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Olivia Lum

Group CEO and President
Hyflux

There is nothing that really fazes Olivia Lum, Group CEO and President of Hyflux, whose success today is the result of her tenacity and sheer determination. Growing up in a Malaysian village near Singapore, Olivia worked part-time to support her studies all the way till she completed her degree from the National University of Singapore.

After graduation, Olivia worked as a chemist in GlaxoSmithKline for three years before leaving to start up her own company — known as Hyflux today — to sell water filters and treatment systems, where she marketed them along the Malaysian peninsula off the back of a motorcycle. She further grew the company by going into manufacturing, when she brought in membrane technology as means to treat water.

By January 2001, Hyflux had become the first water treatment company to be listed on the Singapore Exchange. The company's landmark projects include Singapore's first water reclamation plant, the Bedok NEWater Plant; Singapore's first seawater desalination plant and first Public Private Partnership, SingSpring Desalination Plant at Tuas; China's largest desalination plant in Tianjin; and the world's largest membrane-based seawater desalination plant in Magtaa, Algeria.

Among the many accolades Olivia has received for her entrepreneurial achievements are: Winner of the Regional Growth Award by Nihon Keizai Shimbun at the 11th Nikkei Asia Prize 2006, and also the Rising Asia — The Next 10 Years Award by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) and AXN ASIA.

Apart from being successful in business, Olivia is equally active in public and community service. She served as a Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore from 2002-2004, and has sat on a number of national committees. In addition, she is a member of the Singapore-Tianjin Economic & Trade Council and Singapore-Jiangsu Cooperation Council.