Robert Kuok Hock Nien, affectionately known as RK by friends and close associates, is the architect of the Kuok Group in Asia. Johore born Robert Kuok grew up in the family business Tong Seng & Co. which traded in rice, sugar and flour in Johor Bahru. His father, Kuok Keng Kang, sent his three boys, Robert and his two elder brothers, Philip and William Kuok, to the prestigious English College of Johore (later renamed Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar). The family was close to the Johore Royalty and grew up in elite circles.

Sugar King

At 25, Robert Kuok set up Kuok Brothers Limited (later renamed Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd) on 1 April 1949. His expert and highly profitable dealings on the sugar market led London commodity brokers to call him the “Sugar King” of Asia.

The 1960s saw the expansion of the Kuok Brothers’ businesses regionally. In 1971 the first Shangri-La Hotel was built in Singapore. After more than 20 years of doing business in Malaysia and Singapore, Robert Kuok moved his base to Hong Kong in the mid-1970s. He bet on the rise of China as an economic powerhouse though it was still early then.

In the 1980s the Kuok Group ventured into property development (Kerry Properties Limited), oil palm plantations (PPB Oil Palms Berhad) and cinema operations (Golden Screen Cinemas).

In the 1990s, Robert Kuok entered the media business with the purchase of Hong Kong’s premier English Daily, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) from media baron Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. His daughter, Kuok Hui Kwong, a graduate of Harvard University, eventually became the CEO of SCMP.

Wilmar International

In 2007 Robert Kuok’s PPB Group entered into a mega merger with Wilmar International Limited. The PPB Group sold all its shares in PPB Oil Palms Berhad, PGEO Group Berhad (edible oils refining subsidiary), Kuok Oils and Grains Pte Ltd to Wilmar International in exchange for shares. The Kuok group is the second largest shareholder in Wilmar. Robert Kuok’s nephew, Kuok Khoon Hong, runs Wilmar, which is Asia’s largest agri-commodity company.

Exit Sugar business Malaysia

In January 2010 Robert Kuok’s PPB Group sold all its sugar manufacturing and refinery business plus its sugar cane plantations to FELDA Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) and ceased to be involved in the sugar business in Malaysia.

Sale of SCMP

In December 2015, the Kuok group sold its interest in SCMP and all media assets of the SCMP group to Jack Ma’s Alibaba group. It exited the media business.

Malaysia

In Malaysia the Kuok Group has three listed companies – PPB Group Berhad, Shangri-La Hotels (Malaysia) Berhad and Malaysian Bulk Carriers Berhad.

Succession

Robert Kuok’s daughter, Harvard educated Kuok Hui Kwong, 41, is the Chairman of Shangri-La Asia Limited, holding company of the luxury Shangri-La Hotel chain. She took over the position from her elder brother, Beau Kuok Khoon Chen, (62) in January 2017. Beau Kuok was Chairman and CEO of Shangri-La Asia and had been holding various senior board positions in the Kuok Group for many years.

At the property listed arm, Kerry Properties Limited, Robert Kuok’s youngest son, Harvard educated Khoon Hua, 40, was appointed Vice-Chairman and CEO in June 2019.

Robert Kuok’s other son, Kuok Khoon Ean, 64, is Chairman of Kuok (Singapore) Limited, Chairman of PACC Offshore Services Holdings Ltd, and a director of Wilmar International Limited, Kerry Holdings Limited and Kerry Group Limited. He was the Chairman of Shangri-La Asia Limited (2008-2013) before handing the chair to his elder brother Khoon Chen.

Read more from pages 1-28 Family Controlled Companies in Bursa Malaysia by Tan Li Shan titled “Tall Trees experience Strong Winds – Robert Kuok”