It seems that there is no shortage of bright and successful Malaysians that have been making the country proud recently.
About a week ago, Malaysian-born Cassandra Hsiao and Lim Jia Yi made international headlines when they were accepted into multiple Ivy League schools. Super inspiring!
Now, 11 Malaysians have made it into the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list!
Some of these awesome Malaysians were named alongside influential names such as Margot Robbie, Jessica Jung, Kris Wu, Lorde, and more. Check out this list and learn about their great achievements that made them successful.
1. Neelofa
Source: Neelofa’s Twitter
Many of you may have heard of this homegrown beauty a lot recently thanks to her great success in the fashion industry.
Her fame kicked off when she won a teen beauty contest in 2010. She then ventured into acting and ultimately expanded her career from being an actress and TV presenter into an entrepreneur!
Source: Naelofar Online
She started her very own line of headscarves called Naelofar Hijab which are selling like hotcakes. Neelofa was listed under the Top 30 Celebrities, Top 30 Pioneer Women, and Top 30 in Retail & Ecommerce.
2. Vivy Yusof
Source: Blogger
Another Malaysian artist who got into the Top 30 Celebrities and Top 30 in Retail & Ecommerce lists is none other than Vivy Yusof.
Upon returning from the UK after graduating, Vivy and her then-fiance Fadzarudin Shah joined reality TV show ‘Make The Pitch’. They both won RM1 million in investment from MyEG services Bhd.
Source: Digital News Asia
Subsequently, they became a success with their very own e-commerce website Fashion Valet. The beautiful lady even had her OWN reality TV show called ‘Love Vivy’ which was broadcasted on Astro!
3. Faeez Fadhlillah
Source: Forbes
This young man is the CEO of an online travel agency called Tripfez which specialises in travelling for Muslims. He understood the problems that Muslims may face during travelling, such as searching for halal foods.
And so, this enterprising man recognised the need and came up with a specialised travel agency to help the Muslims who aren’t familiar with travelling overseas and into non-Muslim dominated nations.
Faeez flew right into the Top 30 All-Star Alumni and he rightfully deserves it for his great achievement.
4. Sasha Tan
Source: Sasha Tan’s Twitter
Sasha also made a name in the Top 30 in Retail & Ecommerce as the founder and CEO of Favful, a TripAdvisor-like platform for beauty products.
5 years ago, at age 21, Sasha already popped into the entrepreneurial scene with her success in the F&B industry in Singapore.
Source: Tech In Asia
Her main goal with Favful is to allow everyone to be beautiful. But its not just skin-deep as she wrote in the website, ‘beauty is being the best possible version of yourself on the inside and out’.
5. Edmund Ooi
Source: ELLE Malaysia
Edmund is a Malaysian-born menswear designer who currently resides in Belgium. At the age of 19, the young man had graduated in Kuala Lumpur in Fashion Design and immediately won 2 awards.
Now, at the age of 29, Edmund is a well-known name in the fashion industry. In 2015, he debuted in the Milan Fashion Week and even had the support of Giorgio Armani!
Source: Brankopopovic Blog
His style is classy with a twist of fresh modern-day designs. It is no wonder he is part of Forbe’s Top 30 in The Arts.
6. Jazz Tan Yee Mei
Source: The Star
Life wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for this young lass. She experienced a traumatic event where her father was mercilessly murdered by gangsters.
But for every cloud, there is a silver lining. Inspired by that horrible event, Jazz started YouthsToday in 2013. This is a program which helps youths find a place in development programmes and ultimately keeps them off the streets.
Source: Malaysian Foodie
Besides that, the programme also helps to match student projects with brand sponsors. This awesome and philanthropic Malaysian totally deserves to be in the Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs.
7. Mohd Lutfi Fadil Lokman
Source: Glam Lelaki
Basic healthcare is something we often take for granted but it is actually a privilege for some, especially for the extreme poor. For them, healthcare is a luxury as it can be too expensive or just simply out of reach.
After witnessing the poor suffering while he was studying in Indonesia, Lutfi wanted to help these people. And so, he started Hospitals Beyond Boundaries.
Source: The Vocket
Not only does this organisation treat the sick, they also train residents to be community health workers. Lutfi’s spot in the Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs list is definitely well-earned!
8. Mohd Yazrie Mohd Shukri
Source: Forbes
Yazrie got into the Top 30 in the Media, Marketing & Advertising list thanks to his ingenious idea of creating MyFed ASIA, which created a platform called KLIX. KLIX provides over-the-top streaming services.
They are a digital media innovation company who wishes to make life better by bringing advanced technology to the public.
Source: MyFed ASIA
Not only is Yazrie the founder of MyFed Asia, he is also the founder of five other companies! In addition, this bright young man holds the position of advisor and consultant in several other companies as well.
9. Victor Chua
Source: Forbes
If you’re part of a startup or plan on starting your own business, then Victor’s name is one you absolutely have to know. This financially savvy young man has backed about 32 startups since 2015!
Being in the Top 30 in Finance & Venture Capital list would obviously mean Victor has made a great impact as the Vice President of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad and in the finance sector as well.
Source: LinkedIn
In early 2015, the man joined Gobi Partners and is a well-known advisor for many companies and even government bodies in the finance industry.
10. Goh Chee Hau & Nadhir Ashafiq Zainal Abidin
Source: Medium
Searching for a mover has always been a rather daunting task, until Chee Hau and Ashafiq came along and had the inspiration to start their company, TheLorry. This company actually helps to connect lorry drivers with clients through their website.
Clients can book lorries ranging from small to massive sized cargo trucks and get extra services such as packing and dismantling.
Source: TheLorry
Not only do they provide this service in Malaysia, they also have cross border services between Singapore and Thailand. This innovative idea helped place the dynamic duo in the Top 30 in Industry, Manufacturing & Energy list.
How cool are these Malaysians to be 30 years old and younger but already making a massive name for themselves?
Perhaps it’s time for more of us Malaysians to take that leap of faith and strive to accomplish the dreams we thought were impossible to achieve!
We know that starting a business from scratch isn’t easy, and start up owners tend to overlook some really important things such as purchasing business insurance. A good business insurance helps to cover your company from losses and damages you may be exposed to and provides you with a peace of mind.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out Allianz’s comprehensive Smart Retail Shield Package here. This will actually cover 6 of the most common risks associated with small-medium sized retail enterprises, reducing your worries so you can focus on your business! Cool, right?
After getting everything set, just go! Take actual steps into executing what you’ve always wanted to do. Otherwise, it will forever remain as a dream.
Also read: Meet Jia Yi: The Malaysian Who Just Got Accepted into Harvard, Stanford, and Cambridge
