Yvon Bock, founder and CEO of Hegen, has been named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 Singapore (EoY).
The 44-year-old, who is also the category winner in consumer products, beat three other category winners and will go on to compete with winners from other countries at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2024.
“Motherhood has always pushed me to become a greater person. Now, it has guided me to learn the art of entrepreneurship, where I have become the driving force of inspiration and innovation for solutions to issues that weigh heavily on my mind. I’m beyond honoured to be named the overall EY Entrepreneur of The Year Singapore 2024 and I will continue to pursue my mission of empowering 100 million mothers globally to do us proud,” says Bock on winning the top honour.
Established in Singapore in 2015, Hegen designs and creates sustainable, practical and high-quality breastfeeding products that meet the different needs of a growing child, and, in turn, improve and enhance the nursing experience between a mother and her child. Its award-winning Express-Store-Feed system reimagines the milk bottle in a practical way while keeping it efficient, simple and functional.
“My personal motto in life is do what you love and love what you do,” Bock adds at the EoY gala dinner on Nov 27. “I hope this will continue to inspire everyone. Putting aside all the awards and achievements in recent years, I am just an ordinary woman looking to give back in my own way. I am passionate about what I do, and that is serving mothers around the world.”
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She continues: “Believe in what you want, manifest it daily and never give up!”
All four of the category winners this year are women. Phyllis Ong, group CEO of Armstrong Industrial Corp, is the category winner in advanced manufacturing; Althea Lim, co-founder and group CEO of Gushcloud International, is the category winner in new media and entertainment; while Olive Tai, co-founder and managing director of Synagie Group Asia and Europe, is the category winner in e-commerce services. The winners were selected from close to 100 nominations by an independent judging panel, based on their merits in fulfilling the four globally benchmarked criteria of entrepreneurial spirit, growth, purpose and impact.
Chairperson of the judging panel, Shi Xu, who is also founder and executive chairman of Nanofilm Technologies International MZH , says: “The four winners this year clearly demonstrate strong business acumen and innovation paired with passion and purpose. Whether it is breaking new grounds in traditional industries or charting unknown territories in emerging sectors, the winners have been bold with their vision in growing a business that not only responds to but creates new market demands.”
See also: Four entrepreneurs named winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Singapore awards
“At EY, we champion entrepreneurship with passion and purpose. Tonight, we celebrate four outstanding women entrepreneurs — remarkable individuals who care deeply about making both business and social impact. Each is a visionary, a changemaker, an innovator — the enduring spark of brilliance behind her masterpiece of work,” says Liew Nam Soon, EY Asean regional managing partner and managing partner of Singapore and Brunei at the dinner.
“For the first time in the award’s 22-year history, the entire class of winners are women entrepreneurs, each with a compelling story to tell. Yvon was driven by her personal experience in spotting a market gap; Phyllis boldly took over the reins of leadership to transform the family’s manufacturing business into a formidable regional player; Althea saw a first-mover opportunity in the rise of influencer marketing and new media globally; and Olive leveraged her strong corporate career experience to tap on the burgeoning potential of e-commerce,” he adds via a statement released by EY.
In addition to the four winners, EY gave out two honorary awards. This year’s EY Family Enterprise Award of Excellence went to Ho Bee Land H13 , while the EY Asean Entrepreneurial Excellence Award 2023 went to Jeffrey Cheah, founder and chairman of Sunway Group.
The recipient of the EY Family Enterprise Award of Excellence is jointly selected by knowledge partners, Business Families Institute @ Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Insead Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise, whereas the EY Asean Entrepreneurial Excellence award recognises successful Southeast Asian businesses that contribute to the economy and community in the region.
The EoY awards, now in its 22nd year, was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng was the guest of honour.
Singapore Exchange (SGX) is the official partner of the EoY awards, while Portfolio Magazine, The Business Times and The Edge Singapore are the official media partners. The event is supported by Action Community for Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore Business Federation and SkillsFuture Singapore.
Pol de Win, head of global sales and origination at SGX Group, says: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the EoY winners this year. It is truly inspiring to see these remarkable female entrepreneurs being recognised for their exceptional talent and dedication to their visions.”
He adds: “At SGX Group, we believe that entrepreneurship is a powerful force that drives innovation and economic growth, and these winners embody this spirit. Their success not only contributes to their respective industries but also strengthens our local business community, fostering a culture of innovation and resilience that we are proud to be a part of.”
