vice Chancellor of the Royal University of Bhutan and an Advisor to the President on Internationalization for Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.[19]

In 2015, Goh and his wife co-founded Border Mission Limited,[20] a charity organisation that supports those in need in Singapore, the Himalayan region and developing countries. The ‘Happy People Helping People’,[21] a prominent community group dedicated to helping the elderly poor, has also backed Goh's presidential bid.[22][23][24]

2023 presidential bid[edit]

See also: 2023 Singaporean presidential election

On 12 June 2023, Goh announced his intention to run for the 2023 presidential election under the private sector deliberative track.[16][25]

On 18 August 2023, the Elections Department announced that Goh did not qualify to run for the presidential election and therefore did not receive the Certificate of Eligibility.[26][27]

Personal life[edit]

At age 24, Goh married Tan Nan Ci, with whom he had three children. Tan died of pancreatic cancer when he was the age of 40. In 2001, Goh married his second wife, Lysa Sumali, with whom he had a daughter.[28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Presidential hopeful George Goh's journey from a kampung boy who sold sugarcane juice to an international businessman". Today. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b Scherer, Karyn (18 July 1997). "A small start opens path to big world". Business Herald.
  3. ^ a b Siow, Doreen (18 April 1993). "Shoemaker turned owner of sports chain". The Straits Times. p. 4.
  4. ^ "Performance diplomas | Trinity College London". www.trinitycollege.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  5. ^ "家电零售创业家吴振华：重人才谋共识 传唱企业家精神 | 早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b "An Investor's Guide to SGX-listed companies: Ossia International Limited". The Business Times. 6 April 2004. p. 4.
  7. ^ a b "Harvey hits Asia with Ossia deal". Australian Financial Review. 7 October 1999. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b Wong, Raymond Sin-Kwok (18 June 2008). Chinese Entrepreneurship in a Global Era. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-04301-9.
  9. ^ Lam, Jenny (20 November 1996). "Small investors to get bulk of Ossia IPO". The Business Times. p. 17.
  10. ^ "Waterbank, NatSteel, Ossia in £60m London property deal". The Business Times. 21 August 1997. p. 18.
  11. ^ "About Us". ITG. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Entrepreneurship - George Goh". georgegohchingwah.com. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  13. ^ "VGO Corp plans to acquire property-related business". The Straits Times. 6 June 2016. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  14. ^ "SGL Vietnam Development Ltd - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  15. ^ Auto, Hermes (1 June 2017). "Former Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew appointed Singapore's ambassador to Japan: MFA | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  16. ^ a b Goh, Yan Han (12 June 2023). "Entrepreneur George Goh, who brought Harvey Norman to S'pore, announces bid to run for president". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Patron & Council". www.redcross.sg. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Executive Board". Presbyterian Community Services. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  19. ^ "About Me - George Goh Ching Wah". Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  20. ^ "About Us - Border Mission". 10 May 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  21. ^ Lim, Christina (23 November 2021). "Happy People Helping People: The community caring for the elderly year-round". ANZA. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  22. ^ "家电零售创业家吴振华：重人才谋共识 传唱企业家精神 | 早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Opera singer, philanthropist, entrepreneur: 6 things to know about presidential hopeful George Goh". The Straits Times. 12 June 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Group helping elderly cardboard collectors back George Goh's presidential bid - Singapore News". The Independent Singapore News. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  25. ^ "George Goh, founder of Harvey Norman Ossia, to run for President in Singapore". CNA. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Tharman, Ng Kok Song, Tan Kin Lian qualify as presidential candidates; George Goh ineligible". CNA. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  27. ^ Correspondent, Goh Yan HanPolitical (18 August 2023). "Presidential election: Ng Kok Song, Tharman and Tan Kin Lian get eligibility certificates to contest". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  28. ^ "George Goh believes he's the Mao Shan Wang of presidential candidates". Straits Times. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
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