Tan Chin Nam

Dato' Tan Chin Nam (simplified Chinese: 陈振南; traditional Chinese: 陳振南; pinyin: Chén Zhèn Nán; born 18 March 1926)^[1] is a Malaysian-born entrepreneur and developer. His family is the majority shareholder of IGB Corporation Berhad.^[2]

Tan is reportedly one of the richest men in Malaysia and has several companies and businesses.^[3][4] He is famous as a property developer and was involved in various projects such as Shangri-La Hotel in Malaysia, shopping centres in Singapore and Malaysia, including one of the largest shopping malls in the world, Mid Valley Megamall. In Australia, he is responsible for the renovation of Queen Victoria Building (QVB) and Capitol Theatre in Sydney. He also owns a number of Australian-based Thoroughbred racehorses.

Tan's biography, released in 2006 and published by MPH Malaysia, is called Never Say I Assume!.

Thoroughbred horse racing

The principal owner for one of Australia's most successful horse trainers, Bart Cummings, Tan had a successful working relationship with Cummings for more than thirty years until the latter's death in 2015.

He owned at least a share in most of Cummings' well-known horses, including Think Big (co-owned with Queensland property developer Rick O'Sullivan and then joined by Tunku Abdul Rahman), winner of back-to-back Melbourne Cups in 1974 and 1975, as well as the multiple Group One winner, Saintly.^[5] He was the owner of the 2008 Melbourne Cup winner Viewed, and is one of four thoroughbred owners to win the Melbourne Cup four Times.^[6] He also owned 2009 and 2010 Cox Plate winner So You Think, and the winner of the 2009 Crown Oaks, Faint Perfume.

Tan owns a stud farm located along the Wingecarribee River at Burradoo, New South Wales that he named Think Big Stud.

Chess

In 1975, Tan decided that there was great potential in expanding the game of chess in China. For the first eight years of the Cultural Revolution, chess had been prohibited, but in 1974 there was an easing of the ban and, together with some leading Chinese officials, Tan set-up the "Big Dragon Project", with the aim of having China dominate the chess world by 2010.^[7] In 1982 he became the first FIDE Deputy President for Asia.^[1]

Honours

The Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne is named in his honor.

Personal life

Tan is retired, leaving his multi-billion business to a new generation. Tan's eldest grandchild is Tan Yee Seng.

References