Background
Lien was born 1906 in the village of Taipo, Guangdong, China, becoming an orphan at the age of ten.
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Lien Chow
Edit Profilefounder of Overseas Chinese Union Bank
Career
Around the age of fourteen, Lien immigrated to Singapore, with little money to spare. In 1928, some eight years after reaching Singapore, Lien founded his own trading company, Wah Hin and Company, using his savings. Lien was given the role of president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 1941.
Also a food and drink supplier to the British Army, he fled by boat to Australia, a few days before the Japanese occupation of Singapore.
Singapore"s Mandarin Hotel belonged to him. During the 1960s, Lien was the High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia.
Lien died August 6, 2004, aged 98. The cause of his death was pneumonia.
Lien was described by Ming San Tee as "he business kingpin known by households", while the Los Angeles Times wrote that he was a "Self-Made Singapore Banking Tycoon".
Achievements
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He is the founder of Overseas Chinese Union Bank (later known as Overseas Union Bank), which merged with United Overseas Bank in 2001. Lien cofounded Nanyang University and is the founder of Overseas Union Bank (formerly Overseas Chinese Union Bank), which, in 2001, became part of United Overseas Bank, as well as the Lien Foundation, which he established in 1980. He was winner of the American Academy of Achievement"s Golden Plate Award in 1981, becoming the first non-American recipient.
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Born
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Died
August 6, 2004 (aged 98) -
Nationality
Singaporean