S.P. Tao conferred prestigious Business China Excellence Award 2010

S.P. Tao, Chairman of ORCL – owner and manager of the World Trade Centre and Havelock City project – was awarded the prestigious Business China Excellence Award at the inaugural Business China Awards held in Singapore on 11 January.

Tao, who founded the Shin Kwan Group, was awarded the Business China Excellence Award for his contribution to warming ties between Singapore and China. Gracing the occasion was Minister Mentor Lee Kwan Yew who presented the awards.

Tao paved the way for closer economic cooperation between Singapore and China through his pioneering business ventures. He is deeply connected in China, and his views were sought by the Singapore Government in the bilateral Suzhou Industrial Park Project which was awarded Business China Enterprise Award.  The Business China Awards aim to honour outstanding businessmen, entrepreneurs, professionals and organisations for their successes and contributions to Singapore – China relationships and the appreciation of the Chinese language and culture.

The awards is organised by Business China and jointly presented by OCBC Bank. It is supported by Business Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

The judging panel comprised of representatives of business academia and media through a rigorous and transparent process sifting through nominees from both Singapore and China.

Tao’s property business is an international one that extends to China, Indonesia and Sri Lanka and through ORCL currently developing the 4.5 m sq ft Havelock City, a mixed use freehold complex of residences, retail, entertainment and offices.

Internationally he is currently conceptualising a town project as part of his plans to improve the development of Chinese cities.

Tao has always been considered a great friend of Sri Lanka and a true visionary investor; with his iconic landmark projects World Trade Centre and the mega Havelock City project now in to its second phase for completion by end 2011.

While having a mind for business, Tao also has the heart of a philanthropist, devoting much energy to charitable causes in China. He is the chief sponsor of the Tao Shing Pee Education Foundation founded in 2000 to offer financial aid to Chinese nationals pursuing MBAs in the USA.

In 2006 Tao set up the Tao Shing Pee Bursary to help fund tertiary education. In his hometown of Jiangshu, Tao has made substantial donations over the last 30 years towards improving the quality of education.

Others recipients  of the inaugural Business China Awards were home-grown singer Stephanie Sun, 32, as Business China Young Achiever Award winner and bilateral Suzhou Industrial Park Project, which was awarded Business China Enterprise Award.

Tao continues to take on the challenges in his own inimitable style of business entrepreneurship and win international accolades.

(Info courtesy Business Times Singapore)