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Goh Cheng Liang
Singaporean businessman (1927–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Goh Cheng Liang (1927 – 12 August 2025) was a Singaporean billionaire businessman who founded Wuthelam Holdings, which manufactures paint and coatings.[1]
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Early life
Goh Cheng Liang was born in Singapore.[2] He is the son of Wu Songchang and Li Xiuying.[3]
He grew up in poverty and sold fishnets and rubber tapper[clarification needed] for income. After World War II, he began buying cheap paint from the British army which he turned into a local company.[4]
Career
Goh set up his first paint shop in Singapore in 1955, and became the main distributor there for Nippon Paint in 1962.[5] Wuthelam Holdings, which has interests in the paint business and property development, was founded in 1974 as a real estate concern.[1]
In 2020, his son Goh Hup Jin helped conclude a deal which enabled Wuthelam Holdings to formally take control of Nippon Paint.[4] The merger added approximately $3.8 billion to his overall net worth.[6] According to Forbes, his net worth stood at $12.7 billion as of 2024, making him the second richest person in Singapore.[7]
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Personal life and death
Goh Cheng Liang lived in Singapore.[2] His Goh Foundation has made large donations to several charitable causes.[8][9]
He had a son, Goh Hup Jin, who has been the chairman of Nippon Paint since March 2018 and runs their privately held joint venture, Nipsea.[2]
Goh died on 12 August 2025, at the age of 98.[10]
References
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