Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing joins World’s Leading Entrepreneurs to Gather in Monte Carlo and Compete for Top Title

Second Annual Ernst & Young World Summit to Culminate with Sixth Annual Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 June 2006 - Y Bhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing of LimKokWing University College of Creative Technology, the country award recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year - Malaysia 2005 is preparing to travel to Monte Carlo to take part in The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year World Summit. There he will join the world’s leading entrepreneurs who will gather in Monte Carlo 6-11 June for the World Summit, which will culminate with the crowning of the 2006 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

The World Summit provides an exclusive platform for distinguished entrepreneurs from around the world to meet, strategize and plan their next move towards continued success. The event is expected to attract around 1,000 participants, including past Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipients, top thinkers, policy makers and innovators, to address important global business issues and help to fulfill the Summit’s underlying theme of how entrepreneurs can make the world a better place.

James S. Turley, Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, comments: “2006 is the twentieth anniversary of our Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which celebrates and champions entrepreneurship throughout the world. The growth and longevity of this program is proof once again of the incredibly important role entrepreneurs fill as a growth driver not only for the global economy, but also for their local communities and society as a whole.”

This year’s World Summit focuses on opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe, a developing part of the world which is fast becoming an integral part of any growing company’s global strategy. Panel discussions and presentations will offer specific global insights and practical applications on doing business in that region. In addition, other sessions will focus on opportunities in Asia, corporate social responsibility, and creating wealth and managing growth, to name a few areas.

Featured speakers include Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet, Daniel Thorniley of The Economist Group, Pierluigi Collina, former FIFA and Serie A referee, The Right Honorable Lord Patten of Barnes CH, former Governor of Hong Kong and EU Commissioner, Wayne Huizenga, the 2005 World Entrepreneur Of The Year, and Terry Jones founder of Travelocity.com. The World Summit will culminate with a gala ceremony on Saturday 10 June where national Entrepreneur Of The Year winners from 32 countries will vie for the title of 2006 World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

Set out below are some of Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing thoughts about the upcoming trip.

Q1 What do you hope to get out of the experience in competing at Monte Carlo?
I see the event in Monte Carlo as simply a get-together of some of the best business talents in the world. So, just meeting and getting to know them would be worth the trip.

Q2 As Malaysia’s representative to the global event, how are you going to best project the image of Malaysia?
If you keep thinking that you are representing Malaysia at the event, you will probably be a very worried person. I don’t think I will be anything other than being myself.

Q3 You will be up against entrepreneurs who make much more revenue than you. How do you hope to compete against them and woo the judges?
When we are matched against much larger markets like UK, US, India, etc we will be dwarfed, especially if you are in a category where the financial base is usually not huge. If the purpose of it all is to pick someone who is outstanding in a specific way and we fit the description, we will eventually do well. I do not see the need in doing anything in particular to impress the judges.

Q4 Besides the judging, there will be many networking events for the finalists. What kind of impression do you hope to leave behind with those who come into contact with you?
I am looking forward to meeting every one of the country representatives. They must be people of immense talents and substance. Through me, they will understand our country, our cultural backdrop, our business environment and our people better.

Q5 How are you preparing for the event?
Apart from organising the things I have been advised to, I am conscious that I will be Malaysia’s representative in Monte Carlo. That means I need to anticipate what other participants would want to know about our economy, our business culture, and so on.

A National and Global Award to Honor Entrepreneurs

Since its foundation in the United States in 1986 to honor those who have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards have grown throughout the world, expanding to 32 finals in 2006, with 35 countries expected to participate in 2007. Over 10,000 entrepreneurs were nominated for the Award in 2005.

As Gregory K. Ericksen, Global Vice Chairman of Ernst & Young’s Strategic Growth Markets explains, “In awarding World Entrepreneur Of The Year, we look for recipients who have made a significant positive impact for their business, their customers and their local communities. This year’s selection of outstanding entrepreneurs comes from a diverse range of backgrounds and industry sectors, but they are all united by a drive to succeed and to innovate.”

In order to be considered, World Entrepreneur Of The Year candidates must be an owner or manager of a private or public company, primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company and still active in top-level management. An independent and prestigious panel of judges comprised of business leaders and past Entrepreneur Of The Year winners has already begun assessing the finalists for this year’s World Entrepreneur Of The Year. The judging process will culminate on Friday 9 June with lengthy interviews with the candidates.

Past World Entrepreneur Of The Year Winners

2005: Wayne Huizenga, Chairman of Huizenga Holdings, Inc.
Wayne is the only person in corporate history to be responsible for six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to have founded three FORTUNE 500 companies. Wayne created Waste Management, Inc., Republic Industries, Blockbuster Entertainment, AutoNation, and he has owned three professional U.S. sports teams. He currently owns the Miami Dolphins of the U.S. National Football League.

2004: Tony Tan Caktiong, President of Jollibee Foods Corporation
Since founding Jolliebee in 1975, the company’s size, expanse and breadth has grown exponentially - from a handful of stores 26 years ago to 1,185 locations in nine countries at the end of 2004. The Far Eastern Economic Review cited Jollibee as The Most Admired Company in the Philippines for the past six years.

2003: Narayana Murthy, Founder and Chairman of Infosys Technologies Limited
Founded in 1981 and headquartered in India, Narayana has grown Infosys Technologies into a global organization with more than 25,000 employees. The company designs complex e-commerce and telecom software and provides end-to-end solutions in software consulting.

2002: Stefan Vilsmeier, President and CEO of BrainLAB AG Stefan’s radio-surgery products have set a new standard for non-invasive, cost efficient tumor treatment for doctors and their patients. BrainLAB operates in 15 countries and has become a world leader in advanced medical technology.

2001: Paolo della Porta, President, Chairman and Group CEO of Saes Getters S.p.A. For more than four decades, Saes Getters has been the world leader in technology used to create and maintain vacuum and purified gas environments. The company’s products are credited with extending – 100-fold – the operating lives of television screens and computer monitors.

For more information on The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year World Summit 2006, click here to go to our global website.