Datuk Julie Yapp
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s renowned businesswoman, Datuk Julie Yapp, has added another accolade to her achievement when she became the first woman entrepreneur in Malaysia to receive the coveted 11th Asia Pacific International Honesty Entrepreneur Keris Award 2012, recently.
Yapp, who is especially well known for her outstanding performances in both construction and plantation sectors, was among 700 nominees vying for the 51 awards offered by the organisers.
The award presentation ceremony jointly organised by the Asia-Pacific Excellence Entrepreneur Alliance and Entrepreneur Development Association Malaysia, was held at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Over 1,000 guests, comprising both entrepreneurs and members of the media from various countries, attended the event.
Dubbed as the ‘Oscar Award’ event for international trade community by the CCTV, it was aimed chiefly to honour the “integrity and achievements” of outstanding enterprises in the region, so as to encourage them to become more professional and to venture into the international market.
The previous recipients of such award included prominent enterprises like Samsung, Panasonic, Canon, AEON Jaya Jusco, Haier, AirAsia, FedEx, BenQ, Lee Kum Kee, and Cathay Pacific Airlines.
Award recipients were
evaluated and chosen based on stringent international requirements and standards, with sheer fairness and transparency.
The three categories of awards namely Honesty Enterprises, Honesty Products and Honesty Entrepreneurs allowed recipients to gain recognition by the market players, thus encouraging them to elevate themselves to a greater heights.
Winners for year 2012 included enterprises and entrepreneurs from the Asia Pacific region like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
In a statement issued here yesterday, Yapp admitted that it was never easy to be where she is today, stressing that it involved lot of hard work, patience and sacrifices.
A woman of strong character and determination, Yapp said, she had always taken her projects seriously by personally getting involved in their implementation and management.
“Often, I have to withstand the tough and challenging conditions of the plantation sector, working under the hot sun and rain, in the middle of the tropical jungle,” she said.
Yapp, nonetheless, acknowledged that it was all worth it at the end of the day, especially when realising that she had proven her mettle in pursuing her dreams.
Well known for her passionate involvement in charity works, especially in helping the poor and the Chinese education, Yapp humbly acknowledged that it was merely an obligation for her to give back to the society.
With a diverse business and career portfolios and a liking to combine business with charitable works, Yapp has fast become a ‘legend’ in her own right, winning the “Asia Pacific Smart Women Entrepreneur Award” and the “Asia Pacific International Entrepreneur Excellence Award”, thrice.