Who are the 10 richest people in Singapore? Net worths, ranked – from Leo Koguan, a fan of Tesla’s Elon Musk, to Haidilao co-founder Zhang Yong, and one of Mark Zuckerberg’s former Facebook colleagues

Jan 30 , 2024

Wee Cho Yao, Haidilao’s Zhang Yong and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin are among the richest people in Singapore. Photos: Naashon Zalk, Getty Images, Instagram

The founder of United Overseas Bank, Wee Cho Yaw, the descendants of Standard Chartered Bank investor Khoo Teck Puat, and Sino Group’s Robert Ng all make Forbes’ list of richest people in Singapore

But the most famous billionaire currently in the Asian city-state is actually a tech founder connected with Mark Zuckerberg – and immortalised in the 2010 film The Social Network

Known as one of the world’s most attractive cities for investment and commerce, over the past two decades Singapore has increasingly become home to top talent in tech, finance and other industries. Combine these stable investment environments with a culturally diverse population, and you have a city that’s appealing to expats from just about everywhere around the world.

The influence of the expat community has changed the commerce landscape, so much so that the wealthiest person now is a Brazilian native who’s spent the past decade in Singapore after achieving groundbreaking success in Silicon Valley, according to Forbes’ latest Singapore’s 50 Richest list.

Here’s who tops the list at the time of writing …

10. The Kwee brothers

Combined net worth: US$6.3 billion

Kwee Liong Tek of the Kwee brothers, owners of Pontiac Land Group in Singapore. Photo: Handout

Of the 10 wealthiest names in Singapore, four of them made their fortune in property – including the Kwee brothers. With a net worth of US$6.3 billion, the four brothers Kwee Liong Keng, Kwee Liong Tek, Kwee Liong Seen and Kwee Liong Phing privately own Pontiac Land, which owns and operates a slew of luxury hotels, including the Cappella Hotel chain they acquired in 2017. The brothers are also reportedly avid art collectors.

9. Leo Koguan

Net worth: US$6.5 billion

Leo Koguan’s wealth is now mostly Tesla shares; he is widely known as an Elon Musk fan. Photo: @isr_sg/Twitter

US$200 million richer is Leo Koguan, a tech giant with a net worth of US$6.5 billion. He runs Shi International with his ex-wife and the company’s CEO, Thai Lee. The IT provider is worth US$14 billion. His true claim to fame and fortune, however, comes from his admiration for Tesla founder Elon Musk – Koguan is said to be the world’s biggest Tesla share investor.

8. Wee Cho Yaw

Net worth: US$7.1 billion

Wee Cho Yaw, chairman emeritus and former chief executive of United Overseas Bank. Photo: Naashon Zalk

From the finance and investment sector is Wee Cho Yaw, whose bank account comes in at US$7.1 billion. He was the former CEO and now chairman emeritus of United Overseas Bank, formerly United Chinese Bank, which his father Wee Khiang Cheng co-founded in 1935. UOB is currently the third largest bank in Singapore.