Kuok Khoon Hong

Kuok Khoon Hong
Born	1949 Mersing, Johor, Malaysia
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, industrialist, philanthropist
Known for	Co-founder and executive chairman of Wilmar International
Notable work	Chairman of Yihai Kerry; Non-executive chairman of Adani Wilmar Ltd.

Kuok Khoon Hong (; born 1949) is a prominent Singaporean entrepreneur, industrialist, and philanthropist often referred to as the “Palm Oil King.” He is the co-founder and executive chairman of Wilmar International, one of Asia’s premier agribusiness corporations and the world’s leading trader in palm oil. Kuok also holds the position of chairman at Yihai Kerry and acts as non-executive chairman for Adani Wilmar Ltd. As of January 2021, his estimated net worth stood at approximately US$3.7 billion.

Career

After earning a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore in 1973, Kuok began his career trading soft commodities at Kuok Oils and Grains, where he ultimately became managing director. He played a pivotal role in establishing major edible oil refining operations in both Johor and China.

In 1991, Kuok departed from the Kuok Group to establish Wilmar International. Shortly thereafter, Chinese Indonesian businessman Martua Sitorus joined as co-founder. With an initial capital injection of S$2 million sourced from family assets, Wilmar quickly evolved from a modest Indonesian edible oil trading operation into a comprehensive enterprise encompassing palm oil plantations and refining plants. The company’s strategic expansion included large-scale refining ventures in China and a joint partnership with India’s Adani Group, solidifying Wilmar’s dominance across key Asian edible oil markets.

A significant milestone occurred in 2007 when Kuok reconciled with his uncle Robert Kuok, resulting in the integration of the Kuok Group’s edible oil, trading, and plantation businesses into Wilmar. In exchange, Robert Kuok received a 31% equity stake. This merger combined Kuok’s early career achievements with Wilmar’s accelerated growth under his stewardship.

In recognition of his impactful contributions to China’s economic progress, Kuok was honored with the Chinese Government Friendship Award in 2019.

He is also the principal shareholder of Perennial Holdings, a Singapore-based company specializing in integrated real estate and healthcare services.

In December 2024, Aroland Holdings—where Kuok holds a significant stake—obtained approval to redevelop 1 Undershaft in London into a skyscraper that will rival The Shard in height.

Philanthropy

In response to Singapore's COVID-19 challenges, Kuok and Wilmar International contributed SG$7 million to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund in May 2020.

Together with the Wilmar Group, he has supported educational institutions in Indonesia as well as elderly care facilities and orphanages across China; notably, the Chinese initiatives have been praised for their exemplary standards in charitable governance.

Kuok has endowed scholarships at Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, various Malaysian public universities through the Kuok Foundation, and Magdalene College at Cambridge University. In 2012, Magdalene College recognized him as an Honorary Pepys Benefactor Fellow.

Personal life

Born in Mersing, Johor, Malaysia, Kuok received his early education locally before attending St Joseph's School and English College in Johor Bahru. He is the second child among four siblings born to Kuok Hock Swee and Tan Sek Meng. His father was a cousin to Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok.

Kuok Hock Swee emigrated from Fuzhou, China to British Malaya at age 18 and established a provision store business along Malaysia’s east coast. This enterprise eventually merged with Robert Kuok’s Kuok Group, which owned landmark assets including Singapore’s inaugural Shangri-La Hotel.

Kuok is married with four children: three sons and one daughter. His eldest son, Dr. Meng Han Kuok, is a British-Singaporean biotech entrepreneur recognized for innovations in global health. The second son, Kuok Meng Ru, serves as CEO of Caldecott Music Group and Co-Founder of BandLab Technologies; he was previously the proprietor of Rolling Stone magazine.