The awards were elevated to a new level in this edition, bringing together leading Teochew business leaders from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries. Special benchmark honours were introduced to recognise outstanding achievements, further highlighting the strength of Teochew entrepreneurs in building successful businesses across borders and diversifying their ventures. The Awards Gala was honoured to have then Singapore Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung as the Guest of Honour.

The judging panel assessed candidates across five key areas to identify outstanding and distinguished Teochew entrepreneurs before selecting the most exceptional winners from each category. The 5 key areas included 1) assessing the performance of the participating companies and their potential for future profit growth; 2) corporate management, leadership ability, vision, and management skills; 3) evaluating the expansion of the participating companies into their respective industries and new technology markets; 4) their innovation capabilities and marketing skills; and finally, 5) Teochew characteristics such as integrity, hard work, and a pioneering spirit.

Note: * denotes recipients of the ‘Most Outstanding Teochew Entrepreneur Award’, # denotes recipients of the ‘Most Distinguished Teochew Entrepreneur Award’