Raffles Medical Group executive chairman named Businessman of the Year

After over 30 years of running his own firm, Dr Loo Choon Yong still considers himself a doctor first.

However, the executive chairman of Raffles Medical Group has proved to be a savvy businessman anyway - the 64-year-old Dr Loo was named Businessman of the Year at the annual Singapore Business Awards (SBA) on Thursday evening.

He co-founded Raffles Medical in 1976 by opening two clinics in the Central Business Districy with classmate and partner Dr Alfred Loh.

He was appointed to the role of executive chairman in 1997, when Raffles Medical was listed on the Singapore stock exchange.

Today, the firm runs 76 medical clinics throughout Singapore and has a network of clinics in Hong Kong a medical centre in Shanghai. It posted a net profit of $57.2 million for the full year in 2012, up 13 per cent from the previous year.

"The most important thing is how to stay true to looking after our patients properly," Dr Loo said at a press conference to announce his win earlier in the day.

"Many of my team members, my management staff, doctors and our nurses and support staff have worked hard and done well and helped build an organisation and this is a recognition of all their efforts."

The SBA, organised by The Business Times and DHL Express Singapore, also named NTUC Income head Tan Suee Chieh Outstanding Chief Executive of the Year.

Mr Tham Khai Meng, the worldwide chief creative officer at Ogilvy & Mather New York was named Outstanding Senior Executive (Overseas) of the Year, while Super Group was given the Enterprise Award, which is given to a company that has shown an enterprising spirit and innovativeness.

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