Goh had begun his foray into the paint business in 1955 and became the main distributor for Nippon Paint in 1962. He then established Wuthelam Holdings, a paint and coatings maker, in 1974.
Goh Cheng Liang, the founder of Wuthelam Holdings, controlling shareholder of Tokyo-listed Nippon Paint and philanthropist, has died aged 98. The news was confirmed by a statement issued by Wuthelam on Aug 12.
Goh, who was born in 1927, is one of Singapore’s most low-profile but richest tycoons. According to Forbes’ 2025 list, Goh is ranked the 182nd richest person in the world with a net worth of around US$13 billion. In 2024, Goh placed fifth on the Singapore list with a net worth of US$10.4 billion. Facebook’s Eduardo Saverin, Far East Organization’s Robert and Philip Ng, Mindray’s co-founder Li Xiting and Hong Leong’s Kwek Leng Beng and family, who came in first to fourth, respectively.
