The last Teochew Entrepreneur Award was held in 2018, with participants from the ASEAN region. This year, the Teochew Eight Districts Association has expanded the selection criteria to include Teochew entrepreneurs across Asia. Yang Wanling believes this will bring more benefits to Teochew businesses by providing a valuable platform for them to establish connections and collaborations across a broader region, ultimately driving business growth.

She said: “As a Singaporean award, it allows more Southeast Asian Teochew businesses to better understand Singapore’s business culture, fostering collaboration opportunities and helping local enterprises expand their scale and increase their influence in regional and global markets.”

Yang Wanling is a Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC and an Honorary Advisor to the Teochew Eight Districts Association. She is currently an Assistant Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

Keith Tan is a member of the panel of judges for the Asia Teochew Entrepreneur Award 2025.