Goh Cheng Liang, Nippon Paint billionaire and Singapore's richest man, dies aged 98
Mr Goh Cheng Liang held a majority stake in Japan's Nippon Paint Holdings and had an estimated net worth of US$13 billion (S$16.7 billion), according to Forbes.
SINGAPORE – Mr Goh Cheng Liang, Singapore's richest man according to Forbes' annual list of global billionaires in 2025, died at the age of 98 on Aug 12.
The founder of paint and coatings company Wuthelam Group 'passed away this morning with family members by his side', according to a media release.
Mr Goh held a majority stake in Japan's Nippon Paint Holdings and had an estimated net worth of US$13 billion (S$16.7 billion), according to Forbes.
He grew up in a shophouse in River Valley Road with his parents and four siblings.
In 1949, Mr Goh launched his Pigeon Brand paint business, which later evolved into a partnership with Nippon Paint, the world's fourth-largest paint maker.
He founded Wuthelam Holdings in 1974 and built it into a global conglomerate.
Wuthelam Group currently owns nearly 60 per cent of Nippon Paint Holdings. The family's other ventures have included the former Liang Court and Mount Elizabeth Hospital, both of which Mr Goh developed and later sold.
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Mr Goh's eldest son, Mr Goh Hup Jin, said in a statement on Aug 12 that his father was 'a beacon of kindness and strength'.
'We are very fortunate to have had him show us how to be a good person – he taught us to live life with compassion and humility,' he said.
Mr Goh is survived by three children, Mr Goh Hup Jin, Mr Goh Chuen Jin and Ms Goh Chiat Jin, as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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