Cheong Heng Leong

Chief Executive Officer, International Business (United Kingdom, EcoWorld International)

Mr Cheong was appointed as Chief Executive Officer, International Business (United Kingdom) of Eco World International Berhad on 1 October 2015, in charge of development in United Kingdom projects.

In 2006, he joined the Investor Relations department of S P Setia Berhad, responsible for liaising with local and foreign analysts and fund managers through one-on-one meetings, conferences and roadshows in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. He was ranked third and second in the Malaysian Investor Relations Association Awards for the Best Investor Relations Professional – Mid Cap in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

He was tasked with additional responsibilities in 2011 where he was responsible for helping the Malaysian consortium of S P Setia Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad and Employees Provident Fund in identifying and subsequently acquiring the development site for the Battersea Power Station project in Central London. He was the ’point man’ responsible for the day-to-day management of the extensive due diligence team of bankers, lawyers, accountants, property and technical consultants.

Following the successful acquisition of Battersea Power Station, he was promoted in 2012 to be the General Manager, Property United Kingdom. In recognition of the project knowledge that he had amassed, he was subsequently nominated by S P Setia Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad and Employees Provident Fund in 2012 to serve as the Chief Strategic Relations Officer of the United Kingdom-based Battersea Power Station Development Company Limited, reporting directly to the Chairman.

He resigned from his position as General Manager, Property United Kingdom of S P Setia Berhad and Chief Strategic Relations Officer of Battersea Power Station Development Company Limited in September 2015 to join Eco World Management & Advisory Services (UK) Limited as Chief Executive Officer and was based in London. His main responsibilities include identifying new real estate opportunities for Eco World International Berhad and helping to oversee the implementation of the joint venture developments with Ballymore on behalf of the joint venture’s majority shareholders.

He was instrumental in securing the majority acquisition of the Willmott Dixon Holdings Limited’s residential development business, which potentially increases Eco World International Berhad’s business in the United Kingdom by fourfold.