Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Teh Hong Piow, aged 92, male, began his banking career in 1950 and has 72 years’ experience in the banking and finance industry. He founded Public Bank in 1965 at the age of 35. He was appointed as a Director of Public Bank on 30 December 1965 and had been the Chief Executive Officer of Public Bank since its commencement of business operations in August 1966. He was re-designated as Chairman of Public Bank and Chairman of Public Bank Group with effect from 1 July 2002. He retired as Chairman of Public Bank on 31 December 2018. He was conferred the position of Chairman Emeritus and Adviser of Public Bank with effect from 1 January 2019.
Tan Sri had won both Malaysian and international acclaim for his outstanding achievements as a banker and the Chief Executive Officer of a leading financial services group. Awards and accolades that he had received include:
- Asia’s Commercial Banker of the Year 1991
- The ASEAN Businessman of the Year 1994
- Malaysia’s Business Achiever of the Year 1997
- Malaysia’s CEO of the Year 1998
- Best CEO in Malaysia 2004
- The Most PR Savvy CEO 2004
- The Asian Banker Leadership Achievement Award 2005 for Malaysia
- Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Financial Services in Asia 2006
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2006
- Award for Lifetime Achievement in Corporate Excellence, Dedication and Industry 2006
- Asia’s Banker of High Distinction Award 2006
- The BrandLaureate Brand Personality Award 2007
- ASEAN Most Astute Banker Award 2007
- Lifetime Entrepreneurship Achievement Award 2007
- The Pila Recognition Award 2007
- Asian Banker Par Excellence Award 2008
- Best CEO in Malaysia 2009
- Asia’s Banking Grandmaster 2010
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2010 for Malaysia
- Value Creator: Malaysia’s Outstanding CEO 2010
- The BrandLaureate - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad Man of the Year 2010 – 2011
- Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2011 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2011 for Malaysia
- The BrandLaureate Premier Brand Icon Leadership Award 2011
- Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2012 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2012 for Malaysia
- Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2013 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2013 for Malaysia
- BrandLaureate Banker of the Year Award 2012-2013
- Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2014 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2014 for Malaysia
- Banker Extraordinaire 2015
- Global Chinese Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award 2015
- BrandLaureate “Icon of Icons - The King of Banking”
- Asia’s Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2015 for Malaysia
- William “Bill” Seidman Lifetime Achievement in Financial Service Industry Award 2015
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2015 for Malaysia
- Asia’s Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2016 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Rcognition Award 2016 for Malaysia
- Asia’s Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2017 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2017 for Malaysia
- The Greatest Malaysian Banker of All Time
- The BrandLaureate Hall of Fame- Lifetime Achievement Award 2018- Man of the Year
- Grand Prix D’Excellence Brand Leadership Award in Banking
- The Best of Best in Brand Leadership Award 2018-Overall Championship
- Asia Best CEO (Investor Relations) 2018 for Malaysia
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2018
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2019
- The BrandLaureate Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award as the Greatest Banking Icon of the Decade
- Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2021
Tan Sri Teh was awarded the Medal “For the Course of Vietnamese Banking” by the State Bank of Vietnam in 2002 for his contribution to the Vietnamese banking industry over the past years. Tan Sri Teh was conferred the Recognition Award 2007 by the National Bank of Cambodia in appreciation of his excellence achievement and significant contribution to the banking industry in Cambodia.
Tan Sri Teh was conferred the Royal Order of Monisaraphon, Commander by The Royal Government of The Kingdom of Cambodia in 2016, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and immense social economic contributions towards the progress and development of Cambodia over the last 25 years. He is the first Malaysian banker ever to receive the Royal Order.
Tan Sri Teh was awarded the “Medal for the Development of Vietnam Banking Industry” in 2017 by the State Bank of Vietnam in recognition for his manifold contribution to the construction and development of Vietnam’s banking industry. Tan Sri Teh is the first foreign banker in Vietnam to be awarded this medal.
Tan Sri Teh had received the “Outstanding Contribution in Promoting “Excellence at Work” and in Strengthening Trade Union in 2019” award from the Vietnam Banking Trade Union in recognition of Tan Sri Teh’s extraordinary contribution towards establishing and sustaining a strong corporate culture and promoting the well-being of all employees of Public Bank Vietnam Limited.
In recognition of his contributions to society and the economy, he was conferred the Doctor of Laws (Honorary) from University of Malaya, Malaysia in 1989.
Tan Sri Teh was conferred The Honorary Doctor of The University by The Board of Directors and The Academic Senate of Sunway University on 28 January 2019, in recognition of his distinction as one of the leading bankers of Malaysia, having founded and overseen the evolution of Public Bank into a modern and integrated financial institution, and for his outstanding contribution to the growth of the financial services industry of Malaysia.
Tan Sri Teh was conferred the inaugural Honorary Fellowship of The Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM) by ICDM in December 2021 in recognition of his exemplary leadership in upholding excellence in governance and high ethical standards, outstanding achievements, contribution and impact in the financial services sector.
He had served in various capacities in public service bodies in Malaysia; he was a member of the Malaysian Business Council from 1991 to 1993; a member of the National Trust Fund from 1988 to 2001; a founder member of the Advisory Business Council since 2003; and is a member of the IPRM Accreditation Privy Council.
He is an Emeritus Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Management and is a Fellow of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers; the Chartered Institute of Bankers, United Kingdom; the Institute of Administrative Management, United Kingdom; and the Governance Institute of Australia.
His directorship in other public companies within the Public Bank Group are as Chairman of Public Mutual Bhd, Public Financial Holdings Ltd, Public Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd, Public Bank Vietnam Ltd and several other subsidiaries of Public Bank, and as Director of Public Investment Bank Bhd and Public Islamic Bank Bhd. His directorship in other public companies are as Chairman of LPI Capital Bhd and Lonpac Insurance Bhd.