7. Tan Sri Lau Cho Kun

Tan Sri Lau Cho Kun who is a significant leader and a controlling shareholder in Hap Seng Consolidated Berhad. He holds 56% in Gek Poh Holdings Sdn Bhd which have a 53% stake in Hap Seng. On top of that, he also holds shares in Lei Shing Hong Investment Ltd where Gek Poh Group and the Lau family controls some 73% of the shares in the company.

Tan Sri Lau is no longer as active as he was before in the company where today, Hap Seng is run by a group of capable and professionals. The group started off in the timber business before it diversified through the years and today, it has a large portfolio under its wing. The major businesses that Hap Seng is involved today are covered in 6 areas which include quarry and building materials, property, automotive, fertilisers, plantations as well as credit financing.

Tan Sri Lau’s uncle Tan Sri Panglima Lau Gek Poh is the founder of the group where Hap Seng is the largest property developing company in Sabah while it also has various prominent properties in Kuala Lumpur like Menara Hap Seng and Menara Citibank. It is also the second largest quarry operator in the country and has been involved in the automotive industry through its dealer partnership to sell Mercedes-Benz cars.

Tan Sri Lau has a wealth of RM1.72billion where he had moved the company into becoming the third-largest lender in the non-bank sector while it also manufactures aggregates, bricks and asphalt where it has more than 25 years in its reserves. Apart from that, Hap Seng is also the top 3 fertiliser distributors in the country as well as Indonesia while it is the sole distributor of the Mitsubishi Fuso trucks in East Malaysia.