99 Speed ​​Mart’s Southheast Asia 500 for the first time is the latest teacher and founder of the company, one of the survivors of polio in childhood

With the entry of $ 2.2 billion, 99 Speed ​​Mart generated enough sales to land on No. 158 on luckClassification of the largest Southeast Asia companies by revenue. The company currently has 2833 outlets and 20 centers throughout the country, and plans to reach 3000 outlets by the end of the year.

But the story of 99 Speed ​​Mart is also a story about its founder, Lee Thiam Wah, as in the growth of the store chain.

He contracted my polio at an early age and then lost his legs. He was associated with the wheelchair in most of his life. “No one uses me because of my physical restrictions,” he He said Forbes In an interview 2010. In that interview, he quoted advice from his grandfather, the father: “If you are not working hard, what will you do?”

KG Krishnan – Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Lee’s Retail’s career started when the snacks began from a roadside booth. Then he opened his first miniature market in 1987 as individual ownership, then established ninety -nine markets in 1992. By 1998, he had a network of 8 small markets, and 99 established Mart speed after two years.

Now, 99 Speed ​​Mart is the largest player in the mini market in Malaysia, according to public subscription constructions. 99 Speed ​​Mart has 40 % of the market against global competition such as 7-Eleven, and the series has a 11 % stake in the grocery market.

The company raised 532 million dollars in the public subscription last September, the largest in Malaysia for seven years. The list made me billionaire, and one of the richest Malaysia men.

99 Speed ​​Mart plans to use public subscription revenues to finance its global expansion. in interview With Bloomberg after the list, he told me he is looking for “good opportunities” to go out, but he has no “concrete plans” yet. (99 Speed ​​Mart had an outlet in Singapore, before withdrawing due to the roaming epidemic).

In addition to being the CEO of 99 Speed ​​Mart, Lee also runs franchise in Burger King in Malaysia and Singapore, the third largest shareholder in Elians Malaysia, according to Bloomberg.

The shares have increased in 99 Speed ​​Mart by 9.57 % since the public subscription in September. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Klci Index in Malaysia fell by 8 % during the same period.