Goh Cheng Liang (born 1927) is a Singaporean billionaire businessman who founded Wuthelam Holdings, which manufactures paint and coatings.[1]
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 for income. After World War II, he began buying cheap paint from the British army which he turned into a local company.[4]
He 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 $3.8bn to his overall net worth.[6] According to Forbes, his net worth stands at $12.7 billion as of 2024, making him the second richest person in Singapore.[7]
Goh Cheng Liang lives in Singapore.[2] His Goh Foundation has made large donations to several charitable causes.[8][9]
He has 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]