Aw Boon Haw


Aw Boon-Haw, OBE, was a Burmese Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as founder of Tiger Balm. He was a son of Hakka herbalist Aw Chu-Kin, with his ancestral home in Yongding County, Fujian Province, China.

Career

In 1926, Aw migrated to present day Malaysia, where he cofounded the Tiger Red Balm business with his brother, Aw Boon-Par. Aw also founded several newspapers, including Sin Chew Jit Poh in Singapore and Sin Pin Jit Poh in Penang ; and Sing Tao Daily. Aw moved to Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation of Singapore and managed the business from there, while his brother stayed in Singapore until he closed down the factory and went to Rangoon. One of his sons was also killed during the Japanese occupation of Singapore. Aw returned to Singapore after the end of World War II and re-established his business.

Death

In 1954, at the age of 72, Aw died from a heart attack following a major operation in Honolulu while on a trip to Hong Kong from Boston, US. He is remembered through his work with Haw Par Villas throughout Asia, with locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Fujian province of China.

Legacy

His sons took over his businesses after Aw's death.

Personal life

Aw's adopted daughter is the Hong Kong businesswoman and former Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference member Sally Aw. Sally Aw squandered the vast fortune and was on the brink of bankruptcy. Tiger Balm Gardens and the Aw Boon-Haw Gardens in Hong Kong were sold to the territory's billionaire, Li Ka-Shing, for in 1998.
The daughter of Aw Boon-Haw and his fourth wife, Aw Seng, resides in Singapore and has set up a company under her father's name, Aw Boon Haw Pte Ltd, to continue the heritage and legacy of her father. Aw Boon-Haw's fourth wife died on 10 April 2012 in Vancouver aged 100.

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