Dato’ Lim Kok Cheong was born in 1945 to a family impoverished by the war and grew up amidst the chaos of post war Malaysia, and was only able to complete his education after changing 7 primary and 3 secondary schools. Lim worked as a salesperson in his youth before starting work in a large oil factory where he learned the ropes of the edible oil industry.
In 1968, Lim founded the Yee Lee Company and began on the lower stream industry of edible oil processing and packaging. He begun moving upstream in 1976 when he set up his first palm oil refinery in Ipoh. In the same year, he founded the Yee Lee Oil & Foodstuffs Company and launched the famous Red Eagle Cooking Oil, a household name in Malaysia for more than 35 years.
Today, the Yee Lee Group comprises of more than 20 subsidiaries in a wide range of industries including edible oil, award winning Spritzer Mineral Water, foodstuff, household items, real estate, rubber, oral care, etc. After taking over the reign as ACCCIM President, Lim has been active in organising numerous international study tours, attended the World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention in Bangkok, and held dialogues with the Prime Minister.
Under his leadership, the ACCCIM also successfully held the 2013 Cambodia-Malaysia SMIs Exhibition, the Pan-Pacific Partnership Roundtable Discussion, the 11th Malaysia-Taiwan Economic Forum, 2014 Myanmar-Malaysia SME Products and Services Exhibition and Seminar, etc.
