8 Facts About Presidential Hopeful George Goh, The Self-Made Man Who Brought Harvey Norman To S’pore

8 Facts About Self-Made Entrepreneur & Family Man George Goh

Singapore will have a new president come September and candidates are stepping out of the woodwork.

This year, Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratman is joined by the entrepreneur George Goh as a presidential hopeful.

The latter announced his intention to run for president yesterday (12 June) in a press statement.

Unlike his rival, Mr Goh does not have a political affiliation and identifies as an entrepreneur and diplomat.

Here are eight facts about the businessman whose efforts to overcome poverty brought Harvey Norman to Singapore.

1. Grew up in poverty in Malaysia

As the seventh child of a blue-collar family in 1960s Malaysia, Mr Goh was not born with a silver spoon.

In a Facebook post where he thought back on his childhood, Mr Goh shared that his family lived without electricity or tap water in a kampong.

“As children, my siblings and I would walk a few kilometres to school, and do our homework at night on the hard-soil floor around a kerosene lantern,” he wrote.

Mr Goh remembered his mother as their main caretaker, while his father worked as a truck driver in a logging area to provide for the family.

Even then, they lived a modest life with daily meals that consisted of plain porridge and vegetables.

At seven years old, a young Mr Goh took to the fields as a farmer and herded goats.

2. Dropped out of school at 16 years old

Throughout his boyhood in primary and secondary school, Mr Goh’s family remained in poverty.

On his website, he revealed that his parents suffered through difficult ordeals in order to keep the family afloat.

My parents had to give away two sisters as they could not afford them, and a sibling died at four weeks old as we had no money for medical help.

What’s more, Mr Goh shared that his eldest brother had lost “half his leg” in a logging accident.

Speaking to Salt&Light, he said that he came to Singapore at 16 years old to look for work.

After reaching our shores, the young Mr Goh worked as a sweeper at a shoe factory in Geylang earning S$15 a week.

During his time there, he picked up valuable skills and learned how to make shoes.

3. George Goh struck out as a retail distributor in 1990

That was the start of his story as a businessman, as he and his two brothers later started a shoe-manufacturing company called De’classici in 1982.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that the next year, they started a trading company called Ossia Trading alongside the manufacturing arm.

In 1990, they went regional and founded Ossia International — a company distributing sporting goods.

TODAY reported that Mr Goh became a Singapore citizen that same year.

At just 34 years old, he received the Singapore Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1994 for his efforts in leading the business.

According to a report by Business Times, the company made an estimated S$10 million profit in 1995.

The business expanded substantially by 1996, with 18 subsidiaries in six countries and factories in Malaysia and Taiwan.

That year, Ossia International was listed on the Singapore Exchange mainboard.

In 2004, TODAY reported that Ossia International distributed over 30 international brands like Elle and Hush Puppies.

4. Brought Harvey Norman & World of Sports to Singapore

Apart from consumer apparel and sporting goods, Ossia entered the electronics market under Mr Goh’s leadership.

For many in Singapore, Harvey Norman is a go-to for electronics and home appliances.

As it turns out, we owe it all to Mr Goh who went into a joint venture with the Australian electronics brand.

According to his website, the businessman founded Harvey Norman Ossia in 1999.

Ossia and Harvey Norman partnered to invest in Pertama Holdings Limited —  a company of which Mr Goh is also the Deputy Chairman.

However, Harvey Norman is not the only brand name associated with the business mogul.

Mr Goh also helms World of Sports — the flagship brand under VGO Corporation Limited.

Apart from Ossia International Limited (OIL) and Harvey Norman Ossia (Asia) Pte. Ltd., Mr Goh is also the Founder of ITG International Pte Ltd.

5. George Goh is a dedicated family man

Outside of his professional life, George Goh paints the picture of a loving husband and father to four children.

Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that he is currently married to Madam Lysa Sumali, with whom he has one daughter.

His three older children are from his first wife, who passed away when he was 40 years old.

Mr Goh shared with Salt&Light that his youngest child was only three months old when she passed.

“Then I met someone I love a lot. She knew I had three children, and didn’t mind coming into our family,” he said.

6. Gives back to the community through Border Mission

After years of dedication to growing his business, Mr Goh set up the Border Mission Charitable Foundation in 2015 with his second wife, Lysa.

On his website, he says, “I will never forget what it’s like to be hungry and in need”.

In Singapore, the foundation serves elderly cardboard collectors and persons with disabilities.

Over in the Himalayas, volunteers provide poor communities with education, medical, and community care.

Mr Goh has participated in these outreach programmes himself, meeting and serving the underprivileged communities.

According to Salt&Light, he has travelled more than 20 times to the Himalayas.

7. George Goh appointed Non-Resident Ambassador to Morocco

Apart from his entrepreneurial achievements, Mr Goh has also made his mark in public service.

In 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) appointed Mr Goh as Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco.

Since then, he has been on diplomatic trips to Morocco where he has met the country’s political figures.

Last year, he showed his solidarity with the Moroccan national team in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals against France.

Mr Goh showed up at the live screening of the match at Singapore Sports Hub, mingling and waving the Moroccan flag.

8. Received a degree in music performance for opera singing

When most people in his position would be preparing for a comfortable retirement, Mr Goh fuelled his appetite for learning by obtaining a degree in music.

He started his formal music studies at 50 years old and graduated at 62 years old.

Despite his responsibilities, he graduated from Trinity College London and attended the conferment and award ceremony in 2023.

In his 20s, Mr Goh had learned music from the late Singaporean conductor Goh May Seng.

Many decades later, he still keeps his passion for music very much alive.

Rose from rags to riches through sheer determination

As it stands, Mr George Goh has spent most of his life hustling to make sure that his family lives a comfortable life.

Despite how busy he is, he still puts aside time for his interests while also giving back to the community.

Perhaps we can all take a lesson from his book to pursue our passions no matter our age.

We wish Mr Goh all the best in his endeavours and his election campaign — should he be eligible as a candidate.

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Featured image adapted from George Goh Ching Wah on Facebook.