KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 28): Four companies, namely MR DIY Group (M) Bhd, Sunway Bhd, BIG Pharmacy Healthcare Sdn Bhd and MAMEE-Double Decker (M) Sdn Bhd, have been recognised by Deloitte PLT as inaugural winners of its Malaysia's Best Managed Companies awards programme.

Initiated by its private business-focused practice, Deloitte Private, the programme recognises top privately-owned local companies with annual revenues exceeding US$25 million (RM104.81 million) for their organisational excellence, as well as contributions to their respective industries and the economy.

In a statement, Deloitte said the programme is part of its global Best Managed Companies awards, and applies a proven evaluation process to assess the businesses’ quality of management in areas including strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, as well as governance and financials.

“These companies’ resilience and sustained commitment to their purpose, despite navigating an extraordinary year, has been truly remarkable,” said Deloitte Malaysia chief executive officer Yee Wing Peng.

According to him, the Best Managed Companies awards provide an opportunity to celebrate these outstanding local household brands, which demonstrated the importance of strong leadership, innovation, and agility.

Some emerging trends seen among winners, he said, included an increased focus on leadership, diversity and inclusion, digital transformation to enable efficiencies, and for many companies — a growing contribution towards community service.

Deloitte Malaysia Private leader Chee Pei Pei commended the management teams of these businesses as visionary and innovative.“We were impressed by the companies’ willingness to have conversations about their strengths and discuss market opportunities within their industries. It’s wonderful to be able to recognise their contribution to the Malaysian economy. We are hopeful that through this win, they will be role models spurring other private companies to scale greater heights, towards nation building,” said Chee.

An independent judging panel comprising business and academia representatives determined the winners based on the leading practices of Best Managed Companies, Deloitte said.

This year’s jury members consisted of: Prof Datuk Dr Asma Ismail, Ibn Sina Chair for Medicine at International Islamic University Malaysia; Datuk Seri Dr Michael Yam, chairman of InvestKL Corp; and Jordy Cao, general manager of Alibaba Cloud Malaysia.

“The Malaysia Best Managed winners had what I call the W.O.W. factor (Worldclass — Outstanding qualities — Winning products). I hope the winners will continue to go beyond great, and make Malaysians proud,” said Asma.

“This competition is a much-needed tonic and stimulant for Malaysian corporates aspiring to be the best in class. The criteria and value proposition of Best Managed are holistic and robust, serving as an excellent template for companies to future-proof themselves,” said Yam.

“Digital transformation is key to business sustainability. Best Managed winners constantly evolved and continued to drive the culture of innovation, preparing them to anticipate business disruptions, and enabling them to stay competitive in the global arena,” Cao commented.

The Best Managed Companies winners are encouraged to re-join the programme every year to continuously challenge, improve, and grow their company to retain their Best Managed Companies status, said Deloitte.

BIG Pharmacy Healthcare’s chief executive officer Lee Meng Chuan said winning the award proves that the group is on the right track with its vision of ensuring everyone will ‘Be In Good Health’.

MAMEE-Double Decker's group executive director Pierre Pang attributed the win to the continued support of the group’s greatest asset — the Monstar team — and that the key to its success is its 4Is — Integrity, Intensity, Involvement, and Innovation.

MR DIY Group’s chief executive officer Adrian Ong said the win inspires the group to continuously find new and exciting ways to bring its promise of ‘Always Low Prices’.

Sunway Group’s digital and strategic investments chief executive officer Evan Cheah, meanwhile, shared the award is testament to Sunway Group’s commitment and sustainability-driven strategies, and demonstrated the group’s resilience as well as ability to respond, reinvent, and recover from unprecedented challenges.