PETALING JAYA: The Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA) 2025 forged the way forward for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to gain strategic insights and actionable knowledge from industry experts and successful peers with the latest SOBA Elevate.
Organised by Star Media Group (SMG) the event was held at Menara Star, Petaling Jaya, on Nov 3 to enlighten SMEs on how to optimise their businesses, overcome challenges and expand their network.
A full day’s event, SOBA Elevate featured three separate panel discussions with experts and past SOBA winners within a full auditorium. The event was attended by SMG CEO Chan Seng Fatt and chief operating officer Lydia Wang.
The first panel discussion focused on the importance of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) to all forms of businesses today, with the topic “ESG in Action: How SMEs Can Start the Journey”.
Moderated by PwC South East Asia Consulting Sustainability and Climate Change director Low Yee Xin, the panel had PKT Logistics Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Dr Jason Cheah, RHB Bank Bhd Strategic Management and Governance division’s sustainability head Joel Khaw and Climate Governance Malaysia regional director of Sustainability Chong Kok Wai as speakers.
To start the conversation, Low mentioned that ESG has been a topic that has stakeholders responding to that, however it is still regarded as something for large organisations or global investors to address.
Cheah reminded SMEs who are looking to expand their businesses, going for Bursa listing, engaging with multinational companies and who are concerned about their costs that ESG is important. He advised companies that are planning to integrate ESG, on the importance of knowledge and to align with the National Sustainability Reporting Framework, which will help them in their reporting.
Khaw stressed on the importance of capacity building and also the opportunity for SMEs to explore with the banks on how to develop tailored financial solutions to connect them with certificate providers, consultants and embedding solutions within financing products.
“An ecosystem approach is what we are also currently exploring, like our active participation in the Joint Committee on Climate Change, where together with other banks we are supporting set standards for transition frameworks for different sectors.”
Chong noted that what he sees as the missing link in the local environment that can help close the gap to support SMEs in this transition from commitment to action is leadership.
He said a company’s top leaders have to be involved to push the agenda, adding that it is crucial to start early by joining partnerships and scaling that through leadership.
In the next panel discussion on “Cultivating a High-Impact Culture: Attract, Empower, and Retain Top Talent”, moderator People Consulting director of EY in Malaysia Ashweeni Ramakrishnan introduced the panel speakers, WYNKIDS Education Group’s founder, chief executive officer (CEO) and SOBA 2024 winner Elwin Goh, Nando’s Chickenland Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s People director, Mabel Lim, AirAsia Move’s chief people officer Ben-Jie Lim and Peopletopia Advisory consultant Stephanie Ho.
Ho observed that the current workforce is getting younger.
“The roles and tasks are also evolving more explicitly in terms of multi-skilled in a lot more areas, as well as towards getting certain impacts,” she said.
Ben-Jie shared that agility has kept AirAsia through Covid-19 and other various calamities, with its employees changing roles, mindsets and technology. He also attributed embracing innovation as being important as well as having a high-impact culture that is people first.
Coming from a financial standpoint, Goh advises allocating a certain percentage of the company’s profit after tax for staff engagement: “Your staff engagement should be a yearly investment that you see as a separate component where you use that as a ROI to build the sustainability of the workforce.”
In return, he said, they will have a happier working space or a more supportive, conducive environment to produce better, superior services.
With regards to addressing hiring the right talent, Mabel opined that “we cannot hire people that are amazing, but yet [have] contrary beliefs.”
She said while the person may not be the most amazing candidate, skills can be trained, experience can be provided, but personality, culture, anything that’s inside, is difficult to change.
In the third panel discussion entitled “Scaling SMEs: From Starting Up to RM100 Million and Beyond”, moderator Dr Afendi Dahlan who is vice-president of the Malaysia Retail Chain Association introduced Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia chief business officer Sean Tan, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation’s (MATRADE) Mid-Tier Unit deputy director for Customised Programme and Digital Trade Section Hasziah Mohd Yazid, Plus Xnergy Holding Sdn Bhd group CEO Ko Chuan Zhen and Oriental Kopi founder Datuk Calvin Chan.
Tan advises to emphasise on product development as good products will have its following of customers. He also pointed out to be mindful of the competition and of upgrading products to the next level.
Hasziah reminded participants to be agile and learn how to make use of the available technology to expand their businesses, such as selling online using social media and using artificial intelligence engines for research.
Ko explained that as the company grows, bureaucracy will inevitably become an issue, hence business owners should be in a “founder mode” – a hands-on leadership approach, where the company’s founder is deeply involved in the details of every aspect of the business, from strategy and product to customer interactions.
Chan advised the importance of trying, “our best to do the best every day. Because it is easy to lose a customer.” He pointed out that besides selling products, Oriental Kopi is also promoting Malaysian cuisine to the world.
This year’s SOBA Elevate also initiated “SOBA Up Close”, a fire-side chat session that brought participants on a journey through the winners’ and judges’ viewpoints.
Participants were able to gather first-hand insights from judges on what they look for during submissions and presentations, including how to avoid common mistakes.
Moderated by SMG assistant general manager Katy K’ng, with speakers SOBA Winners from 2022-2024, Siti Noraini Nuawi of Nippon Sushi CEO, Allen Lee of PEOPLElogy and Elwin Goh, with SOBA judge and president of Malaysia Entrepreneurs’ Development Association (PUMM), Datuk Dr Teh Tai Yong.
Throughout the event, SOBA sponsors were at hand to assist the participants, who mostly consisted of aspiring entrepreneurs or existing business owners who hope to level up their companies.
Sponsors also gave presentations between the discussion sessions on the services they offer that can be beneficial to the participants.
SOBA 2025 is organised by SMG with CGC Bhd, PKT Logistics Sdn Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd and U Mobile Sdn Bhd as main sponsors, Great Wall Motor Sales Malaysia Sdn Bhd as co-sponsor, Matrade as the official trade promotion partner and SME Corp Malaysia as supporter. It is audited by BDO while radio stations 988 and Suria are official media partners.
Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/11/10/elevating-smes-with-business-expansion-insights