Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan, Chairman and Founder Berjaya Corporation Berhad was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Business Innovation at University of Cyberjaya’s 12th Convocation Ceremony on the 3rd of December 2022 for his contributions and achievements in the field of business and entrepreneurship.
In his acceptance speech, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan said, “I am very honoured and grateful to receive this Honorary Doctorate by University of Cyberjaya. I feel very fortunate that I am able to achieve all this. To all graduates, I am sure you will be out looking for a job. I encourage some of you to be brave and to also consider taking the challenge of setting up your own enterprises and businesses. If you start a business, you’ll be helping your country as you will employ people and contribute to the economy. In fact, even when you work for an organisation, you contribute to the economy.”
The Chairman of Berjaya Corporation was conferred the title for his achievements including bringing to the Malaysian shore, the McDonald’s franchise in the early 1980s and also introducing many other world-renowned franchises to Malaysia such as Starbucks Coffee, Kenny Rogers Roasters, and the 7-Eleven convenience store chain.
Tan Sri Vincent Tan is currently the Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, the Executive Chairman of Berjaya Times Square Sdn. Bhd. and the Chairman of Berjaya Hills Resort Berhad and U Mobile Sdn. Bhd. He is also the Managing Director/CEO of STM Lottery Sdn. Bhd. (formerly known as Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.). He also holds directorships in several subsidiaries of Berjaya Corporation and his private companies.
More than just a successful businessman, Tan Sri Vincent Tan is also a prominent philanthropist. His most recent initiative is to promote home ownership for the B40 group through the efforts of his Yayasan My First Home (YMFH). YMFH is a charitable foundation established by Tan Sri Vincent Tan in 2021 that serves as a singular touch point and facilitator to connect various stakeholders such as housing developers, NGOs, financiers, Federal and State agencies, donors, and other interested parties in developing affordable housing and promoting home ownership for the B40 community.
The university also conferred an Honorary Doctorate to Associate Professor Annette Foley of Federation University, Australia. Honorary Professorships were conferred to Datuk Dr. Mohd Nizom Sairi of Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN), Dr. Arunachalam Nagappan of Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Professor Dr. Balakrishnan Parasuraman of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and Mr. Amrahi Buang, committee for Halal Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Standards while Dato’ Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie, former national astronaut, doctor and entrepreneur received the Honorary Master of Medical Science.
Datuk Dr. Mohd Nizom Sairi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LHDN received the Honorary Professor of Financial Innovation for being instrumental in the digitalisation agenda of the tax administration in Malaysia. He was appointed as CEO of LHDN in October 2021 having gathered the right knowledge, expertise and exposure in taxation and management at the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM) for over 37 years. Datuk Nizom also played a major part in the development of the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) system, a government aid disbursement system which was put in place on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He said, “When entering the workforce, new graduates should take the initiative to work on their tasks before someone asks them to do it. Another important value that graduates should know is, delayed gratification is more virtuous and satisfying. Do not fret if you feel that you are not being recognised in your career. Do the best you can, and in the end, you will be rewarded in one way or the other.”
The conferment of honorary awards is a hallmark of the growth of the University since its inception in 2005. Now almost at its 2-decade mark and having grown from a University College to a full-fledged University, the institution honours these individuals for their tireless efforts within their respective fields, with the hope of inspiring the next generation of graduates as they enter the working world.
