KUALA LUMPUR: The 16 nominees shortlisted under the four categories of the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014 are eagerly waiting for the results to be unveiled at a gala dinner on Dec 4.

But to Iris Corp managing director Datuk Tan Say Jim (pic), whoever has been nominated is already a winner as each is already successful in his or her own field.

Singapore-listed Silverlake Axis Ltd chairman Goh Peng Ooi, meanwhile, said winning the award means promoting certain ideas in Silverlake to the public and getting them to understand it, adding that “EY is a good professional title and it correlates to what I want to promote [for the company].” Both Tan and Goh are among the three nominees for the award’s Master Entrepreneur category and were speaking during brief media interviews organised by EY yesterday. Another nominee is Datuk Kho Kak Beng of KKB Engineering Bhd.

Under the Women Entrepreneur category, the six nominees are Pat Liew of BTC Clothier Sdn Bhd, Jerene Pang of Coolblog Group of Companies, Ebby Loo of Euro-Atlantic Sdn Bhd, Anne Kuang of Instacom Engineering Sdn Bhd, Adelaine Foo of The Otomotif College Sdn Bhd and Dr Soraya Ismail of Vitality Boost Sdn Bhd. As for the Technology Entrepreneur category, Ivan Teh of Fusionex Corp Sdn Bhd is among the three nominees shortlisted. The other two are Seah Kian Hoe of Heng Hiap Industries Sdn Bhd and Liew Choon Lian of MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd.

Under the Emerging Entrepreneur category, the shortlisted are Datuk Chevy Beh of BP Diagnostic Centre Sdn Bhd, Datuk Lawrence Teo of I Synergy Universal Sdn Bhd, Datuk Calvin Khiu Fu Siang of MK Wedding Sdn Bhd, and Timothy Tiah of Nom Nom Media Sdn Bhd. There will be a country winner selected from the winners of the four categories under the award. He or she will then represent Malaysia at Monte Carlo next June to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 7, 2014.