Singaporean-based Grab co-founder conferred title of Datuk during Sultan’s Silver Jubilee
Grab CEO Anthony Tan Ping Yeow has officially been awarded the title of Datuk by the Sultan of Selangor.
Last Saturday (7 Nov), Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah presented the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS) to the Grab co-founder.
The ceremony took place at Istana Alam Shah in Selangor, Malaysia, during the Sultan’s Silver Jubilee celebration.
Source: 江昭上 via Facebook
Later that day, Mr Tan thanked all the well-wishers in an Instagram post.
He said attending the ceremony with his wife, Ms Chloe Tong, made the occasion all the more meaningful.
The caption read: “A special day for Chloe and me. I’m deeply honoured to receive the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Selangor (D.P.M.S.) from His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor, during celebrations marking the Silver Jubilee of his reign.”
Source: Anthony Tan via Instagram
In Malaysia, individuals who made valuable contributions to their field can be nominated for an honorary award of Datuk.
The title can be extended to citizens outside of the country. This includes Mr Tan, who is now a Singaporean citizen.
From a humble startup to a Southeast Asian empire
Born in Malaysia, Mr Tan pursued his studies at Harvard Business School. His father, Tan Heng Chew, was president of Tan Chong Motor, one of Malaysia’s major automobile distributors.
Together with co-founder Tan Hooi Ling, he developed and launched the ride-hailing app in Kuala Lumpur in 2012. At the time, the app was known as MyTeksi.
In 2013, the company expanded the service and rebranded it as Grab.
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Source: Sosok Kontan
After receiving financial backing through local institutional funds, Mr Tan moved the corporate headquarters to Singapore in 2014.
The business has since expanded into a Southeast Asian empire, reporting an S$18 million profit in the third quarter of 2026.
What began as a modest dream became a booming digital platform that now provides food delivery, parcel logistics, and financial services to millions of users.
In 2016, Mr Tan renounced his Malaysian nationality to officially become a Singaporean citizen.
The tech CEO was one of 19 individuals honoured at the event. He received the title alongside military commanders, diplomats, and corporate leaders from SD Guthrie and YTL Corporation.
In an Instagram post, Grab Malaysia stated that the award was “a truly proud and inspiring moment for all of us at Grab”.
Recognition comes with commitments to workforce
The Datukship represents Tan’s revered position in Malaysian high society, despite running a company from Singapore.
This honour comes alongside substantial corporate commitments to the Malaysian workforce.
For example, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil recently announced the launch of a RM160 million (S$50 million) aid package, co-funded by the government and Grab.
The package will aim to support and uplift electronic-hailing and parcel-hailing workers, starting from 2027.
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Featured image adapted from Grab Holdings Limited (left) and 江昭上 via Facebook (right).